Head of Finance

Wickes is more than just the nation’s favourite DIY store. We’re part of the Travis Perkins Group, one of the UK’s top employers. That’s why the first thing you’ll notice at Wickes is the way everyone pulls together.  All our colleagues come from different backgrounds, but what we all have in common is a determination to succeed and a passion for being the best we can be. If that sounds like you, we’ll make you feel right at home.

The Role:  Head of Finance - Commercial & Marketing  

We are looking for a Head of Finance to join Wickes to lead and influence insightful financial reporting, planning, analysis, cost control and investment appraisal across Commercial & Marketing  to enable effective and informed decision making to maximise profitable growth.  Managing a team of 10 people, you will be an inspiring people manager and have a proven track record of managing senior stakeholders as well as leading the dialogue and insight at Board level with regards to Financial performance as well as identifying opportunities to challenge the status quo and drive profitable growth.

This is a key and pivotal role within the Wickes leadership team and the role holder will actively contribute to the wider business, providing high quality commercially focused financial support to allow Wickes to drive business performance.

Key Accountabilities

• Deliver focused and timely weekly, periodic, and ad hoc financial reporting and analysis to deliver insight into the commercial business performance across sales and net margin as well as the marketing cost base to enable effective and informed decision making. 

• Provide valuable insight on profitability across a number of business lenses (e.g. order channel, fulfillment channel, category)

• Key member of the Commercial Leadership team, business partnering the Commercial Director and their direct reports.  Business partnering with the Chief Marketing Officer. 

• Support and challenge the commercial and marketing leadership teams. 

• Continue to develop and deliver financial investment appraisal and post implementation reviews to assure appropriate allocation of investment capital/revenue for range reviews

• Provide and lead the delivery of financial planning activity (budgets, forecasts) for the commercial and marketing teams, ensuring alignment and rigour together with driving engagement and accountability across the organisation

• Inform the assessment of trading business financial risks/opportunities to enable a ‘no surprises’ outcome for managing external financial performance expectations.

• Ensure that appropriate financial controls and policies are followed in all aspects of accounting for the commercial and marketing areas of the business.  Including, ensuring continuously improving the controls and accounting for the key areas of stock and K&B as well as commercial supplier funding (working closely with the rebates collection team)

• Leadership, recruitment and development of a team of financial professionals ensuring appropriate resourcing,  skillset and structure to deliver effective business support.  Integral member of the Finance Leadership Team. 

Skills & Experience 

• ACA / ACCA / CIMA with a minimum of 5+ years pqe

• Broad finance experience

• Commercial and strategically aware

• Well developed analytical capability with ability to understand/leverage both detail and big picture

• Ability to strongly influence and challenge in a constructive / engaging manner at Board and Senior Management level

• Team leadership and development 

• Highly articulate, personable and engaging

• Well organised, flexible and responsive to competing priorities