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 direct exposure to leadership and opportunities for personal growth.
- Why this job: Be part of a growing brand and influence key strategic initiatives in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Fully 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,
- 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:
- 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 in London employer: The Fold London
The Fold London is an exceptional employer that champions a supportive and inclusive work culture, offering 33 days of holiday, flexible hybrid working, and a range of benefits including financial wellbeing support and generous employee discounts. Located in the vibrant area of Bermondsey, employees have the unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in a growing luxury womenswear brand, with direct exposure to leadership and significant influence on strategic initiatives, fostering both personal and professional growth in a collaborative environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Finance Lead in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Know their products, values, and recent news. This shows you’re genuinely interested and ready to contribute.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills align with the role of Commercial Finance Lead. Highlight your analytical prowess and commercial insight to impress.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about joining The Fold.
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Finance Lead in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Fashion:When you're writing your application, let your love for the fashion industry shine through! Mention any relevant experience or insights you have about the retail and ecommerce landscape, especially in relation to The Fold's mission.
Be Specific About Your Skills:Make sure to highlight your technical finance skills and how they relate to commercial business partnering. Use examples from your past roles to demonstrate your analytical rigour and ability to drive performance.
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific requirements of the Commercial Finance Lead role. Show us how your experience aligns with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at The Fold!
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 commitment to quality and craft. This will help you align your answers with their brand ethos during the interview.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask you to analyse hypothetical situations or past experiences. Think about how you would approach challenges related to commercial performance and business partnering, and be ready to share specific examples.
✨Show Your Collaborative Spirit
This role requires working closely with various teams. Highlight your experience in cross-functional collaboration and how you've successfully influenced stakeholders in previous positions. Share stories that showcase your ability to connect and communicate effectively.
