Commercial Finance Analyst

Credible financial planning. Informed decision-making. Impacting the future.

Commercial Finance Analyst

£36,000-£45,000 (+ & study support)

Reports to: Retail Finance Manager

Department: Chief Operating Office

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Working hours

Location: Stratford, London. Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office)

Closing date: 01 April 2024, 23:55

This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. If you require more time to apply as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact as soon as possible.

Recruitment process: Two competency-based interviews with an Excel exercise

Interview date: From the week commencing the 08 April 2024

How do I apply? We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly, and objectively.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That's why we're looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you.

We are looking for a part qualified Commercial Finance Analyst to join Cancer Research UK's Finance team to deliver insightful reporting and financial planning for our Retail & Trading teams.

Our growing network of 600+ stores, superstores, and distribution hubs raised £127m in 2022/23 towards our life-saving work, and we're investing significantly in the expansion of our new (e.g. eBay, ASOS Marketplace, and Depop) making this a diverse and exciting area. This means you will have the exciting (and fulfilling) opportunity to directly support the and cause-driven impact of a diverse and growing business area.

You will use your financial planning, modelling, and reporting experience to provide analysis and decision support to various initiatives and projects across Cancer Research UK, and support the forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning for a large cost-centre base throughout the financial year. You'll also collaborate closely with the team's management accountant to ensure a joint approach to financial reporting/planning and analysis.

This is a great opportunity for a part-qualified Finance Analyst with multisite experience to gain exposure to budgeting, forecasting, and stakeholder relationships while being supported with your studies to become a qualified accountant. In this supportive working environment, you'll discover something new every day, whether it's a new connection, a new method of engagement, or a talent you never knew you had.

What will I be doing?

• Producing the planning and reporting for our Retail & Trading teams (600+ cost centres). This will involve understanding variances, providing accurate insight into the financial performance of these business areas; and supporting the forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning throughout the financial year.
• Providing analysis and information to support decisions, projects, and business cases with the support of both the Retail Finance Manager.
• Supporting the financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, long-term planning, and Finance Managers for your business areas.
• Building strong relationships and clearly communicating financial information with non-financial stakeholders across the Retail & Trading teams to enable the organisation to own and take responsibility for their plans.
• Analysing trends and performance to feed into forecasts and long-term financial planning.
• Producing and communicating analysis that turns data into insight to financial and non-financial audiences while understanding the 'so what' and questioning 'what's next?'
• Collaborating closely with the Management Accountant for your business area to ensure accounts are complete and correct, and analysing management information to find efficiencies and improvements.

What skills will I need?

To be considered for this role, you must have the right to work in the UK as we are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

• Part-qualified Accountant (ACCA/ CIMA/ ICAEW or equivalent)
• Produced financial planning within a large, multisite organisation (100+ sites/ cost centres) that receives a high volume of daily transactions/ sales (this can be in a non-Retail industry such as hospitality).
• Experience in delivering financial planning, modelling, and reporting (including variance analysis, budgeting, and forecasting).
• Supported a budgeting and forecasting cycle throughout a full financial year.
• Built strong business partnering relationships with an ability to clearly analyse, present, and explain financial information and extract key issues with both financial and non-financial stakeholders.
• Can set and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment while maintaining strong attention to detail and effectively managing expectations.
• IT Literate and comfortable manipulating data in Excel (e.g. v-lookups, index match and Pivot Tables)

What will I gain?

Each and every one of our employees contributes to our progress and is supporting our work to beat cancer. We think that's impressive.

In return, we make sure you are supported by a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools, policies and processes to enable you to do your job well.

Our benefits package includes a substantial retirement plan, a generous and flexible leave allowance, discounts on anything from travel to technology, gym membership, and much more.

We don't forget people have lives outside of work too and so we actively encourage a flexible working culture.

Our work - from funding cutting-edge research to developing public policy - will change the world. It's exciting to be part of our team.

For the full job description and more information about working with us please contact

Additional Information

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