Commercial Finance Manager

Job description

Pets at Home is seeking a high-caliber Commercial Finance Manager to join our Support Office in Handforth (Cheshire). This is a contractor position with a competitive salary/pro-rata range of £55,000 – £65,000. As the UK’s leading pet care business, we are looking for a commercially-minded finance professional who can go beyond the numbers to provide actionable insights. You will partner with senior stakeholders across our retail and vet businesses to drive profitability, optimize spend, and support strategic decision-making in a fast-paced, “paws-on” environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Business Partnering: Act as a “critical friend” to commercial heads, providing financial rigor to projects and challenging business cases where necessary.

• FP&A Leadership: Lead the budgeting and forecasting cycles for your designated business area, ensuring high levels of accuracy and accountability.

• Performance Analysis: Provide deep-dive analysis on margin performance, promotional effectiveness, and operational costs.

• Strategic Support: Assist in the delivery of long-term strategic plans and investment appraisals for new initiatives across the pet care ecosystem.

• Reporting: Deliver clear, concise financial reporting that highlights risks and opportunities to the executive team.

What We’re Looking For

• Qualified Professional: ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualification is typically expected for a role at this level.

• Commercial Acumen: Proven experience in a commercial finance or business partnering role, ideally within the retail or FMCG sectors.

• Data Fluency: Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to manipulate complex data sets into simple, persuasive narratives.

• Stakeholder Influence: The confidence to engage with and influence senior leaders across non-finance functions.

• Agility: Comfort working in a high-growth, changing environment with a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Why Pets at Home?

Joining us means becoming part of a unique culture where our values drive everything we do. Even as a contractor, you will be embedded in a team that celebrates collaboration and innovation.

• Location: Based in Handforth, with a modern support office and a flexible approach to hybrid working.

• Environment: A highly successful, FTSE-listed business that offers exposure to complex, large-scale commercial challenges.

• Impact: You’ll be helping us deliver our mission of being the best pet care provider in the world.

The Retail Finance Landscape

According to recent data from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW):

• The “Finance Partner” Trend: Over 65% of senior finance roles in UK retail now focus primarily on business partnering rather than traditional accounting, reflecting a shift toward real-time commercial decision support.

• Retail Resilience: Despite economic fluctuations, the UK pet care market has shown “recession-resilient” growth, with the sector estimated to be worth over £7.5 billion as of 2026.