At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead financial performance and drive revenue for M&S Food's transformation programme.
- Company: Join the innovative M&S Food Finance team, shaping the future of food retail.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and 24/7 wellbeing support.
- Other info: Inclusive culture focused on collaboration and personal development.
- Why this job: Be part of a mission to deliver quality and sustainability in food retail.
- Qualifications: Qualified accountant with strong commercial acumen and leadership experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
This is not just any Finance team… this is the M&S Food Finance team!
M&S Food is on a mission to deliver exceptional quality, innovation, and value for our customers every day. We’re redefining what great food retail looks like, combining trusted sourcing with bold ideas to create products that excite and inspire. Our vision is to lead the market in quality and sustainability, while driving growth through data-driven decisions and customer-focused strategies. This is your opportunity to be part of a brand that’s proud of its heritage but focused firmly on shaping the future of food retail.
Fully woven into the DNA of M&S, our Finance team plays a fundamental role in shaping business decisions, delivering targets, analysing performance, managing costs, and ensuring our most vital data is accurate. We add value by helping every area of the business make data-driven decisions and understand what drives commercial performance.
We’re looking for a highly motivated and commercially minded Senior Finance Manager to join our Food Commercial Finance team. In this role, you’ll lead a team and partner with our Trading teams to deliver the ambitious Food transformation programme, driving revenue and profit to meet business unit targets. To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.
Your key accountabilities will include:
- Lead financial performance for Trading: Take ownership of the P&L, balance sheet, and controls, ensuring delivery of revenue and profit targets while influencing pricing, promotions, and supplier negotiations.
- Provide insight and challenge: Use data and analytics to inform decisions, identify risks and opportunities, and assess strategic initiatives, ensuring shareholder value is at the heart of every decision.
- Drive commercial planning and governance: Oversee budgets, forecasts, and performance reviews; manage robust governance processes around pricing, supplier performance, and compliance with GSCOP obligations.
- Optimise supplier and commodity management: Support Joint Business Plans, track inflation impacts, and work with buying teams and suppliers to ensure competitive pricing and maximise supplier income opportunities.
- Enhance reporting and capability: Collaborate with Business Service Centre and Analytics teams to improve reporting processes, deliver month-end insights, and participate in initiatives to build finance capability across the team.
Your skills and experience will include:
- Qualified accountant (CIMA, ACCA, ACA, CA) with at least 5 years’ post-qualification experience.
- Strong commercial acumen and experience in business partnering, ideally in retail or FMCG.
- Proven ability to communicate and influence at senior levels, with a collaborative and solution-driven approach.
- Expertise in budgeting, forecasting, business case appraisal, and governance.
- Leadership experience with a track record of developing teams and driving performance.
What’s in it for you?
Working at M&S means being part of something bigger – helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We’re inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing. Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:
- 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation.
- Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more.
- Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours.
- Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future.
- Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one.
- Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal.
- Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave.
- 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services.
- One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you.
Everyone’s welcome. We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Senior Finance Manager - Commercial Food in London employer: Marks & Spencer Plc
Contact Detail:
Marks & Spencer Plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Finance Manager - Commercial Food in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at M&S Food on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into M&S's values and recent initiatives. Show us how your experience aligns with their mission of quality and sustainability – it’ll make you stand out!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've driven financial performance and influenced decisions in previous roles. We love hearing about real impact!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the M&S Food Finance team!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Finance Manager - Commercial Food in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your commercial acumen and any relevant leadership experience to show us you’re the right fit for our Senior Finance Manager role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re passionate about M&S Food and how you can contribute to our mission. Be specific about your achievements and how they align with our goals in quality and sustainability.
Showcase Your Data Skills: Since we value data-driven decisions, make sure to include examples of how you've used data and analytics in your previous roles. This will help us see your ability to provide insights and challenge the status quo.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity in our Food Commercial Finance team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer Plc
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Finance Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key financial metrics relevant to M&S Food, such as P&L management and budgeting processes. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Commercial Mindset
M&S is looking for someone with strong commercial acumen. Prepare examples of how you've influenced pricing strategies or supplier negotiations in the past. Highlight your experience in business partnering and how it has led to successful outcomes.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Since the role involves working closely with Trading teams, be prepared to discuss your collaborative approach. Share specific instances where teamwork led to improved financial performance or innovative solutions. This will show that you align with their belief in the power of collaboration.
✨Prepare Insightful Questions
Interviews are a two-way street! Prepare thoughtful questions about M&S's Food transformation programme and how the finance team contributes to it. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if it's the right fit for you.