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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the finance team, drive commercial performance, and provide trading insights.
- Company: Dynamic fashion retail company with a focus on innovation and growth.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development, and a collaborative work environment.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of financial strategy in a vibrant retail setting.
- Qualifications: ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified with strong commercial finance experience.
- Other info: Opportunity to work closely with senior leaders and make impactful decisions.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Reports to: CFO (functional), COO (day-to-day)
Direct reports: Management Accountant + Transactional Finance (if applicable)
Location: West Sussex (Must be able to come into the office 3 days a week)
Role Purpose
This is a pivotal role that blends commercial insight, financial leadership, and team management. You will lead the day-to-day Finance team, drive commercial performance, and act as the business’s primary source of trading, margin, pricing and forecasting insight. Working alongside a part-time CFO focused on corporate governance, this role owns the commercial engine of finance:
- Weekly trading and performance insight
- Budgeting, forecasting, and margin analysis
- Decision support for product, retail, digital and operations
- Developing and managing finance team capability
- Ensuring high-quality financial reporting and analysis
This person is hands-on, commercially strong, and confident working directly with senior leaders across the business.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the Finance Team (Day-to-Day)
- Manage and develop the Management Accountant and wider finance team.
- Oversee the month-end process and ensure accurate, timely delivery.
- Set priorities, review outputs, coach the team and drive a culture of accuracy, accountability and improvement.
- Ensure the finance function is well-organised, efficient, and continuously improving.
Commercial Insight & Business Partnering
- Lead weekly trade reporting with clear, actionable insight.
- Analyse category, product, channel, margin and customer performance.
- Partner with Product, Merchandising, Retail, Digital and Operations to drive profitable decisions.
- Support pricing strategy, promotions, and discounting decisions.
- Translate data into insights and insights into actions.
Forecasting, Budgeting & Planning
- Own the budgeting and reforecast cycles (P&L, margin, opex, cashflow).
- Build and improve driver-based forecasting models.
- Provide scenario modelling to support growth decisions (new products, channels, markets, stores, pricing changes).
- Ensure forecasts are realistic, commercially grounded, and aligned with trading behaviour.
Financial Reporting & Month-End Support
- Review management accounts, KPIs and financial packs before submission to the CFO/COO.
- Provide clear, concise commercial commentary.
- Ensure accuracy of key margin and stock-related entries in partnership with the Management Accountant.
- Tighten the link between operational data and financial results.
Cashflow Oversight
- Maintain a weekly cashflow model with clear visibility of peaks and pressures.
- Work with procurement, operations, and sales to improve working capital.
- Support CFO with cash planning and funding requirements.
Audit, Governance & Compliance (Support Role)
- Ensure accurate, robust audit files are prepared by the team.
- Strengthen controls, reconciliations and processes across the business.
- Maintain integrity of financial data and reporting systems.
Systems, Reporting & Process Improvement
- Improve BI dashboards (Power BI/Looker Studio) to increase clarity and speed of insight.
- Enhance processes across reporting, forecasting and operational finance.
- Drive automation and simplification of finance workflows.
Skills & Experience Required
Essential
- ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified (or equivalent commercial finance background).
- Strong commercial finance experience in retail, consumer, product or multi-channel businesses.
- Proven experience managing or mentoring finance staff.
- Strong modelling capability and advanced Excel skills.
- Ability to interpret complex trading data and turn it into actions.
- Confident working alongside senior leaders and challenging constructively.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, hands-on SME environment.
Desirable
- Experience with BI tools (Power BI, Looker Studio).
- Experience with stock, margin, costings and product economics.
- Exposure to ERP systems (Netsuite, SAP B1, Sage Intacct etc.).
Personal Attributes
- Commercially curious and insights-driven.
- Confident leader who enjoys developing people.
- Strong communicator: simple, clear, fact-based.
- Proactive, organised and able to work at pace.
- Hands-on and comfortable balancing commercial and operational priorities.
- Collaborative team player who can partner with all departments.
Head of Commercial Finance (Fashion/Retail) in Guildford employer: Novo Executive Search
Contact Detail:
Novo Executive Search Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Commercial Finance (Fashion/Retail) in Guildford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the fashion and retail finance space. Attend industry events, join relevant online groups, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by doing your homework. Research the company’s recent performance, understand their products, and be ready to discuss how you can drive their commercial finance strategy. Show them you’re not just another candidate; you’re the one they need!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors to refine your answers and boost your confidence. Focus on articulating your experience in managing finance teams and driving commercial insights—this is your time to shine!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got some fantastic opportunities waiting for you, and applying directly shows your enthusiasm. Plus, it gives us a chance to see your application in the best light possible!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Commercial Finance (Fashion/Retail) in Guildford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Head of Commercial Finance. Highlight your experience in commercial finance, team management, and any relevant retail or consumer background. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to showcase your passion for finance and retail, and explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Don’t forget to mention your hands-on approach and ability to drive commercial performance.
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your experience, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your financial leadership and commercial insight. Numbers speak volumes, so include metrics where possible to show how you've made an impact in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Novo Executive Search
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Head of Commercial Finance, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key metrics like margin analysis and cash flow management. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role involves managing a finance team, so be prepared to share examples of how you've developed and mentored staff. Highlight your experience in fostering a culture of accuracy and accountability within your teams.
✨Prepare for Scenario Modelling Questions
Expect questions around budgeting and forecasting. Think about how you've built driver-based models in the past and be ready to explain your thought process. Use specific examples to illustrate your approach to scenario planning.
✨Demonstrate Cross-Department Collaboration
You'll be partnering with various departments, so it's crucial to show that you can communicate effectively with non-financial stakeholders. Prepare anecdotes that highlight your ability to translate complex financial data into actionable insights for product, retail, and operations teams.
