Job Advert The Company The Plumbing and Heating division of the Lords group encompasses wholesale brands (APP and HRP Trade) and merchants (Mr Central Heating and Direct Heating & Plumbing) accompanied by an online presence through Mr Central Heating. APP Wholesale distributes boilers and other plumbing and heating products to a merchant customer base of over 1,000 customers across the UK from seven depots. HRP Trade distribute boiler spares from their base in Chelmsford to merchant and retail customers, including Screwfix. Mr Central Heating has a national presence with 10 branches selling directly to plumbers, installers and the general public, complemented by Direct Heating & Plumbing’s four branches in Essex. Strategically, the intention is to expand the merchant footprint into new geographies via organic growth and acquisition. The Mr Central Heating and Column Rads websites provide an additional route to market with significant scope for growth. APP has been part of the AIM-listed Lords Group Trading since 2019, with HRP and Direct joining the group in 2021. Role Description The Commercial Finance analyst is a core role in the APP commercial finance team, responsible for supporting the Head of Commercial Finance in analysing and reporting performance of APP and Mr Central Heating within the Plumbing and Heating division of the Lords group. The role will work closely with the commercial, sales and Ops teams as well as the wider finance team. While the role will be based out of the HRP Trade offices in Chelmsford, it is a hybrid role, and there will be the opportunity to work from home part of the week. Duties include, but are not limited to: Financial Analysis and Reporting * Deliver accurate and timely reporting (daily, weekly, and monthly) to inform finance and wider stakeholders. * Develop dashboards and reports to improve visibility of business performance In Excel and Power Bi * Support the Head of Commercial Finance with analysis and insight across customer, category, and product levels * Provide critical analysis to drive efficiencies, improve profitability, and identify cost-saving opportunities. * Partner with different teams (sales, operations, finance) to provide meaningful insights that drive better decision-making. * Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and long-term planning models. * Maintain data integrity, ensuring accuracy and consistency across multiple systems and sources. * Support ad-hoc analysis and projects as required. * Monitoring and analysing monthly commercial data to identify trends and opportunities Process Improvement * Power Bi Report creation and development * Support the implementation of financial systems, process improvements, and automation initiatives * Pro-actively identify, share and implement ideas for continuous improvement in management accounts Skills and Experience * Studying desirable but not essential * Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Excel is essential * Experience using Microsoft BC is preferable but not essential * Experience creating reports in Power Bi * Knowledge of Budgeting desirable * Experience of working within a portfolio business * Understanding of stock management, costing, and operational financial analysis * Strong analytical skills with a keen eye for detail and accuracy * Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet tight deadlines in a dynamic environment * Proven track record of achieving and exceeding targets. * Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.