Commercial Finance Manager

Commercial Finance Manager to join their highly respected Finance team in Watford. This pivotal role places you at the centre of commercial decision-making, partnering with senior leaders across Merchandising, Marketing, and Digital to ensure every business move is underpinned by robust financial insight and accurate reporting. You will be instrumental in driving performance and profitability across a substantial £300m sales portfolio.

What you'll do:

• Play an integral part in supporting senior leaders across Merchandising, Marketing, and Digital functions by providing expert financial insight that informs critical business decisions.
• Lead all aspects of financial planning and forecasting for the UK business unit — including sales, margin, and inventory reporting — while presenting your findings at executive-level meetings.
• Monitor key performance metrics to assess promotional effectiveness and trading activity while highlighting areas for improvement.
• Support strategic initiatives such as new product launches or acquisitions with thorough financial evaluation.
• Manage an Analyst within your team and coach them towards success.
• Collaborate widely with colleagues in Birmingham.
• Uphold compliance standards and maintain rigorous controls over reporting accuracy.
• Partner closely with Merchandising, Marketing, and Multichannel teams to provide comprehensive financial support, guidance, and challenge that drives growth and operational efficiency throughout the business.
• Present detailed analysis at Executive Committee meetings and budget sessions, delivering meaningful insights that shape strategic decisions and investment priorities.
• Monitor key performance indicators such as like-for-like sales, average selling price, average transaction value, and margin rates to appraise promotions and trading activity while identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Support strategic initiatives by evaluating new product ranges, marketing campaigns, and potential acquisitions to ensure sound financial rationale and return on investment.
• Manage and develop talent within your team by leading, coaching, and nurturing your Analyst while fostering collaboration across the wider Finance function based in Birmingham.
• Ensure compliance with Group standards for reporting accuracy including adherence to US GAAP, Sarbanes-Oxley controls, and internal policies.
• Collaborate effectively with both UK-based colleagues and Group Finance teams to drive alignment on commercial objectives and share best practices across the organisation.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within the Finance department by identifying process enhancements that increase efficiency or improve reporting quality.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders by translating complex financial data into clear recommendations that support informed decision-making.

What you bring:

• Extensive experience from previous commercial finance positions within retail or similar sectors where you have worked collaboratively alongside senior leaders.
• Hands-on involvement in budgeting cycles and deep knowledge of margin management techniques.
• Advanced analytical capabilities combined with excellent interpersonal skills enabling you to interpret complex datasets and communicate findings persuasively at board level.
• Experience mentoring junior staff members with a supportive approach that helps foster growth within the team.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks such as US GAAP or Sarbanes-Oxley.
• Comfortable using advanced Excel functions plus other relevant software packages.
• A formal accountancy qualification further strengthens your profile but equally valued are qualities such as empathy, reliability, inclusivity—and a genuine passion for helping others succeed.
• Demonstrated experience in commercial finance roles within retail or consumer-facing industries where you have partnered directly with senior stakeholders to influence decision-making.
• Proven ability to lead financial planning processes including budgeting, forecasting, sales analysis, margin management, and inventory reporting for large-scale operations.
• Exceptional analytical skills enabling you to translate complex data sets into actionable insights that drive business performance improvements.
• Outstanding communication abilities allowing you to present confidently at executive meetings while tailoring messages for different audiences.
• Experience managing or mentoring junior finance professionals with a collaborative approach that encourages development within the team.
• Thorough understanding of compliance requirements including US GAAP accounting standards, Sarbanes-Oxley controls, and internal policy frameworks relevant to large organisations.
• Track record of supporting strategic projects such as new product launches or acquisitions through detailed financial appraisal and ROI analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel plus familiarity with other financial modelling tools or ERP systems commonly used in retail environments.
• Ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams—demonstrating empathy, dependability, and a commitment to shared goals across departments.
• A recognised accountancy qualification (such as ACA/ACCA/CIMA) is highly desirable along with evidence of ongoing professional development.