Job Introduction

Do you lead the way?

Are you a grafter?

Are you loyal?

If yes, read below to see how you could be a part of our story!

Card Factory is the UK’s leading specialist retailer of greeting cards, dressings and gifts, with an estate of over 1,000 operated stores across the UK and Ireland, supported by a growing online consumer business, and supplemented by new partnerships in the UK and beyond.

We can offer job security and great career progression. As well as being a progressive, exciting and friendly company, we reward our people’s commitment and determination. What’s more, Card Factory is ambitious, passionate and forward thinking with a management style that is open and honest, encouraging people to contribute to the business at every level.

Scope and purpose of role

Helping our business achieve its targets for sales, margin and inventory is a challenging, interesting and varied job!  We are looking for a Commercial Finance Manager to join us on the next phase of the journey.  In this highly commercial and forward-looking role, you are finance business partner to our Buying and Merchandise Planning teams, focusing on product performance.  You will produce effective, clear and relevant MI to influence decision-making.  You will help determine challenging but achievable plans for the business to achieve its ambitions.  And you will identify areas of commercial risk and opportunity to improve results and help the organisation learn and grow.

Role Responsibility

Performance measures to support and challenge the business

Ensure visibility and understanding of accurate financial and non-financial KPIs daily, weekly and monthly.  KPIs include sales value and volumes, price, margin and space across our Card and Non-Card products.  In collaboration with IT, develop the reporting information available by the business via our automated BI platform.

Forecast value drivers and profitability

In partnership with the CCO and buyers, create detailed plans which underpin the company budget and support our growth ambitions. Embed deliverable and challenging targets in the forecast, and capture risks and opportunities.  Communicate effectively with stakeholders throughout the process.  Work to continually improve the effectiveness and efficiency of planning and forecasting processes.

Decision support and investment appraisal

Participate in decision-making forums, planning for new seasons, reviewing seasonal performance and contributing to strategic direction.  Produce buy plan proposals for seasonal inventory purchases and review performance after the season.  Produce insight into product profitability, incorporating directly attributable costs.  Play a full part in identifying operational efficiencies and growth opportunities.

Analysis and insight to influence strategy

Interpret performance of sales and extended profitability at a product and category level for our sales channels.  Perform variance analysis of sales, gross profit and stock to support the challenges and galvanise action to keep performance on target.  Identify operational levers that will drive improvements and influence business partners to deliver the right business outcomes, balancing sales, profit and inventory implications.  Help the business learn from past actions and identify new opportunities.

Develop our colleagues

Play a full part in developing and motivating the wider Finance team.  Be a role model for colleagues in how you approach your work, what you do and your values.  Work with your colleagues to help them achieve their objectives and realise their potential through personal development

The Ideal Candidate

• Graduate calibre, qualified accountant or MBA who is commercially minded;
• Strong commercial background, gained either via an industry route or through an advisory function in a large professional services organisation;
• Proven ability to build productive business relationships with a wide network of finance and non-finance colleagues;
• Intellectual curiosity to understand the financial and non-financial drivers of the business and their implications for decision-makers;
• Excellent verbal and written communication styles and confidence to influence a variety of senior stakeholders;
• Love to bring insight and challenge to the business to improve revenues and profitability;
• Proficient in co-ordinating work between multiple stakeholders and deliver information to exacting deadlines;
• Strong analytical and Excel skills, honed in an environment of working with complex financial models;
• Resilient, enthusiastic and proactive in setting own agenda and driving results in a fast paced environment;
• Bias towards continuous improvement and enabling a complex organisation through change;
• The tenacity to “roll up your sleeves” and work through details, the objectivity to take a step back and challenge the status quo, and the judgement to recognise when each approach is needed.

About the Company

In return we offer a wide range of benefits to support your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

• 25 holidays + 8 bank holidays
• Save as you Earn scheme
• 15% Staff Discount
• Discounted Gym Memberships
• O2 open mobile contracts
• Salary Finance
• Pension 
• Discounted Car Leasing
• Employee Care
• Flex My Day
• Card Factory Foundation
• MyCardFactory App: discounts at leading retailers

This role may involve out of hours and weekend working to support the business needs and the ideal candidate will hold a full clean driving license as travel between group sites will be required.

This is an exciting role with genuine prospects for the right candidate. If this role describes you and your career aspirations, click apply now.

For any questions email: vacancies@cardfactory.co.uk (we do not accept CVs/Applications via email) 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once sufficient suitable applications have been received. We advise applying early to avoid disappointment as applications will be reviewed regularly. 

No agencies please.

Sportswift Ltd T/A cardfactory