Finance Analyst - Buying & Merchandising

Job Introduction

Selfridges has always been much more than a shop. We’re a social space where everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging, a creative playground where culture and commerce collide, and an experimental hub where you can discover the most innovative and sustainable ideas in retail. We’re here to help make the world brighter. And you can be an important part of this. We’ll talk more about the role below, but before we get to that, let’s share with you the good stuff…  

Rewards and benefits 

Life at Selfridges is dynamic, exciting, and always evolving. As well as working with some of the most cutting-edge, iconic and boundary-pushing brands, designers and creatives, we also offer our team members opportunities to help make a positive difference through our network of communities, both within and outside Selfridges. Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or hybrid working

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• Annual travel pass and cycle-to-work schemes  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme 

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Role Responsibility

As Finance Analyst – Buying & Merchandising you will:

• Have responsibility for weekly trade reporting, providing clear and detailed analysis on business performance.
• Create reports to enable the team to accurately monitor the trading performance of key seasonal events and promotions.
• Produce analysis to support commercial decision making and drive profitability.
• Work with the Finance manager to deliver challenging but achievable budgets, including articulating building blocks and drivers in line with timelines and deliverables.
• Own the production of monthly management accounts and the supporting analysis for Buying Director monthly reviews.
• Prepare relevant balance sheets in a timely and accurate manner.
• Support the production of the monthly rolling forecast, highlighting any risks and opportunities that have been identified relating to sales, margin and stock.
• Clearly articulate financial information to non-finance business partners, as well educating stakeholders on financial implications.
• Seek process improvements that provide efficient solutions, including designing and implementing new tools and models.

This guide represents a summary of the role; however all team members are expected to be flexible in the work they undertake, which may change from time to time, according to the needs of the business

The Ideal Candidate

• Have advanced excel skills and possess strong technical knowledge, studying towards an accounting qualification – CIMA/ACCA/ICAEW or international equivalent.
• Analytical and results driven, with a high standard of accuracy, able to use a wide range of different data sources to assess performance and identify areas of improvement.
• Excellent in your communication and interpersonal skills, you seek opportunities to influence or initiate change relevant to the business. Able to present logical and well evidenced arguments to support proposals.
• Display clear thinking and evaluates effective and efficient solutions for tasks in hand​.
• Demonstrate commercial awareness related to the Selfridges brand, its competitors, and the wider retail landscape.
• Able to challenge and influence your business partners, building relationships with stakeholders at all levels, demonstrating professionalism at all times.
• Can clearly articulate financial information to non-finance business partners.
• Collaborate and work effectively with other teams cross functionally.
• Ability to multi-task – remaining adaptable and flexible when faced with changing priorities.

About the Company

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges