Senior Finance Business Partner

Job Title: Senior Finance Business Partner
Location: Hybrid role with travel
Salary: £80,000 – £95,000 per annum (Depending on Experience)
Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Role Summary

As Senior Finance Business Partner, you will be responsible for delivering commercial insight, strategic planning and financial control to support profitability and growth. You will act as a critical link between Central Finance, Operations Directors and Franchise leadership, driving business performance through analysis, influence and strategic alignment.

This role focuses on the dynamism of business partnering, helping to shape business decisions through strategic application and future growth. As a strategic focused role, you will focus on looking forward rather than back.

Strategic Growth & Category Performance

• Own the financial planning process for your business area, including long range planning, annual budgets and forecasts
• Support and drive strategic initiatives including network development, product launches and performance improvement programs
• Lead investment appraisals and category specific business cases to unlock growth opportunities
• Support the Head of Commercial and Operational Finance and Operations Directors to drive financial and commercial strategy

High-Impact Business Partnering

• Collaborate with Franchise Directors to support brand specific growth strategies and financial targets
• Partner with Operations Directors to align regional execution with central strategic objectives
• Liaise with Central Finance and FP&A to ensure category performance is embedded into group wide planning and forecasting
• Present insights and recommendations to senior stakeholders, influencing performance outcomes through data and storytelling

Value Creation & Insight

• Deliver deep commercial insight into pricing, margin performance, stock mix and working capital.
• Analyse financial KPIs and trends to identify revenue opportunities and cost efficiencies.
• Provide recommendations to improve conversion, upsell performance and operational productivity.

Control, Governance & Reporting

• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of P&L, variance analysis and financial commentary.
• Maintain strong financial controls and compliance across all franchise locations.
• Manage month-end and year-end close processes in collaboration with Group Finance.

What We’re Looking For

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)
• Experience in retail, automotive or multi-site commercial finance roles
• Strong financial analysis, modelling and data interpretation skills
• Outstanding stakeholder management and communication abilities
• Commercial mindset with a drive to influence business outcomes and create value
• A strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen

About us

We are one of the top three automotive retailers in the UK, proudly representing 32 manufacturer brands, selling a huge range of new and used vehicles from over 150 dealerships across the UK and Ireland.

We believe our people are our greatest asset, and we’re committed to recognising the valuable contribution each person makes. That’s why we continue to invest in a leading rewards and benefits package designed to support your career, wellbeing, and life outside of work.

Core Benefits:

• Competitive salaries with structured pay scales and progression as you grow within the business
• Generous annual leave that increases with your length of service
• Enhanced family leave, including 6 months’ full pay for maternity and adoption leave, and 2 weeks’ full pay for paternity leave
• Access to Techscheme for discounted technology purchases with flexible payments

Health & Wellbeing:

• Eyecare vouchers to help cover vision care needs
• Smart Health – 24/7 access to GP services to support your mental and physical wellbeing
• Dental insurance for everyday dental care and unexpected treatments
• Critical illness cover for peace of mind during life's most challenging moments

Financial Wellbeing:

• MyView PayNow – access a portion of your pay as you earn, with features to stream, save, and track your money through a user-friendly app
• Will writing services to help plan for the future
• Flexible life assurance options and partner life assurance for added protection

Leisure & Lifestyle:

• Discounted gym memberships to support an active lifestyle
• Travel insurance to help you explore with confidence
• Access to home and technology vouchers
• bYond card and a wide range of exclusive retail and lifestyle discounts

We strongly believe in nurturing and providing our people with specific manufacturer brand and management training to enhance career development opportunities. We have a great bunch of people, and we like to celebrate and encourage success at all levels.

Lookers and Charles Hurst are an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to a working environment that is free from discrimination, is inclusive, and empowers our people to bring their whole self to work and reach their full potential.

If your application is successful, we will conduct relevant employment checks prior to you commencing employment with us. These will include verifying your recent employment, address, credit history and a standard criminal record check. For roles that require you to drive, a driving licence check will also be carried out. Please note, all offers of employment are made subject to a 6 month probation period commencing from your start date.

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