Management accountant

Harper May is working with a founder-led retail group operating across fashion and lifestyle. The business has grown steadily over the past five years through organic expansion and selective acquisitions, and now operates 40 stores alongside a strengthening direct-to-consumer channel. Financial control and insight matter more as the group scales, and the finance function is being reinforced to support that growth. The Role Reporting to the Finance Director, you will own the monthly management accounts and work closely with the operations and commercial teams. This is a hands-on role that sits at the centre of how the business monitors and understands its performance-you will be expected to flag issues early, explain what is driving results, and support decision-making across the group. Prepare and own the monthly management accounts pack, including P&L analysis and commentary Analyse cost performance against budget and identify root causes of significant variance Support working capital management, including cash flow forecasting and trade payables analysis Build and maintain financial models for scenario planning and reforecasting Reconcile balance sheet items and support the year-end audit process Work with operations to track store-level profitability and highlight performance trends What we are looking for ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified or part-qualified, or equivalent commercial accounting experience Demonstrated experience in a management accounting or financial reporting role, ideally in retail or consumer goods Proficiency in Excel and financial systems; exposure to ERP platforms is a plus Clear communicator who can explain numbers to commercial teams without a finance background Proactive problem-solver with the discipline to manage month-end cycles and deadlines