Finance Analyst - Retail Business North Manchester Area, UK Full Time, Permanent Salary - £40,000 - £45,000 Job Overview Forge Talent are partnering with a fast growing retail business based in North Manchester to recruit an analytical and driven Finance Analyst to join an award winning finance team within a fast-paced, data-focused environment. This role plays a key part in supporting strategic and operational decisions by delivering financial insight and performance analysis across a key area of the business. You’ll work closely with commercial teams to drive financial understanding and challenge assumptions, helping to ensure informed, value-led decision-making. The Role As a Finance Analyst, you will work alongside the finance team to provide accurate reporting, analysis, and forecasting to stakeholders. The role offers a great blend of analysis, business partnering, and financial planning responsibilities. Key Responsibilities Deliver actionable insights and make recommendations to improve outcomes Contribute to forecasting cycles and support annual planning activities Analyse variances against forecast and budget, identifying key trends and drivers Prepare timely weekly and monthly financial updates with commentary and insights Build relationships with non-finance stakeholders to understand business performance Track and report on financial KPIs, ensuring clarity and accuracy for senior management Support improvements to financial processes, tools, and reporting automation Assist in scenario modelling and other ad hoc analysis as needed Experience & Skills Essential: Solid understanding of financial planning, analysis, and reporting Confident communicator, able to explain financial concepts clearly to non-finance stakeholders High proficiency in Excel, with strong data handling and analytical skills Self-starter with excellent attention to detail and ability to prioritise in a fast-moving environment Prior experience in commercial or corporate finance, preferably in a business partnering context Desirable: Degree in a relevant subject (Finance, Economics, Business, etc.) Actively studying or part-qualified (ACCA/CIMA or equivalent) Experience in retail or FMCG sectors, particularly in multi-site or operational finance Familiarity with business intelligence tools (especially Power BI) and financial process automation