This is a career-defining opportunity for a commercially minded finance leader to take full ownership of a growing business’s finance function.
Job Title: Head of Commercial Finance
Job Type: Permanent
Location: West Sussex (Hybrid – 3 days office-based)
Salary: £70,000 - £90,000
Reference no: 15978
Head of Commercial Finance – Benefits
Hybrid working with 3 days per week in the office (minimum)
25 days annual leave with an additional off on your Birthday
Life Assurance
Huge discount off the product portfolio
Ownership of trading, margin, pricing and forecasting insight
Opportunity to shape commercial decision-making and finance capability
Supportive culture with scope for development and progression
Head of Commercial Finance – About The Role
This is a career-defining opportunity for a commercially minded finance leader to take full ownership of a growing business’s finance function.
The Head of Commercial Finance will oversee both statutory and commercial aspects of the finance function, managing financial reporting, controls, forecasting, and analysis while partnering with senior leadership to drive profitable growth. You will lead the finance team, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in reporting, while providing insight that shapes business decisions across Product, Retail, Digital, and Operations.
Reporting functionally to the CFO and operationally to the COO, this role offers genuine influence and visibility at board level. It is ideal for someone who enjoys translating data into actionable commercial insight while maintaining statutory compliance and robust governance. What this role offers:
Broad, high-impact role with responsibility for commercial finance providing weekly performance insight
Budget, forecasting and margin analysis - you will own the annual budgeting process
Financial modelling to support decision surrounding new products, channels, market, stores, and pricing
Review and management accounts, KPI and slide decks for CFO / COO
You will be the lynchpin between operational and finance
Direct exposure to the CEO/COO and senior leadership team
Ownership of trading, margin, pricing, forecasting, and statutory reporting
Opportunity to shape finance strategy, capability, and commercial insight
You will have a headcount responsibility for a team of 5 people and as such you will be someone that has strong leadership experience. Whilst this role heavily focuses on the commercial elements within the finance function, you will oversee all aspects that is covered by your finance team.
The successful Head of Commercial Finance will have:
ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualification (or equivalent commercial finance experience)
Proven experience leading both statutory and commercial finance in consumer, retail, product-led or multi-channel businesses
Experience managing and developing a finance team, mentoring staff and building capability
Advanced financial modelling skills and strong analytical capability
Confidence providing insight and challenging senior stakeholders constructively
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, hands-on SME environment
Experience with BI tools (Power BI, Looker Studio) and ERP systems desirable
Howett Thorpe are acting as a recruitment agency in relation to this role and comply with all relevant UK legislation and do not discriminate on any protected characteristics. Due to the high volume of applications we currently receive, we are unable to respond to all candidates. If you do not hear from a Consultant within 5 working days, please assume that you have not been successful.
Refer a friend
If this job is not of interest to you, but you know a friend or colleague who may be interested, recommend them to us and receive a minimum of £100 in vouchers if we assist them in securing a permanent role and a minimum of £25 in vouchers if we place them in a temporary assignment. (Terms & conditions apply)