Finance Manager, Inventory CoE

INTRODUCTION

At Burberry, we believe creativity opens spaces. Our purpose is to unlock the power of imagination to push boundaries and open new possibilities for our people, our customers and our communities. This is the core belief that has guided Burberry since it was founded in 1856 and is central to how we operate as a company today.  

We aim to provide an environment for creative minds from different backgrounds to thrive, bringing a wide range of skills and experiences to everything we do. As a purposeful, values-driven brand, we are committed to being a force for good in the world as well, creating the next generation of sustainable luxury for customers, driving industry change and championing our communities.

JOB PURPOSE

Burberry plc, a global multi-billion-pound luxury fashion business, is seeking to hire a Finance Manager for the Inventory Centre of Excellence (CoE) team. The role is part of the Burberry Business Services (BBS) organisation based in Leeds, United Kingdom.

The Manager will be responsible for delivering high quality financial information, compliance and controls. This pivotal role will oversee the full cycle of inventory accounting processes, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency in financial reporting and controls related to inventory. Beyond strong technical accounting expertise, this role demands effective leadership skills to manage a team of accountants at various levels. The manager will also drive continuous process improvements to enhance operational efficiency

RESPONSIBILITIES

Service Delivery

• Manage a high-performing team, ensuring they have the necessary skills and capacity to effectively prioritize key activities across multiple entities.
• Ensure compliance with Group Policies and maintain the operating effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting.
• Oversee month-end and year-end close activities related to inventory accounts, including reconciliations, journal entries, and reporting.
• Lead the forecasting and budgeting processes for inventory-related financials, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and timelines.
• Act as Intercompany Global Process Owner (GPO), driving standardization, process improvements, and governance across intercompany transactions.
• Coordinate with external auditors during audit cycles and provide required inventory accounting documentation and explanations.

Leadership

• Lead a high performing team through ensuring there is the necessary clarity across the team around roles, objectives, timescales, priority of deliverables and expected quality of outputs to meet and exceed stakeholder expectations.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across finance and operations, influencing decisions and fostering collaboration.
• Act as deputy for the Senior Manager, Inventory CoE, when required.
• Promote a culture of continuous development and improvement within the team.

Continuous improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize inventory accounting processes, controls, and systems.
• Effectively manage change by identifying opportunities aligned with objectives, facilitating implementation, monitoring and improving results.
• Encourage issue identification and implement corrective and preventive action plans to resolve problems and improve processes.
• Proactively seek feedback from fellow BBS team members and other internal and external customers and use this to inform future delivery of services.
• Work collaboratively with other functions to identify and leverage potential upgrades or consolidate systems and processes.

PERSONAL PROFILE

Qualifications & Experience

• Professional accounting qualification is required e.g. ACA, CA, ACCA or CIMA.
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience, including at least 1-year post-qualification
• SAP training and certification is desirable. Experience of BPC is an advantage.
• Strong Excel skills; Power BI experience is an advantage.
• Strong technical knowledge of inventory accounting and financial controls.
• Proven track record of managing teams and delivering continuous improvement.
• Experience working in fast-paced environments with changing business demands.

Skills

• Excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly and effectively.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments with changing priorities.
•  Affinity for technology and process automation.
• Business partnering with non-finance individuals and teams.
• Proven track record of delivering change and driving improvements.
• At least 7 years post university experience (as a guide) with proven Management experience.

FOOTER

Burberry is an Equal Opportunities Employer and as such, treats all applications equally and recruits purely on the basis of skills and experience.