Finance Director

Specsavers is here to change lives through better sight and hearing by delivering outstanding value, being loved by every customer and creating the place where all colleagues are proud to belong as we grow our business.

Role:  The Finance Director for Audiology is responsible for partnering the business to make great decisions through insight, and the planning, analysis, and communication of financial performance for the 360 UK and ROI Audiology businesses, that operate in over 1,000 stores and external locations. The business has total current revenue c.£275 million, with planned growth to over £500 million over the next four years. 

Your role:

• Be a member of the Audiology Board and the UK leadership team, working collectively to drive the performance and plan the longer-term strategy of the UK and ROI Audiology businesses, specifically in supporting the business to deliver our ambitious growth targets of doubling the size of the Audiology business.  
• Accountable for partnering with the Audiology Managing Director and the UK leadership team in assessing the financial impacts of commercial and operational decisions, ideas or investments, including the delivery of financial impact analysis for all product and promotional changes.
• Lead the financial review and challenge of day-to-day trading, and key member of the weekly trading call.
• Provide added value insight on business performance with demonstrable understanding of commercial issues facing the business.
• In partnership with the Audiology Board members and Retail Support Team, proactively identify and deliver change to enhance business performance.  
• Build effective working relationships with all key stakeholders, to deliver influence such that insight generated is acted upon
• Ensure that required reporting is delivered in a timely and effective method for the business and store partners
• Responsible for the delivery of a quality long term and short term strategic and financial plan for the business to be shared with the Board and store partners
• Owner of the Audiology support office budgeting process from the preparation, review, challenge and communication of all forecasts and budgets
• Member of the Growth forum, ensuring major investments and new business proposals are adequately evaluated from a risk/return perspective and that decisions are optimal for both the support office and store joint venture partners.
• Accountable for ensuring that all new projects and change activities are fully joined up with Finance to ensure robustness of controls, back-office processes and tax compliance.
• Represent the UK & ROI Board at partnership events when appropriate.
• Accountable for challenging and evaluating cost and investment decisions across the Audiology support office to ensure an appropriate return on investment is delivered for both the support office and store partners.
• Leadership, direction and development of direct reports and wider team of 8 FTE’s, of mostly fully qualified accountants), driving strong performance and individual development.
• Establish effective team structure focused on the customer,
• Drive and promote a culture of continuous improvement and one where great customer relationships are critical.

What you’ll bring:

• Fully Qualified Accountant with extensive PQE
• Proven ability in delivering change that has enhanced business performance and ability to identify the levers to push and pull when needed to change direction.
• Gravitas and confidence in challenging senior leadership effectively.  Assertive when required, but with the ability to influence and bring others along with them.
• Comfortable to push back and say no when required.
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) to land key messages.
• Ability to challenge others’ thinking in a constructive and supportive way.
• Curious to ask the probing questions to get to the root of the problem or identify alternative ways of doing things.
• Accomplished Leader with proven people leadership experience

Desirable Skills Include:

• Previous experience in a retail environment highly desirable but not essential

Location: Hybrid with 3 days a week at our office based in Nottingham.

If you are looking to join an organisation in growth mode that places customers at the heart of decision making, please apply today. We look forward to hearing from you.