Finance manager - commercial income controls & governance (12 month ftc)

Finance Manager - Commercial Income Controls & Governance

Contract type: Fixed Term Contract (12 months)

Location: Hatfield (Hybrid working - 3 days in the office)

Working hours per week: 40 hours

Level: Manager

Application Closing Date: Friday 19th June 2026

About us

Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, and reassuringly good value. We're also on a mission to empower our business with smart technology; we've recently launched our AI Academy, providing a tailored AI learning journey for every colleague.

We're Ocado Retail, a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world's largest dedicated online supermarket, ocado.com. Not only is Ocado the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, it's also the home to the widest online supermarket range in the UK and champion of small, independent brands. We're also the brains behind Zoom by Ocado, our same-day grocery delivery service.

About the team and the role

This role sits within our Commercial Control team and represents a high‑profile opportunity to act as the finance architect for our supplier‑funded activities. We are responsible for ensuring strong financial governance, accuracy, and process optimisation across Ocado Retail's commercial operations.

As the Finance Manager for Commercial Income Controls & Governance, your mission is to transform our commercial income processes from a heavily manual, detective state to a highly governed, automated, and preventative model. You will bridge the gap between Commercial Finance, the Central Controls team, and the Technology PMO. You won't be responsible for fixing system configurations directly; instead, you will define the critical finance requirements, map out end‑to‑end workflows, and drive the cross‑functional workstreams needed to implement durable, audit‑ready solutions.

What you’ll do

• Design the End‑to‑End Accounting Framework: Map out comprehensive process flows detailing how a Joint Business Plan (JBP) moves from initial supplier agreement through to revenue recognition and balance sheet reconciliation.
• Establish SCI Accounting Policy: Develop formal Supplier Commercial Income (SCI) policies outlining recognition principles, cut‑off requirements, and the treatment of threshold‑based supplier arrangements.
• Translate Finance Gaps to Tech Requirements: Author functional requirements for the Tech PMO so that future commercial and promotional tools natively enforce mandatory approvals and preventative system controls.
• Partner with M&S Commercial Finance: Bridge existing data gaps with M&S to design a rigorous validation and accrual‑based methodology for accurate period‑matching of shared rebate income.
• Integrate with Risk & Control Matrices: Partner with Financial Controls and Risk Specialists to redesign Delegation of Authority (DoA) thresholds, integrate process insights into the Risk and Control Matrix (RACM), and update Buying and Retail Media risk registers.
• Govern Tooling Workarounds: Identify, rationalise, and strictly govern critical offline financial trackers in line with corporate Spreadsheet Policies.

Who you’re looking for

• Process Mapping Expert: Proven experience designing and documenting end‑to‑end financial workflows and process models.
• Strong Accounting Principles: Solid understanding of financial accounting concepts, including revenue recognition, cut‑off rules, and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Cross‑Functional Collaborator: Excellent communication skills with the ability to bridge gaps between Finance, Technology, and Controls teams.
• Commercial Awareness: Underpockets of cost/revenue drivers and the operational risks embedded in complex commercial contracts.
• Accountable & Change‑Driven: A proactive self‑starter who takes complete ownership of project‑based delivery, turning documentation into daily operational reality.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Passionate about finding and implementing system efficiencies to shift manual processes to automated, preventative controls.
• Audit & Compliance Focused: Experience working with or building frameworks to meet high corporate auditing and governance standards.

What’s in it for you

By joining Ocado Retail, you'll have the chance to experience life at the world’s largest online retailer, work with an amazing bunch of people who challenge what’s possible each day, and grow your skills and career in online retail. You'll also be part of our AI Academy, a dedicated learning journey designed to empower every colleague with the smart technology skills of the future.

In addition, you’ll receive a wide array of benefits to sweeten the deal. Here’s a taste of what we offer:

Health & Wellbeing: Private medical insurance with option to add your family, Digital GP appointments, market‑leading family policies, mental health support, discounted gym memberships, dental insurance, and more.

Spend & Save: Recognition with reward platform, up to 7% matched pension contributions, 15% Ocado discount, 20% M&S discount, free breakfast every day in the office, electric vehicle leasing scheme, and free shuttle bus from Hatfield station to the office.

Never miss the moments that matter: Hybrid working, 26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays, options to buy extra holiday, 2 weeks work from anywhere, and lifestyle break opportunities.

Everyone’s welcome

We’re an equal opportunities employer, which means that we make sure all potential colleagues are treated fairly and equally. We want to ensure everyone has a fair chance to apply; if you need this job description in an alternative format (e.g., larger print, different document type, etc.), please reach out to us at careers@ocadoretail.com and we’ll be happy to assist you, and if you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know on the application form.