At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead financial reviews and support sales with strategic insights to drive profitability.
- Company: Join Delice De France, a leading distributor of premium frozen bakery products in the UK.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, pension, discounts, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and collaboration across departments.
- Why this job: Be part of an entrepreneurial team driving innovation in the FMCG sector.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in commercial finance, strong analytical skills, and a proactive mindset.
The predicted salary is between 49500 - 60500 £ per year.
Role: Commercial Finance Manager
Reports to: Head of Business Insights
Based: Southall (On-site)
About Delice De France: Delice is the largest specialist distributor of premium frozen bakery products operating in the UK with a rich history underpinned by a focus on innovation and customer service. Established in London in 1984, primarily focused on the food service sector, with notable success in retail, leveraging its established strategic supplier network to navigate global food trends and develop a holistic understanding of the food market in conjunction with its own multi-temperature UK logistics network.
The Role: The whole Finance team at Delice are very commercially driven and get the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of the business at many different levels. At Delice finance is at the heart of the business, with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are looking for an exceptionally commercial candidate to join our Business Insights team in our Southall Head office. Business Insights is exceptionally entrepreneurial, and no two days are the same. It's an exciting time to join us and be a part of the team designed to drive the business forward through business partnering the sales team and being an integral part of our Customer's Journey.
You will also own the financial view of our product journey, from supplier through freight, storage and distribution to the customer, making sure every product is accurately costed to deliver its margin. You will be involved in a variety of fast-paced change projects and initiatives into our customer-centric independent business. For example, relaunching our Customer Concepts and the Delice Brands.
You are excited by the opportunity to work at different levels within the business and driven to learn more about an FMCG food business, bringing strong business acumen. Driven and a self-starter, you will lead continuous improvement across our Customer Journeys, striving for efficiencies and excellence whilst maintaining the highest standards of performance and promoting our Food Safety Culture. You will be an extended part of our Sales team and part of the Delice Family delivering the Delice core values.
Key Relationships: Reporting into the Head of Business Insights, the Commercial Finance Manager will be a key business partner to the sales team who look after the Retail, Out of Home, Catering, Wholesale, Distribution & Multiples channels.
Other Key Contacts: Sales, Marketing, Procurement, Supply Chain, Hardware, the rest of the Finance team.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the financial review and challenge of business cases (e.g. new customer contracts, tenders, pricing investments, new product launches and capex), including post-investment reviews to track ROI delivered against plan.
- Strategically and tactically support the Sales team across all sectors, end-to-end on areas such as accurate pricing, maximising Return on Investment, accurate forecasting, Finance support in tenders, contract review, trade terms management, and customer joint business plan meetings.
- Drive profitability, growth and cash improvement with a customer and product lens by working with the Head of Business Insights and Head of Finance, to identify key trends and actions with these channels.
- Lead regular finance and sales performance reviews to drive accountability, efficiency and clear communication.
- Promote cross-functional working to build a balanced customer, cost and cash-focused culture.
- Deliver sales analytics, including price/volume/mix, customer and product profitability and promotional effectiveness, and develop timely, accurate, insight-driven commercial reporting and Power BI dashboards.
- Working with the Head of Business Insights, own the Sales month-end commentary, providing a clear understanding of business sales performance and outlook.
- Prepare the Executive KPI report, bringing together key metrics from across all departments, summarising performance and highlighting key changes and trends for the Executive team.
- Build a working technical understanding of each department's KPIs to sense-check the data and explain key movements.
- Champion data literacy and self-serve reporting (Excel, Power BI) across the commercial team, promoting continuous improvement throughout Delice.
- Own landed product cost modelling as part of the product journey, keeping product costs accurate and analysing variances to inform pricing and margin decisions.
- Support the Strategic Sector Pricing Strategy for Delice working closely with the Channel Team, Sales Operations Director, President and Marketing.
- Work with the Head of Business Insights, Chief Financial Officer, President and the Sales Operations Director to understand how market insights can be used with pricing tactical strategies to gain market share.
- Evaluate new financing and business model opportunities to increase market penetration for Delice de France.
- Lead and support cross-functional projects and provide ad hoc commercial finance solutions as business needs evolve.
Benefits:
- Company Pension.
- Life Assurance.
- Free Onsite Parking.
- Referral Scheme.
- Long Service Award Scheme.
- 50% Discount Off Company Purchases.
- Eyecare Vouchers.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
Essential Experience and Qualifications:
- Business or numerate degree (or equivalent).
- At least 3 years' commercial finance or financial reporting experience, with a commercial, value-adding mindset.
- Proven business partnering experience, with the confidence to challenge and influence senior stakeholders.
- Strongly analytical, with excellent communication, collaboration and interpersonal skills.
- Customer and solutions focused, turning financial insight into practical commercial solutions for customers and the business.
- A strong, resilient and flexible personality, comfortable adapting to changing priorities and holding their own with senior stakeholders.
- Excellent planning and multitasking skills, able to manage varied day-to-day priorities and deadlines.
- Advanced Excel skills, along with strong MS Office skills.
- A proactive self-starter with clear, independent thinking, able to work flexibly both independently and as part of a team.
- Experience of an integrated ERP system (ideally Microsoft Dynamics 365) and Power BI is preferred.
- ACCA/ACA/CIMA qualified or finalist is preferred.
- FMCG, retail or fast-paced entrepreneurial background preferred.
- Enjoys a fast-paced, changing commercial environment where no two days are the same.
Key Performance Measures:
- Business partnering and key stakeholder management.
- Timely, accurate and insightful commercial reporting and sales analytics with a value-added focus.
- On-time, accurate delivery of the Executive KPI report with clear, actionable commentary.
- Rigour of business case review and tracking of ROI delivered against plan.
- Accuracy of landed product costs and overall margin delivery against target.
Commercial Finance Manager in London employer: DELICE DE FRANCE LIMITED
Delice de France is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and collaborative work culture, where ambition and teamwork are at the forefront. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer comprehensive benefits including a competitive pension scheme, generous staff discounts, and access to wellbeing resources, all while working in a fast-paced environment that values innovation and customer engagement. Join us in our UK operations to build meaningful relationships and drive success in the bakery industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Finance Manager in London
✨Tip Number 1: Tap Into Professional Networks
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✨Tip Number 4: Apply Directly on Company Websites
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We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Finance Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers Game:In financial controlling, detail is everything! Make sure your CV showcases your proficiency with numbers—highlight any relevant experience in budgeting, forecasting, or working with financial software. Quantifying your past achievements will make you stand out, so don’t be shy about flaunting those impressive percentages or cost savings you've implemented.
Tailored Cover Letter is Key:Your cover letter is a chance to shine, especially for a full-time role. Use it to express your genuine interest in DELICE DE FRANCE LIMITED and the specific impact you hope to make in financial controlling. Mention any relevant qualifications or experiences that align with the company’s goals, and don’t forget to show that you're ready for a long-term commitment!
Certifications Matter:List relevant certifications such as ACCA or CIMA on your CV. These qualifications not only showcase your dedication to the field but also your technical competence in financial principles. If you have any ongoing training or courses, make sure to mention those as well to demonstrate your commitment to continual learning in financial controlling.
Don’t Overlook Soft Skills:While numbers are crucial, so are those soft skills! Financial controllers need strong communication and analytical reasoning abilities. We recommend embedding examples of these skills in your CV and cover letter, like how you’ve successfully delivered financial reports to stakeholders or collaborated with teams to improve processes. Let’s show DELICE DE FRANCE LIMITED how you can be a team player!
How to prepare for a job interview at DELICE DE FRANCE LIMITED
✨Brush Up on Technical Skills
Make sure you're comfortable with key financial concepts, especially around forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis. Sometimes, interviewers may throw in technical questions or case studies, so practicing these types of scenarios will help you shine!
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If you've had experience with specific financial software like SAP or Oracle, make it known! Be ready to discuss how you used these tools to improve processes or reporting, as this hands-on knowledge can really set you apart in a full-time role with DELICE DE FRANCE LIMITED.
✨Know Your Numbers
In full-time interviews, especially in financial controlling, be prepared for numerical reasoning tests or questions. Brush up on your mental maths and understand how to interpret and analyse financial statements on the spot, as this may come up during the assessment.
✨Connect with Company Goals
Familiarise yourself with DELICE DE FRANCE LIMITED's financial objectives and any recent developments. During the interview, try to weave your understanding of their business model and challenges into your answers—this shows your genuine interest and alignment with their goals!
