Job Description
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Finance Business Partner to join a thriving organisation based in Manchester City Centre, offering a competitive salary of £60,000 - £70,000. This role is perfect for someone who thrives on providing insightful financial analysis and strategic advice, particularly within logistics operations and the sports sector. You will play a pivotal part in shaping the financial direction of key business units, working closely with both finance and commercial teams to ensure that costs are managed effectively, and new opportunities are maximised.
What you'll do:
As a Finance Business Partner based in Manchester City Centre, you will be instrumental in delivering actionable insights that drive both operational excellence and commercial success. Your day-to-day responsibilities will see you working together with cross-functional teams across logistics, supply chain, operations, commercial departments, and FP&A. You will be responsible for preparing detailed financial reports that highlight key variances and provide meaningful commentary to guide decision-making. By developing robust business cases for new partnership opportunities, you will help shape deal structures that maximize value creation. Your expertise will also be called upon to support budgeting cycles, forecast planning, KPI development, and continuous improvement initiatives. In addition to your core duties around cost control and financial oversight of logistics operations, you will contribute significantly to evaluating new business proposals by building sophisticated financial models that underpin pricing strategies and investment decisions. Your collaborative approach will ensure that all relevant stakeholders are equipped with the information they need to make informed choices that align with broader organisational goals.
* Collaborate closely with Logistics, Supply Chain, and Operations teams to deliver comprehensive financial insight and support informed decision-making across inbound freight, warehousing, and outbound distribution activities.
* Monitor and analyze all aspects of logistics costs including transport, storage, third-party logistics providers, and returns while identifying risks, opportunities, and emerging trends.
* Prepare detailed monthly financial reports for logistics functions, including variance analysis and insightful commentary to inform senior stakeholders.
* Support the annual budgeting process as well as quarterly forecasts and long-range planning cycles for logistics cost centres to ensure robust financial management.
* Work alongside commercial teams to understand the cost-to-serve model and its implications for product profitability and pricing strategies.
* Lead the modelling of logistics costs for new market entries, warehouse expansions, or transitions involving third-party logistics providers.
* Develop and maintain key performance indicators (KPIs) and dashboards that track critical logistics metrics such as cost per unit, delivery accuracy, and lead times.
* Drive initiatives aimed at continuous improvement to enhance cost efficiency and increase transparency within the logistics function.
* Partner with accounting teams to ensure accurate month-end close processes and correct accruals for all logistics-related expenses.
* Assist in ad-hoc projects such as sustainability tracking in logistics operations, automation initiatives, or enhancements to ERP systems.
What you bring:
To excel in this role, your background should reflect substantial experience supporting operational teams through detailed financial analysis - ideally within sectors such as sportswear or consumer goods. Your ability to interpret complex data sets using advanced Excel skills will be crucial when building models that inform both short-term actions and long-term strategy. Experience working with ERP systems ensures you can navigate large volumes of transactional data efficiently while maintaining accuracy during month-end close processes. Your interpersonal skills will allow you to collaborate seamlessly across departments; whether presenting findings to non-finance colleagues or contributing insights during cross-functional project meetings. A keen awareness of international supply chain dynamics combined with practical knowledge of data visualisation tools means you can communicate trends clearly at all levels. Above all else, your commitment to supporting others - through knowledge sharing or by driving continuous improvement - will set you apart as a valued member of the team.
* Full qualification as an accountant (CIMA, ACCA, ACA or equivalent), demonstrating strong technical proficiency in finance principles.
* Proven experience in a business partnering or FP&A role where you have provided analytical support to operational teams.
* Deep understanding of logistics operations including warehousing processes, shipping procedures, and third-party logistics management.
* Advanced skills in Excel coupled with significant experience in building financial models tailored for decision support.
* Excellent communication abilities enabling you to influence non-finance stakeholders through clear presentation of data-driven insights.
* Background working in retail/logistics/FMCG/manufacturing/supply chain would be ideal
* Familiarity with international supply chains along with an understanding of freight cost structures impacting global operations.
* Knowledge of data visualisation tools like Power BI or Tableau which enable effective reporting of key performance metrics.
Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates