Finance Manager

Finance Manager

Retail / General Merchandise | Warrington | £60,000 - £75,000 + Car Allowance + Benefits

Zachary Daniels Finance is recruiting a Finance Manager to join a well-established, high-profile retail business with a significant presence across the UK.

This is an opportunity for a commercially focused Finance Manager to work closely with the Trading team, influencing decisions across general merchandise categories and helping drive sales, margin and profitability.

We're particularly interested in speaking with candidates from a clothing, fashion or apparel retail background, although those with strong general merchandise experience will also be considered.

This isn't a traditional reporting-focused finance role. You'll be working alongside commercial stakeholders, helping them understand performance, identify opportunities and make better decisions around sales, stock, margin and promotional activity.

The Role

You'll act as a key finance business partner to the Trading function, with responsibility for:

• Partnering with commercial and trading teams to provide financial insight into sales, margin, stock and promotional performance.
• Challenging trading decisions and identifying opportunities to improve profitability and commercial performance.
• Reviewing WSSI (Weekly Sales, Stock and Intake) forecasts, ensuring changes are accurately reflected in financial forecasts and expected results.
• Analysing stock performance, working capital and associated P&L impacts to support better inventory decisions and cash management.
• Supporting category planning and strategy through financial modelling, forecasting and scenario analysis.
• Identifying commercial risks, opportunities and emerging trends, translating complex financial information into practical recommendations.
• Building strong relationships with non-finance stakeholders, influencing decisions and ensuring finance plays an active role in trading performance.
• Driving improvements in commercial finance processes, reporting and analysis.

About You

We're looking for a qualified accountant who has developed strong commercial finance experience within a retail environment, ideally working closely with buying, merchandising or trading teams.

Experience within clothing, fashion or apparel retail would be particularly attractive for this appointment.

We're also interested in candidates from general merchandise retailers who can demonstrate a strong understanding of stock-led retail trading.

You'll ideally bring:

• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification.
• Previous experience in commercial finance, finance business partnering or a Finance Manager position within clothing, fashion, apparel or general merchandise retail.
• A strong understanding of retail trading performance, including sales, gross margin, stock, markdowns and promotional activity.
• Experience working with WSSI forecasts and financial planning systems.
• The confidence to challenge commercial stakeholders, influence decisions and provide constructive financial insight.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and communicate what really matters.
• A proactive, commercially curious approach, with the resilience to operate in a fast-moving retail environment.

Experience within value or discount retail would also be advantageous, particularly where you've worked closely with merchandising and trading teams to optimise stock, margin and profitability.

What's on Offer?

• Salary: £60,000 - £75,000 depending on experience.
• Car allowance: Competitive annual car allowance.
• Benefits: Pension and private healthcare.
• Location: Warrington.
• Hybrid working: Minimum three days per week in the Warrington office.
• The opportunity to influence commercial decisions within a substantial UK retail operation.
• Excellent exposure to senior commercial and finance stakeholders.

This is an opportunity to join a business where finance has a genuine voice in commercial decision-making. You'll be working at the heart of trading performance, with the ability to influence profitability, stock investment and future category growth.

If you're a commercially minded qualified accountant with experience in clothing, fashion, apparel or general merchandise retail, we'd be interested in speaking with you.

About Zachary Daniels

Zachary Daniels is a specialist UK and International recruitment consultancy, partnering with retail, consumer and brands businesses across a wide range of disciplines, including Finance & Accountancy, Buying, Merchandising & Ecommerce, Design, Technical, Wholesale & Production, HR & Talent, Health & Safety & Compliance, Marketing, Digital & Technology, Property & Centre Management, Retail Operations and Executive Search.

Zachary Daniels is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates and are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process for everyone.

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