Commercial Finance Manager- 18 Month Ftc

About WHSmith
If you’re looking for a Finance job that’s more than just numbers, WHSmith adds up. Our Commercial Finance teams are the engine room of the business; everything depends on the overall trading environment and our competitors. It’s fast-paced and you never know what will happen next.
We’re now looking for a Commercial Finance Manager on a permanent basis, reporting into the Head of Commercial Finance. If you’re looking to build on your finance journey with a company equally as ambitious as you are, then WHSmith could be right for you!
Purpose of the Role
We are looking for someone who can support our existing Commercial Finance team in delivering timely and actionable insights to both finance and non-finance teams via detailed analysis of the company’s financial performance. The successful candidate will also manage the Sales and Margin P&L lines, within the core business.
What you’ll be doing:

• Owning Supplier Income reporting, forecasting and budgeting and month end accounting
• Reviewing VBAs and evaluating accounting treatment
• Provide analysis, insight and informative reporting to support and influence business decisions
• Owning the Rail format sales budget and forecast build
• Insightful analysis of Key Performance Indicators such as Average Transaction Value and Spend Per Passenger.
• Providing detailed analysis of key variances against current trend, prior years and forecast at both store and product category level.
• Developing a comprehensive understanding of category margins with Volume, Rate, Mix analysis.
• Business partnering with both finance and non-finance colleagues, up to exec level.
• Evaluating the success of ongoing trials and projects, and proposing recommendations
• Managing 1 direct report; supporting their development and learning
• Working with both finance and merchandising teams to understand and challenge stock movements.

What we are looking for:

• We are looking for someone highly numerate with an analytical background, ideally within Retail.
• Advanced Excel is essential.
• Fully qualified (CIMA/ACCA/ACA)
• Commercial Finance/FP&A and Business Partnering experience
• PowerBI knowledge would be of benefit.
• Effective communicator, influencer and challenger with senior stakeholders, including audiences of varying financial and commercial acumen
• High levels of pace, energy and resilience

What you’ll get in return:
You’ll be at the hub of an incredibly fast-moving function and you’ll be trusted to make decisions that benefit the business. It’s a serious responsibility – which will seriously motivate you. You’ll thrive on the freedom and the chance to use your skills and will be supported with plenty of training and development opportunities. What’s more, you can expect some fab rewards, including an achievable annual bonus, 25 days’ holiday (and the option to buy more), contributory pension plus the perks of your birthday off, an early finish on Fridays, and lots more! Our new Houndsditch head office is only a 5 minute walk from Liverpool Street station and close to a variety of shops, bars and restaurants