At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive commercial performance and partner with teams to identify growth opportunities.
- Company: Join an award-winning British luxury womenswear brand with a mission to empower professional women.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, financial wellbeing support, and a generous employee discount.
- Other info: Dynamic role with high ownership and exposure to leadership in a fast-paced setting.
- Why this job: Be part of a growing brand and influence key strategic initiatives in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Qualified accountant with strong commercial finance experience in retail or ecommerce.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Reporting to: Chief Operating & Finance Officer
Contract type: Permanent, 40 hours per week
Location: The Fold’s Head office in Bermondsey. Hybrid working- 4 days per week in the office
About the Fold
The Fold London is an award-winning British luxury womenswear brand built on a singular, powerful idea: that the women who run boardrooms, lead teams and shape the world deserve clothes as ambitious as they are. Founded with a clear mission to dress professional women with intention, The Fold has built a loyal global community of customers who value craft, quality, and considered design over fast fashion. With a multi-channel presence - led by ecommerce and supported by our two London stores in Chelsea and the City – The Fold has built a loyal and growing customer base across the UK, US and internationally. As we enter the next stage of growth, we are investing heavily in our international expansion, commercial capability, systems, customer insight and operational infrastructure. This role is a key part of that journey.
Role Overview
We are looking for a highly commercial, analytically minded Commercial Finance Lead to help drive performance across the business. Ideally, this person will combine strong technical finance foundations with genuinely commercial business partnering capability - for example someone who trained in a Big 4 or leading advisory environment before moving into a fast-paced consumer, retail, ecommerce or fashion business. We are looking for someone who can bring both analytical rigour and commercial instinct into the role. This is not a traditional reporting or controllership role. We have an established finance foundation in place. What we are looking for is someone who can sit at the intersection of finance, trading, merchandising, digital, customer and operations - helping teams make better, faster and more commercially informed decisions. You will work closely with the COFO and leadership team to support strategic growth initiatives, develop robust business modelling, and create stronger cross-functional alignment across the business. This role will suit someone who is naturally curious, commercially sharp and highly analytical - someone who enjoys getting into the detail whilst also helping shape bigger-picture business strategy.
Key Responsibilities
- Commercial Performance & Business Partnering
- Partner closely with teams across ecommerce, trading, merchandising, marketing, retail and operations to analyse performance and identify opportunities for growth and efficiency
- Support leadership teams with actionable commercial insight, challenge and recommendations
- Develop a strong understanding of channel economics, customer behaviour, product performance and margin drivers
- Drive greater visibility and accountability around key commercial KPIs
- Support weekly and monthly trade discussions with meaningful financial and operational insight
- Work cross-functionally to improve alignment between merchandising, digital, trading and finance
- Identify risks and opportunities proactively and support teams in developing mitigation or growth plans
- Build robust financial models to support strategic decision-making across the business
- Develop scenario analysis and sensitivity modelling for key commercial initiatives
- Support business cases including: customer acquisition initiatives, pricing and promotional activity, fulfilment and operational projects, systems investments, new stores or channels, and strategic partnerships
- Support long-range planning and strategic forecasting initiatives
- Provide deep-dive analysis into performance trends, profitability and operational efficiency
- Ecommerce, Customer & Channel Analytics
- Analyse digital and ecommerce performance including: traffic, conversion, customer acquisition, and contribution by channel
- Work with digital and marketing teams to evaluate campaign performance and return on investment
- Develop reporting and dashboards that improve visibility of commercial performance across the business
- Support development of more sophisticated customer, cohort and behavioural analysis
- Help improve decision-making around pricing, promotions and markdown activity
- FP&A & Reporting Support
- Support budgeting, forecasting and reforecasting processes alongside the Head of Finance and COFO
- Help improve forecast accuracy and visibility across the business
- Develop more commercially focused reporting and insight
- Support development of KPI dashboards, business reporting packs and board materials
- Assist with development of longer-term planning and investment analysis
- Help embed stronger data quality, reporting consistency and commercial visibility across teams
- Cross-Functional Projects & Transformation
- Support strategic projects across the business including systems, fulfilment, international growth and operational transformation initiatives
- Act as a connector across teams to improve communication, alignment and commercial decision-making
- Bring a continuous improvement mindset to reporting, analysis and planning processes
- Help create more scalable commercial planning capability as the business grows
About You:
Experience
- Fully qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA)
- Strong commercial finance, FP&A or business partnering experience within a consumer, retail, ecommerce or fashion business
- Ideally trained within a Big 4, transaction services, deals, consulting or high-calibre commercial finance environment before moving into industry
- Experience working in fast-paced, entrepreneurial or high-growth environments
- Strong understanding of retail and ecommerce commercial drivers
- Proven experience building financial models and commercial business cases
- Experience partnering with non-finance stakeholders across multiple functions
- Strong analytical and data interpretation capability
Skills & Attributes
- Highly commercial thinker with strong business curiosity
- Strong technical finance grounding combined with commercial business partnering capability
- Advanced Excel and financial modelling capability
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
- Comfortable influencing and constructively challenging stakeholders at all levels
- Able to move comfortably between detail and strategic thinking
- Naturally proactive and solutions-oriented
- Strong organisational and prioritisation skills
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity and helping shape structure as the business evolves
- Collaborative, low-ego and hands-on approach
- Confident presenting insight and recommendations clearly and concisely
We believe great work happens when people feel supported, valued, and inspired—here’s how we make that happen:
- 33 days holiday (25 days + bank holidays) + option to buy more!
- Salary sacrifice options (pension & childcare)
- Financial wellbeing platform to support your goals
- £1,250 annual The Fold gift voucher
- Bike to work scheme to save on bikes & equipment
- Employee Assistance Programme (confidential wellbeing support when you need it)
- Eye care support
- Enhanced maternity pay
- Friends & family discount – enjoy 50% off full retail price
- Summer Fridays for that early start to the weekend
- Fully stocked snack cupboards, fresh fruit, plus great coffee & tea
- Opportunities to give back through volunteering with our charity partner, Smart Works
Why The Fold
- A brand with a clear point of view and a fiercely loyal customer base
- Opportunity to play a highly visible role in a growing premium fashion brand
- Direct exposure to the leadership team and key strategic initiatives
- Broad and genuinely commercial remit with real influence on business performance
- Opportunity to help shape the next stage of international and operational growth
- Entrepreneurial environment with high levels of ownership and autonomy
- Collaborative culture with ambitious plans for the future
- Recent investment from a new owner. The brand is at a new chapter of growth across both existing and new channels, and operates internationally.
Diversity and Inclusion
We promote a diverse and inclusive workplace which harnesses the benefits of the diversity of our team and strives to represent the communities in which we live and work. Our vision is to establish an environment that attracts individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and talents, empowering them to contribute their best and authentic selves. We welcome and encourage applications from those who share our commitment to fostering this inclusive and authentic work culture.
Commercial Finance Lead employer: The Fold London
The Fold London is an exceptional employer that champions a collaborative and inclusive work culture, offering employees the chance to thrive in a dynamic environment focused on growth and innovation. With generous benefits such as 33 days of holiday, a financial wellbeing platform, and opportunities for personal development, team members are empowered to contribute meaningfully to the brand's ambitious vision. Located in Bermondsey, the role of Commercial Finance Lead provides a unique opportunity to influence strategic initiatives within a premium fashion brand that values craft and quality over fast fashion.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Finance Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those who work at The Fold. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just help you stand out.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by knowing your stuff! Research The Fold’s values, products, and recent news. Show us you’re genuinely interested and ready to contribute to our mission of dressing ambitious women.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills and experience align with the Commercial Finance Lead role. We want to see your analytical mindset and commercial instincts shine through.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After your interview, drop us a thank-you email. It shows your enthusiasm and keeps you fresh in our minds as we make our decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Finance Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Commercial Side:When you're writing your application, make sure to highlight your commercial finance experience. We want to see how you've partnered with different teams and driven performance in previous roles. Use specific examples that showcase your analytical skills and business acumen.
Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter:Don't just send a generic CV! Tailor your application to reflect the key responsibilities and skills mentioned in the job description. We love it when candidates take the time to align their experiences with what we're looking for at The Fold.
Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your application. We value authenticity and want to get a sense of who you are beyond your qualifications. Share your passion for fashion and how it connects to your professional journey—this can really set you apart!
Apply Through Our Website:Make sure to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us that you’re genuinely interested in joining The Fold family!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Fold London
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Commercial Finance Lead, you'll need to demonstrate your analytical skills. Brush up on key financial metrics relevant to the fashion and retail industry. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles.
✨Understand the Brand
Familiarise yourself with The Fold's mission and values. Show that you understand their customer base and how commercial finance can support their growth. This will help you connect your experience to their specific needs during the interview.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities. Prepare examples of how you've tackled challenges in fast-paced environments, particularly in retail or ecommerce. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
✨Show Your Collaborative Spirit
This role requires working closely with various teams. Be prepared to discuss how you've successfully partnered with non-finance stakeholders in the past. Highlight your communication skills and ability to influence decisions across departments.
