Our client, a leading retailer, are seeking a qualified commercial accountant to join their team on a permanent basis. The successful candidate must hold relevant commercial finance experience preferably within retail, and be on a short notice period.

The Role

• Overall responsibility for providing accurate and prompt reporting including weekly and monthly sales and margin, full price and markdown mix, inventory ageing and store productivity.
• Maintain excel reporting models, making any required changes or corrections.
• Support Finance Manager by attending monthly departmental performance and cost centre reviews, scrutinising performance and understanding the numbers.
• Quarterly retail review pack including analysis of store sales
• Management of all aspects of the annual budget and five-year plan process.
• Maintain the company-level budgeting and forecasting model.
• Prepare monthly rolling forecasts for P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statement, including detailed weekly operational cash flow.
• Identify any risks and opportunities to budget or forecast and ensure these are reflected within the assumptions.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders to ensure spend is managed within budget.
• Partnering to ensure strategic decisions impacting the store estate are supported with robust financial information including detailed store appraisals and store performance analysis.
• Ownership of weekly Board-level capex and tender process ensuring the financial impact of planned capital spend and new or updated contracts is modelled and fully understood prior to review and approval by the Board.
• Key finance business partner for all company projects and ad hoc performance analysis.
• Production of monthly and quarterly sales and margin commentary for the management accounts pack.
• Monthly and quarterly margin bridge, sales, margin, trading space and store analysis for the management pack.
• Provide quarterly retail sales updates for externally reported Group results.
• Support year-end audit process, particularly in relation to sales analysis and margin and budget information required for impairment review and going concern discussions.

Requirements

• Relevant accountancy qualification (ACCA/CIMA/ACA) and 1+ years post qualification experience in industry
• Retail sector/multi-site experience advantageous
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office with emphasis on Excel and PowerPoint.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with an ability to interact and gain respect and trust at all levels.
• Proactive self-starter who thrives on being fully accountable for their work.
• Strong initiative and ability to manage multiple projects to tight deadlines.
• Ability to work well with others and handle pressure and rapidly changing demands in a fast paced environment.