Finance Business Partner / Commercial Finance Analyst

Job Introduction

Finance Business Partner / Commercial Finance Analyst – Retail Partnerships

A superb role within the Finance function at Card Factory, market leader in Cards and Gifts  

In this highly commercial and dynamic role, you will work closely with the retail partnerships team as their finance business partner. Your principal responsibilities will include providing business insight on existing partnerships, and supporting with the financial analysis of opportunities, heavily contributing to the strategic decision-making of your key stakeholders and the ultimate success of a priority growth area of the business. This role comes with opportunity to progress and act as line manager for more junior colleagues in due course.

About Card Factory

Card Factory plc is the UK’s number one retailer of greeting cards, wrap and gifts, selling a third of all cards in the UK through retail and wholesale channels.

Since we set out in 1997, our disruptive business model has fuelled organic growth to over 1,000 stores in every corner of the UK and Republic of Ireland. We have an outstanding growth story, consistently opening 50 new stores a year in recent years – with more new openings planned following encouraging sales performance post-lockdown.

In addition to our comprehensive store estate, we also serve smaller territories through franchise arrangements, and supply cards into other domestic and international retailers, including Aldi, Matalan and The Reject Shop (Australia).

Growth of our retail partnerships (wholesale) division, both domestically and internationally, forms a key part of our recently refreshed strategy, with our ambitions illustrated by recent investment in the team, including a new Director.

Main Responsibilities

you will be a key point of contact for the following:

1. Supporting with the financial appraisal of new opportunities

Assessing the attractiveness of opportunities from both a profitability and return on capital perspective, liaising with colleagues in the wider Card Factory business to determine how opportunities could/would be delivered operationally and estimating the associated costs.

1. Providing insight on the performance of existing partnerships

Driving decision-making using insight gathered from the analysis of financial information associated with existing partners. This would be required both on an ad-hoc basic but also as part of specific period reviews (e.g. half-yearly).

1. Reporting (including maintenance and improvement)

You will be responsible for developing our existing reporting capabilities, handling specific requests from key stakeholders, whilst also being tasked with identifying and introducing improvements.

Furthermore, whilst we work towards automation (an ongoing process) and recruit/upskill a new retail partnerships focussed data analyst, you will be responsible for reporting performance by partner on a weekly basis.

The Ideal Candidate

• Qualified accountant who is commercially minded and has a desire to add value; and play a fundamental part in strategic decision making;
• Commercial background gained through a commercial role in industry, or an advisory role in a large professional services organisation;
• Intellectual curiosity to understand the financial and non-financial drivers of the business and their implications;
• Proven and demonstrable ability to build productive business relationships with a wide network of finance and non-finance colleagues, and manage workload according to priorities;
• Excellent verbal and written communication styles and confidence to influence a variety of senior stakeholders;
• Desire to bring insight and challenge to the business through the use of data to improve revenue and profitability;
• Excellent analytical and Excel skills, and a desire to proactively adopt and use business insight platforms such as Power BI.
• Knowledge of Power Query is preferable;
• Passionate about being part of a culture; where continuous improvement is delivered;
• Proactive and takes pride in output/robustness of the financial analysis;
• The tenacity to work through details and deliver rigorous and meaningful insight.

About The Company

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

• 33 days annual leave entitlement (inc public / 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 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.