At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead financial analysis to optimise our store estate and drive business transformation.
- Company: Join the innovative M&S Property team during an exciting transformation phase.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and tailored training from day one.
- Why this job: Be part of a team shaping the future of retail and making a real impact.
- Qualifications: Professional accounting qualification and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with opportunities for personal growth and community support.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 48000 £ per year.
It’s an exciting time to join the M&S Property team as we drive a bold business transformation. Optimising the Group’s property portfolio and creating a store estate that’s fit for the future is a key strategic pillar of this journey. Our Property team shapes the portfolio for Fashion, Home & Beauty, and Food, ensuring it meets the needs of our customers and the ambitions of our business.
Following a comprehensive strategic review, we’re now executing initiatives to optimise the estate through openings, closures, downsizes, and modernisation programmes, while unlocking value through development opportunities and smarter lease management. We’re looking for an ambitious, commercially minded finance professional to partner with our Acquisitions and Location Planning teams, delivering insightful financial analysis and evaluation to help propel this transformation forward.
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.
What you’ll do
- Join the M&S Property team at a pivotal time in our business transformation. You’ll play a key role in optimising our store estate and delivering a portfolio fit for the future.
- Leading the delivery of robust business cases for store estate planning, including closures, extensions, and downsizes.
- Driving enhancements and efficiencies in financial modelling.
- Providing challenge and insight on strategic initiatives and supporting leadership forums.
- Owning store action inputs for Half Year and Year End closure cost accounting.
- Delivering ad-hoc modelling for property transactions and acquisitions.
- Overseeing space, store launch, and estate-wide data for planning and forecasting.
- Building a deep understanding of the estate and visiting proposed sites to support decision-making.
- Driving process improvements across Property and Finance.
Who you are
- Your skills and experience will include:
- A professional accounting qualification (ACA, CIMA, ACCA or Equivalent) and strong financial evaluation skills.
- Experience creating business cases and understanding financial metrics.
- Commercial awareness and the ability to influence non-financial colleagues.
- Strong analytical skills and advanced Excel capabilities (PowerBI experience is a bonus).
- A proactive, resilient approach and a passion for improving processes.
- Retail or property experience is preferred but not essential.
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.
Finance Manager - Commercial Property employer: M&S
Contact Detail:
M&S Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance Manager - Commercial Property
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at M&S, especially in the Property team. 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 recent property initiatives. Show us you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate your understanding of their strategic goals and how you can contribute to optimising their store estate.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your financial modelling skills! Be ready to showcase your analytical prowess during interviews. We want to see how you approach complex financial scenarios, so brush up on those Excel tricks and be prepared to discuss them.
✨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 genuinely interested in joining the M&S family.
We think you need these skills to ace Finance Manager - Commercial Property
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience in finance and property. We want to see how your skills align with the exciting transformation happening at M&S!
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of financial analysis, don’t forget to mention any specific projects or experiences where you’ve used your analytical skills. We love seeing how you can drive insights and improvements!
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re looking for someone who’s not just qualified but also passionate about making a difference in the retail space. Show us what makes you unique!
Apply Through Our Website: For the best chance of success, make sure to apply directly through our website. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and get back to you quickly!
How to prepare for a job interview at M&S
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Finance Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your strong financial evaluation skills. Brush up on key financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've used them in previous roles. Prepare examples of business cases you've created and the impact they had.
✨Understand the Property Landscape
Familiarise yourself with the current trends in commercial property and retail. Research M&S's recent initiatives and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to optimising their store estate. Showing that you understand their strategic goals will set you apart.
✨Excel at Excel
Since advanced Excel skills are crucial for this role, practice your Excel capabilities before the interview. Be ready to discuss any complex models you've built or data analyses you've conducted. If you have experience with PowerBI, make sure to highlight that too!
✨Show Your Collaborative Spirit
M&S values collaboration, so be prepared to share examples of how you've worked effectively with non-financial colleagues. Discuss how you’ve influenced decisions and driven process improvements in past roles. This will showcase your ability to partner with teams like Acquisitions and Location Planning.