Finance Analyst - Buying & Merchandising

Role Responsibility

Are you looking for a new challenge that gives you the chance to get creative and use your Finance expertise and skills to the next level? Looking for a company that wants to help further your career in Finance as well as provide you with an exciting, inspiring and fun place to work? If the answer to all of these questions is ‘yes’ then you’re just the kind of person we’re looking for! 

Reporting to the Finance Manager – Buying and Merchandising, this Finance Analyst will be a strong business partner to the Buying and Merchandising teams, providing business insight that drives profitable growth. This role will support the provision of high-quality commercial analysis for sales, margin and stock across all trading divisions & will present information concisely back to finance management and business partners in a way that drives clear tangible actions.

As a Finance Analyst 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, which can be understood by non-financial colleagues.

Partner with key business functions across head office to provide effective challenge and support across cost and revenue performance.

Support decision making via the provision of clear and detailed financial analysis on financial performance including recommendations and insights.

Own the production of monthly management accounts for Concession gross profit and the supporting analysis for Buying Director monthly reviews.

Ensure timely and accurate production of balance sheets.

Support the production of the monthly rolling forecast, highlighting any risks and opportunities that have been identified relating to sales and gross margin.

Own the approval process of new Concession commercials, as well as the timely set up of new departments ahead of launch.

Seek process improvements that provide efficient solutions, including designing and implementing new tools and models.

Ensure delivery of budgets and forecasts in line with required timelines.

Work with the Finance Manager to help business partners deliver challenging but achievable budgets, including articulating building blocks and drivers of variances.

Ensure detailed line level targets are accurately phased and understood by business unit owner.

Identify and implement actions to improve quality and timeliness of financial information within their area.

Plan, prioritise and deliver work in a way that meets or exceeds business requirements and customer expectations. 

Ensure consistent high-quality approach is applied to the departments deliverables

The Ideal Candidate

Have advanced excel skills and possess strong technical knowledge, studying towards an accounting qualification – CIMA or ACCA

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.

Able to develop and improve working procedures and processes.

Ability to multi-task and work under pressure – remaining adaptable and flexible when faced with changing priorities.

About the Company

Rewards and benefits 

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… 

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