Trading Finance Assistant Analyst

Job description

  Salary
Competitive plus benefits
·  Role area
Finance
·  Contract type
Permanent
·  Job reference
HRGCB320788
·  Location
Milton Keynes
MK9 2NW
· 
Exciting opportunity to join the Sainsbury’s Argos Trading Finance Team.

At Sainsbury’s Argos, the great digital transformation is under way. It’s our aim to become the digital market leader in choice, value and convenience, so our Finance teams are more important to us now than ever before. They’re the people who provide support across the business and help make the crucial decisions that will allow us to develop into a leading digital retailer.

We have joined Sainsbury’s in our journey to become a leading retail organisation and ensuring we place our customers at the heart of everything we do. Together we have a great opportunity to build a brilliant future and do a fantastic job for all our customers.

The Role:

The Trading Finance team is a team of finance professionals that drives business performance by effectively business partnering across the Commercial team. The team partner key stakeholders to make informed and effective commercial decisions, and maximise value creation.

You will support the commercial team to enable them to deliver the commercial objectives, providing insight and challenge to drive performance with direction and support from the Trading Finance Manager. On a weekly basis you will support the forecasting and reporting of business performance for trading level Sales, Margin and Stock for trading categories. As Assistant Analyst, you will deliver timely day-to-day forecasting, analysis and performance commentary using insight and inputs from other teams within the business.

What you will be doing:

Supporting the delivery of timely and accurate day-to-day reporting, planning, budgeting & forecasting activities with support and guidance from the Trading Finance Manager including:

Analytical support and reporting commentary to the Commercial teams to help make sound commercial business decisions and improve business performance.
Reporting, analysis and medium term forecasts of sales, margin, and periodic analysis of balanced scorecard measures (e.g. customer metrics)
Monitoring of performance and provision of regular insight into the drivers of performance highlighting opportunities to maximise profitable growth.
Support the commercial team in the development of robust, achievable but stretching financial budgetary targets, ensuring commercial ownership.
Monitor stock levels to ensure they are maintained at appropriate levels and at a reasonable valuation, and that financial returns are maximised from new, slow-moving or seasonal lines.
Undertake ad hoc analysis of the success of promotional/markdown activity; trials; seasonal activity or events; sub-brands; trading intensity; product/buyer profitability; capital investment etc.
Final pricing, Sales and Margin Budgeting, Category Planning etc.

In this varied role, you will also work closely within the FP&A and Business Partnering teams to provide an end-to-end service to our stakeholders. We are looking for confident individuals who enjoy building relationships with stakeholders and enjoy contributing in key meetings. The opportunity is perfect for individuals who are Part Qualified and are keen to continue their professional development, whilst gaining credible experience within leading Retail business.

Your skills and expertise will include:

Graduate calibre professional studying towards a professional accounting qualification ideally ACCA or CIMA.
Some experience of working with and presenting analytical results to Non-Finance users.
Possess good inter-personal skills, have an empathetic nature and a good sense of humour.
Be enthusiastic, positive and have ability to proactively engage with key Finance and non-Finance stakeholders.
Be a team player with good presentation and communication skills (both verbal & written)
Ability to communicate and influence effectively across multiple grades and departments.
Possess can do attitude with an adaptable approach suitable to operating at pace and switching between priorities.
Strong systems skills including Excel and ideally Access.
Experience in a large company environment, preferably retail.

What you’ll get in return:

If being part of a hugely influential Finance team wasn’t enough, you’ll also receive a host of great benefits. As well as a competitive salary and rewarding bonus scheme you will receive a huge range of learning and development opportunities, 22 days’ holiday, a save-as-you-earn scheme, pension and staff discounts at Argos, Sainsbury’s and Habitat.