Gross Margin Business Partner - WMO Senior Analyst

Vacancy Overview

A finance professional, who works alongside the retail business unit, supporting, challenging and advising on strategic and operational decision-making through insights that drive better business performance. Specifically, the role holder sits at the heart of all key decisions impacting gross margin, making a significant positive impact on performance and helping the business to deliver its strategic and financial gross margin targets. They will provide the glue that links Finance, Wholesale Markets Optimisation (WMO) and Sales & Marketing.

Nature and Scope

Level of stakeholders

• WMO Director and Tier 3 WMO team

Principal Accountabilities

Reports:

• There are no WMO specific reports but this role needs to shape the other segment reports to ensure that the energy and non-energy costs are properly explained and anticipated
• Add insight and control additions to standard reporting catalogue
• Evolve existing reporting suite as the business changes, through development and decommissioning
• Does not process the standard report suite

Forecasting and Planning:

• Produce monthly forecasts and ensure appropriate escalation of risks and opportunities
• Work within the MTP guidance set out and develop robust plans in partnership with the business
• Develop challenging but achievable budget and forecasts
• Make the list of assumptions completely transparent and ensure that decisions are made at the right level - can explain the forecast in a way that makes sense to all (able to reduce complexity)
• Understands the detailed feeds into the forecasts for energy and non-energy costs – bridges the triangle between Finance, WMO and S&M to ensure everyone agrees with assumptions and risks; this needs to be a key focus for the team.

Month End:

• Until the new system is in place – manages the production of actuals using genesis to ensure accurate, predictable and understandable results
• Once the new system is in place – ensures that actuals and reporting outputs give the right picture of results
• Comment and input into presentation of monthly results including variance analysis and business insight
• Ensure key stakeholders are engaged and informed on financial performance
• As the new GM system is being designed, develops the skills and understanding required to become a super user once in place.  This will involve being able to make small and medium sized changes to the system so that it can be developed at pace with the business (larger changes will be managed by BC&IT or third party consultants)

Decision support (and ad hoc analytics):

• Leverage/Build MI and draw on knowledge to deliver ad hoc decision support and deep dives
• Provide financial support and guidance at key commercial meetings

Business Partnering:

• Build strong working relationships with WMO management teams to optimise financial performance
• Have a seat at table as ideas are being created
• Be supportive but also provide independent challenge
• Be proactive by bringing insights and ideas to influence business performance and decision making
• Produce forward looking insight into future issues and facilitate honest discussion about performance

Investment appraisal and synergy realisation:

• Model the financial impact of business decisions and investments
• Conduct post implementation reviews to ensure opportunity realisation and to identify learnings for wider consideration

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Strategic Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting - Skilled
• Core Accounting and Assurance Processes & Procedures, Legal & Regulatory – Skilled
• Management Information Analysis and Reporting, Problem Solving & Decision Support - Skilled
• Financial Service Provider Relationship Management - Practitioner
• Cash Management and Program Funding - Skilled
• Investment & Asset Management - Practioner
• Communication of Management Information & Effective Financial Reporting - Skilled
• Project Management - Practitioner
• Process Management - Practioner
• Financial Business Partnering - Skilled
• Risk Analysis and Internal Control Systems - Practioner
• Assurance and Audit – Practioner