At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a high-performing finance team and manage end-to-end FP&A processes.
- Company: Join M&S, a dynamic leader in the Fashion, Home & Beauty sector.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and strong pension plans.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive team driving innovation in retail.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a pivotal leadership role with high visibility.
- Qualifications: Fully qualified accountant with strong FP&A experience and leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 ÂŁ per year.
We're looking for an experienced Senior Finance Manager - FP&A to step into a pivotal leadership role within the Fashion, Home & Beauty (FH&B) Finance team at M&S, a high-profile, fast-moving part of the business where Finance plays a critical role in driving performance and shaping strategic decisions. This is a standout opportunity to operate at the heart of financial integrity, discipline and control, ensuring that actuals, forecasts and plans are not only accurate and robust, but truly trusted across FH&B. You'll provide the single version of the truth that underpins trading conversations and senior decisionâmaking.
As a key leader in the team, you'll work closely with senior stakeholders across a diverse and evolving business unit, bringing real rigour to the numbers while influencing how performance is understood and delivered. If you're looking for a role where you can combine technical excellence, strong leadership and real commercial impact, with high visibility across one of M&S's most important divisions, this is a fantastic opportunity to make your mark.
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:
- Managing a high performing team of 3
- Own end-to-end FP&A processes, ensuring accurate, controlled and auditable actuals, forecasts and plans, and acting as the single point of accountability for financial integrity
- Lead the full planning cycle (budget, forecast and longâterm outlook), setting clear standards, consistent assumptions and financial direction for the business
- Oversee headcount and central cost management, ensuring strong governance, transparency and trusted financial data
- Drive FP&A governance and best practice, strengthening controls, closing gaps and ensuring outputs meet executive and audit standards
- Lead working capital performance and develop a high-performing FP&A team, building capability, driving rigour and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement
Your skills and experience will include:
- Fully qualified accountant (CIMA / ACA / ACCA)
- Strong experience in FP&A or performance management within a complex organisation
- Deep technical expertise across forecasting, planning, governance and working capital
- Proven ability to own financials end-to-end and defend them under scrutiny
- Proven experience leading, managing and developing teams, building high performance and accountability
- Confidence influencing and operating at senior Finance leadership level
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 thirdâparty 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
- Marketâleading 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
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 - Fashion, Home & Beauty - FP&A in London employer: Marks & Spencer Plc
Contact Detail:
Marks & Spencer Plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice đ¤Ť
We think this is how you could land Senior Finance Manager - Fashion, Home & Beauty - FP&A in London
â¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance industry, especially those who work at M&S or similar companies. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about the role and even a referral.
â¨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into M&S's recent financial performance and strategic goals. Show us you know your stuff and can bring real value to the team with your insights!
â¨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! We want to hear how you've built high-performing teams and tackled challenges in FP&A. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your skills and impact.
â¨Tip Number 4
Donât forget to apply through our website! Itâs the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows us youâre genuinely interested in being part of the M&S family.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Finance Manager - Fashion, Home & Beauty - FP&A in London
Some tips for your application đŤĄ
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your FP&A expertise and leadership experience, as these are key for the Senior Finance Manager role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this position. Share specific examples of how you've driven financial performance and influenced senior stakeholders in your previous roles.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Since this role requires deep technical expertise, be sure to mention your qualifications (like CIMA/ACA/ACCA) and any relevant tools or methodologies youâve used in FP&A processes.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. Itâs the best way for us to receive your application and ensures youâre considered for this exciting opportunity at M&S!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer Plc
â¨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Finance Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your deep understanding of FP&A processes. Brush up on your forecasting, planning, and governance skills. Be ready to discuss specific examples where you've successfully managed financial integrity and how you ensured accuracy in actuals and forecasts.
â¨Showcase Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership capabilities. Prepare to share experiences where you've led a high-performing team. Highlight how you've built accountability and fostered a culture of continuous improvement within your team, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
â¨Understand the Business Context
Familiarise yourself with M&S's Fashion, Home & Beauty division. Understand their current challenges and opportunities. Being able to discuss how your financial insights can drive performance and shape strategic decisions will show that you're not just a numbers person but also a strategic thinker.
â¨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement
You'll be working closely with senior stakeholders, so practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. Think about how you can influence decision-making through your financial insights. Prepare questions that demonstrate your interest in collaboration and how you can add value to the team.