Head Of Commercial Finance (FTC - 13 Months) in London

The Head of Commercial Finance plays a key role in helping the UK business shape and deliver both short term forecasts and long–term strategic plans. Leading a team of 7, they are responsible for all aspects of SUK’s financial planning (3 y plan, budget, estimates & forecasts) for all brands in the SUK Portfolio and they are responsible for routine & ad hoc business analysis & insight in all areas of the P&L and Retail Sales. They provide business partnership to Senior SUK Leadership, supporting on shorter term P&L management decisions to bigger picture, medium to long term strategic decisions thus supporting the SUK business in delivering its KPIs and optimising commercial performance. They are a key UK finance contact responsible for explaining financial performance and outlook to EMEA RHQ team.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Forecasting and Business Planning

• Lead the annual budget, latest estimate and rolling forecasting processes for SUK, ensuring on time delivery of all aspects (presentations, BPC etc) and alignment with overall business strategy and objectives.
• Identify areas for growth and efficiency and proactively identify risks and opportunities, ensuring that these insights are communicated to management in a timely manner to facilitate informed decision‐making and suggest & implement corrective measures.
• Drive improvements in estimate accuracy.
• Support S&OP process from financial perspective.

• Collaborate closely with LT to actively drive business performance by providing strategic insights and recommendations.
• Drive initiatives to enhance profitability and operational efficiency.
• Foster a culture of "high challenge, high support" between the finance function and other departments, encouraging open dialogue and collaboration to achieve business goals.
• Deliver comprehensive analytics to support critical business decisions, including but not limited to new retailer/door entries, promotional evaluations, resource allocation, contract negotiation, retailer profitability, providing high quality commercially focussed financial advice.
• Prepare insightful commentary, presentations & present analysis as required for local and EMEA business reviews.
• Uphold accounting principles and promote adherence with policies & procedures to stakeholders.
• Partner with Accounting team to support monthly close as required.
• Ensure delivery of accurate, timely & relevant management reporting for the business, ensuring that reports are actionable and aligned with strategic objectives.
• Drive consistency in data quality and automation initiatives to ensure a single trusted version of financial information is maintained through the organisation.
• Develop and mentor direct reports, providing guidance and support in the day‑to‑day operations of the brands, including month‑end cycles and variance analysis.
• Foster an environment focused on continuous improvement through automation and process enhancement.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• Graduate‑calibre qualified accountant (ACMA, ACCA, ACA) with approx. 10 years PQE.
• Extensive experience operating in Senior FP&A/Commercial Finance roles within matrix of multi‑stakeholder organisation (ideally Retail/FMCG).
• Strong expertise in planning/forecasting/budgeting and performance analysis.
• Experience of leading a commercial strategic planning and forecasting process.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team.
• Knowledge of SAP and reporting tools incl SQL & PBI.
• Experience of the beauty industry and a strong understanding of business drivers.
• Deep understanding of financial principles, & practices. Commercially astute with ability to apply analytical skills and to bring them to bear on a broad range of commercial issues and influence decisions, thinking "beyond the numbers".
• Ability to collaborate with other departments and excellent stakeholder management skills including relationship building & influencing.
• Excellent communication skills to convey financial information clearly and effectively to both financial and non‑financial stakeholders. Proven ability to communicate at senior levels and present information in an impactful way.
• Ability to work under pressure with agile mindset, able to manage deadlines across multiple stakeholders.
• Encouraging innovation and seeking continuous improvement in financial processes and systems. Drive change within the finance department and the broader organization.