At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead commercial performance and shape strategic decisions in a dynamic fashion environment.
- Company: Join M&S, a forward-thinking leader in Fashion, Home & Beauty.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and tailored training from day one.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with a focus on personal development and wellbeing support.
- Why this job: Be a key player in driving value and influencing strategy in a fast-paced setting.
- Qualifications: Fully qualified accountant with strong commercial finance leadership experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
As a Senior Commercial Finance Manager for the Fashion, Home & Beauty team, you'll step into a pivotal leadership role at the heart of one of the most dynamic and fast-paced areas of the business. This is a high-impact opportunity to join a dynamic, fast-paced commercial environment at the heart of Fashion, Home & Beauty. As part of a forward-thinking finance team, you'll play a critical role in shaping business performance, strengthening decision-making, and raising the bar for commercial excellence across a major Business Unit.
Sitting at the centre of the BU leadership team, you'll provide end-to-end stewardship across profitability, investment, and cash, working closely with senior stakeholders to influence strategy and unlock value. This is more than a finance role; it's a chance to operate as a true commercial leader, bringing insight, challenge, and enterprise thinking to a highly visible, ever-evolving part of the business.
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 end-to-end commercial performance for the Business Unit, taking full ownership of the P&L (sales, margin, costs, profitability, and cash), ensuring performance is proactively managed, clearly understood, and consistently improved.
- Shape strategic and operational decision-making by translating market trends, customer behaviour, and trading performance into clear financial insights, enabling leadership to make faster, better-informed decisions.
- Drive value creation across key levers, including margin optimisation, pricing, promotions, markdowns, and cost control, ensuring all activity is aligned to sustainable profit and cash delivery rather than short-term gains.
- Own working capital and investment discipline, providing clear direction on stock management, commercial investments, and capital allocation, balancing growth, risk, and return while embedding robust appraisal and post-investment evaluation.
- Act as a senior commercial leader and trusted challenger, influencing and constructively challenging stakeholders across the BU to raise performance, strengthen accountability, and embed a culture of commercial rigour and continuous improvement.
Your skills and experience will include:
- A fully qualified accountant (CIMA, ACA or ACCA) with strong commercial finance leadership experience.
- Proven in influencing senior leaders and shaping outcomes in complex, fast-paced environments.
- Highly commercial, with deep understanding of margin, investment, and cash drivers.
- Confident operating with pace, ambiguity, and competing priorities.
- Credible, curious, and commercially courageous, with a strong leadership presence.
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 complete 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.
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity
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.
Senior Commercial Finance Manager - Menswear in London employer: M&S
Contact Detail:
M&S Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Commercial Finance Manager - Menswear in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with your own. This will help you showcase why you're the perfect fit for the Senior Commercial Finance Manager role.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain your experience and how it relates to the role. Highlight your commercial finance leadership skills and how you've influenced decision-making in past roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Commercial Finance Manager - Menswear in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in commercial finance, especially in fast-paced environments. We want to see how your skills align with the key accountabilities mentioned in the job description.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a Senior Commercial Finance Manager, you'll be influencing senior stakeholders. Use your application to demonstrate past experiences where you've successfully led teams or projects, showcasing your ability to drive performance and accountability.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key! Use straightforward language and structure your thoughts logically. This will help us quickly understand your qualifications and how you can contribute to our team.
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 the Fashion, Home & Beauty team!
How to prepare for a job interview at M&S
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Commercial Finance Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key metrics like P&L, margin optimisation, and cash flow management. Be ready to discuss how you've influenced these areas in past roles.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare examples of how you've shaped strategic decisions based on market trends and customer behaviour. Highlight your ability to translate complex data into actionable insights that drive business performance.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
This role requires strong collaboration with senior leaders. Think about times when you've successfully influenced stakeholders or challenged the status quo. Be prepared to share these experiences and how they led to improved outcomes.
✨Emphasise Your Leadership Style
As a commercial leader, your presence matters. Reflect on your leadership style and how it fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Be ready to discuss how you motivate teams and drive performance in fast-paced environments.