Assistant Finance Analyst - 12 month FTC in Leicester

Description
The Role

NEXT’s Commercial Finance team is looking to recruit an Assistant Finance Analyst on an initial 12-month fixed-term contract.

In this role, you’ll support a range of overhead functions across NEXT, working closely with both finance and non-finance stakeholders to drive effective cost management and maximise profitability. You’ll play a key role in understanding cost drivers, identifying opportunities for savings and providing meaningful financial insight to support business decisions.

Working alongside cost centre managers and the wider finance team, you’ll help improve visibility of spend, ensure costs are accurately recorded and support the delivery of budgets and forecasts. This is a great opportunity to develop your commercial finance experience within a fast-paced retail environment, while contributing to continuous improvements in reporting, processes and cost control.

What You Will Take On

• Manage the month-end accounting process for allocated cost centres, including accruals, prepayments and balance sheet reconciliations.

• Oversee cost allocations across NEXT’s Retail, UK Online, Label and International divisions, working closely with Group Finance and cost centre owners.

• Manage cost recharges to Total Platform clients, ensuring accurate and timely supporting reports.

• Prepare monthly financial reports, complete variance analysis and provide insightful commentary on key performance drivers, risks and opportunities.

• Compile monthly forecasts and seasonal budgets, supporting effective financial planning and expenditure control.

• Build strong relationships with cost centre managers and stakeholders across multiple overhead functions to improve spend visibility and ensure costs are accurately captured.

• Attend monthly cost reviews with cost centre managers and the Finance Manager, providing financial insight and responding to ad hoc queries.

• Review supplier accounts to ensure key supplier payments are up to date.

• Reconcile information across multiple datasets, maintaining the accuracy and integrity of financial reporting.

• Drive improvements in cost management through Power BI reporting, enhanced processes and improved financial analysis.

• Respond to audit requests and provide accurate supporting information as required.

• Support wider team activities, manage competing priorities and proactively raise any issues or concerns with your line manager.

What You Will Bring

• Part-qualified accountant status, such as studying towards ACCA or CIMA.

• Strong Excel skills and a high level of IT literacy, ideally with an interest in Power BI and reporting improvements.

• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to interpret financial and operational information and identify the key drivers of performance.

• The ability to assimilate and analyse large volumes of data, maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

• A logical, solutions-focused approach to problem-solving, with the confidence to identify trends, investigate variances and highlight opportunities for improvement.

• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain financial information clearly to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.

• The ability to build and maintain effective working relationships across a wide range of teams and functions.

• A proactive and organised approach, with the ability to work at pace, manage deadlines and maintain accuracy under pressure.

• A collaborative mindset, a willingness to take ownership and the confidence to raise issues and contribute ideas.

If you’re commercially curious, enjoy working with data and want to make a real impact on cost management and business performance, this is an exciting opportunity to join NEXT’s Commercial Finance team.

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