IT Finance Manager

Job Introduction

Selfridges is a successful luxury retailer, and is embarking on a £200m Transformation Investment journey ‘2020’, which includes a new Stock System, a new Finance System (a move from CODA to Oracle EBS), New CRM system and transformational changes in Point Of Sale, Supply Chain, Website and Digital.

As such, this means the operating cost base of the business is changing, and we need a strong finance business partner to provide support and finance challenge in three ways:

• To lead the management accounting and business partnering responsibilities within the IT functions; holding effective month end reviews, planning budgeting and forecasting meetings, and being a first point of contact for the teams.
• To work closely with the IT team, to help navigate the impact of changes to the IT architecture and landscape on the IT Operating Model and total cost of ownership of the new technologies (across IT but also other functions)
• To support the Senior Finance Manager with IT and other material central contracts, to support (and challenge where relevant) the IT Procurement department on deals, financials terms, and contractual discussions.
• To have financial oversight of our £20m Core Investment Capital Portfolio, mainly IT investment for capacity and BAU operations.

Scope

Part of the above, in supporting the Senior Finance Manager, may involve ensuring the accurate financial accounting and recharging (inclusive of transfer pricing where relevant) of major Group or Banner Contracts and Projects, along with effective communication and education of the finance communities in Group and in other banners.

Strong communication and stakeholder management skills are needed in this role, along with an acumen for contracts understanding and interrogation (particularly IT / Software contracts), Project accounting and some Transfer Pricing exposure.

A bit about the role

As the Finance Business Partner to IT Exec and Leadership Team, the below responsibilities will be key:

Across all IT

• Deliver to the 5YP, Budget and Forecast Process set by FP&A for the function
• Business partnering, month end management accounting processes, and monthly P&L review with the leadership team.
• Complete Flash and Month End Process proactively and efficiently.
• Understand Strategic IT Roadmap for the business (currently on a transformation journey across its systems and processes), and be able to help determine total cost of ownership of the changes. Requires close working with the wider Finance Team.
• Have a solid understanding of the budgeted costs by area, and challenge for delivery when appearing off track. Help deliver a rolling forecast with proactive call out of risks and opportunities.

  Specific to Core Investment

• Oversight of the projects in flight and in pipeline as part of the IT £20m roadmap; this includes creation of the business cases for investment, monitoring of spend during the project lifestyle, and then close down of the assets with financial accounts.

Specific Financial Support - Contracts

• To analyse the Group or Selfridges IT Contracts being considered from a financial and risk management angle in terms of software / IT costs, the ranges of products being considered for the group (number of licensed users, number of server environments, metrics such as revenue or costs). This is in partnership with the Commercial / Procurement contract team.
• To produce the anticipated costs of the contract, and the allocation of these costs to the Banners based on their needs (from a fair accounting perspective), providing effective recharge split so AP can recharge effectively with back up
• To review the incoming costs from these suppliers to ensure they are in line with the agreed contract with the supplier, and to assist IT in ensuring the services or products have been delivered, before payments are made.
• To assist with the Year End audit process in this area, enabling external and internal audit to understand the methodologies and documentation.
• To regularly review and update procedures, policies and process documentation relating to this area.

Leading and managing a team

• To coach and develop the Finance Analyst who supports this role
• To set and review the objectives of the team member, offering feedback on performance and agreeing actions and objectives
• To role model excellent customer service and high professional standards.
• To plan own work effectively, to communicate clearly with others and provide guidance, ensuring the right information is delivered to the right people right first time.

A bit about you

• Have a recognised accountancy qualification, ideally ACCA
• Experience of organizing, managing and developing a team
• Ability to work to a high standard of accuracy with excellent attention to detail
• Highly organized and efficient, with an ability to work under pressure
• Knowledge and experience in IT Contracts, Transfer Pricing ideally and some exposure to IT capital projects. Oracle particularly sought.
• Excellent communication/ interpersonal and influencing skills
• PC skills - Good excel, excellent powerpoint skills sought
• Receptive to change with a desire to continuously improve processes and outputs
• Proactive

Relationships

• Exec: IT and their leadership team
• Director of Finance - Investment
• Other Banner IT & Finance Directors (where applicable)
• Programme Managers (where applicable)
• Commercial / Procurement Department

A bit about us

We are a shop run on imagination: a place where the world’s most covetable brands combine with the most extraordinary spectacles, events and ideas for an experience like no other.

We have challenged the rules of retail from day one, whilst demonstrating our unwavering commitment to sustainability.  In 2016, we were the first to be awarded with recognition for the ‘World’s Best Sustainability Campaign by a Department Store’ at the IGDS Global Department Store Summit, in-line with its focus on buying better and inspiring change. We are also recognised as the Best Department Store in the World (2010, 2012, 2014 & 2018) underlining our place at the forefront of retail. In 2018 we were recognised as a LinkedIn Top Company to work for.

Our vision is to be the destination for the most extraordinary customer experience, and our people are central to us achieving this.  As an employer we are committed to making Selfridges an exciting, inspiring and fun place to work