Finance Analyst (Commercial)

Ashley Kate HR & Finance are partnering with a well‑established global manufacturer to appoint a Finance Analyst into their commercial finance team. This role would suit someone who enjoys working with data and systems, and who gets satisfaction from translating numbers into clear, practical insight that supports better decision‑making. As Finance Analyst, you'll support commercial performance across the business, providing analysis on sales, margins, pricing, and profitability. Working closely with Sales, Procurement and Operations, you'll help identify margin improvement opportunities, explain variances, and strengthen the quality of commercial reporting. This is a hands‑on role with real stakeholder exposure, ideal for someone who is curious, analytical, and commercially minded. Key responsibilities: Analyse sales results, customer and product profitability, pricing, and margins Carry out monthly pre‑ and post‑calculation analysis, identifying cost leakage and significant variances Present findings to stakeholders with clear recommendations for commercial or operational improvement Support pricing decisions, tenders, and customer negotiations using structured costing models Produce regular sales reports, KPIs, dashboards, and variance analysis versus budget and forecast Partner with Sales and Procurement to monitor raw material cost trends, including customer price indexing Support annual budgeting and rolling sales forecasts, providing tools and analysis to the Sales team Help improve data quality, ERP integrity, and reporting efficiency, including opportunities for automationWhat we're looking for: Essential Part‑qualified or studying towards CIMA or ACCA At least 2 years' experience in a finance analyst or commercial finance role Strong Excel skills and confidence working with ERP systems Good understanding of costs, margins, and customer profitability Confident communicator, able to explain financial insight to non‑finance stakeholders Self‑starter with a proactive approachDesirable Experience with Power BI or other BI tools Exposure to FMCG or packaging environments Experience working in a manufacturing environmentAbout Us We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. In line with our Diversity and Inclusion policy, we welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. As a Disability Confident Employer, and part of the Nicholas Associates Group, we are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities, and we're happy to discuss flexible working options. We are committed to protecting the privacy of all our candidates and clients. If you choose to apply, your information will be processed in accordance with the Nicholas Associates Group of companies