Interim Commercial Finance Director - PE - Backed Retailer

Interim Commercial Finance Director | PE-Backed Premium Retailer (Multi-channel) London (Hybrid, 2 Days) £150,000 | 6-Month Fixed-Term Contract Commercial Finance Director (CFO-1) for an omnichannel retailer, partner with the C-suite and be the person their PE investors hear trading from. You'll own trade outright for the next two quarters, some of the busiest of they year (Black Friday, Christmas, January Sales, going into Year End…). That means chairing the weekly trade meetings, holding strong trading directors to the numbers and writing the message the private equity investors read each week. It's CFO-1 level, working closely with the CMO and the Merchandising Director and with a finance business partner to support you. They want a direct communicator who can hold their own with the trading directors and still bring them with you. The role covers a planned six-month secondment, so they'd like someone in ASAP, but you will have a handover and the current Commercial FD is within the business to support still. What you'll do Priority 1: Lead trade – This is the bit that needs to be nailed on for the next 6 months. You'll chair weekly trade meetings, track the trade improvement plan and flag what's at risk early. Every function should know what's expected before they walk in. You'll write the weekly trade note for the PE investors and the monthly board pack slides on trading. Clear, consistent messages across every trading team are on you. Priority 2: Go beyond trade – It is a full Commercial FD role, the CFO wants you on any wider challenge that needs senior finance support. You'll build the narrative and the plan of action. The weight is on merchandising and marketing, and online need more support as e-commerce is the bigger channel. Drive change / improvements to ensure growth is sustainable as they ramp up into their next stage of expansion. What you'll need

• To be a proven Commercial Finance Director who has run trade in a multi-channel retail or consumer business
• Real understanding of promotional cycles, in-store versus online marketing tactics and digital KPIs
• Proven experience of challenging senior directors and turning that challenge into a plan of action
• Experience turning trading activity into clear messages for a PE investor audience
• Available to start ASAP About the business A premium retail brand that is PE-backed and scaling fast. Majority of sales come from online, but they have showrooms across the UK and partnerships with well-known high street names. Sales hit a record last year, up more than 20%, and EBITDA has more than quadrupled in two years. The environment is direct, fast and unpretentious. Please click the ‘Apply' button or you can drop me a direct message if you had any questions ahead of applying.