Commercial Manager; Finance

Position: Commercial Manager (Finance)

2 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

This range is provided by Lucid Connect Ltd. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

Permanent
- Full Time

Lucid Connect are supporting our client with a growing franchise model within the sports and leisure sector, with their search for an experienced Group Financial Controller. This position will take ownership of financial forecasting, variance analysis, and commercial insight, supporting directors, franchise partners, and investors as the group scales. This role will focus on forward‑looking finance and performance analysis.

ROLE OBJECTIVES AND FOCUS

• Group-wide financial forecasting and re-forecasting
• Detailed variance analysis (actual vs budget vs forecast)
• Growth planning and site-level economics
• Franchise financial performance and reporting

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ownership of rolling forecasts (monthly, quarterly, annual) at:
• SPV level
• Group consolidated level

Building and maintaining financial models for:

• New facilities openings
• Ramp-up periods and utilisation curves
• Sensitivity and scenario modelling to support strategic decisions
• Continuous re-forecasting to reflect trading performance and operational changes

Variance Analysis & Performance Insight

• Detailed variance analysis of:
• Actual vs forecast
• Forecast vs prior forecast
• Identification of key drivers behind variances (revenue mix, utilisation, staffing, pricing, cost inflation)
• Translating variances into clear, actionable insights for directors
• Development of consistent KPIs and performance dashboards across the group
• Financial oversight of the franchise model, including:
• Franchise fee structures and revenue streams
• Central cost recovery and margins
• Franchisee profitability and unit economics
• Preparation of standardised franchise reporting packs
• Supporting commercial negotiations with franchise partners through robust financial analysis
• Ensuring consistent assumptions and financial discipline across owned and franchised sites

Group Reporting & Cashflow

• Review and challenge of monthly management accounts
• Group consolidation and high-level balance sheet oversight
• Group and entity-level cashflow forecasting, including funding runway analysis
• Monitoring intercompany funding flows and capital allocation

Investment & Strategic Support

• Capital raises and funding rounds
• New SPV structures for expansion sites
• Capex planning and return analysis
• Preparation of investor-ready forecasts, models, and variance commentary
  
  Supporting due diligence and external data requests

Governance & Oversight

• Technical oversight of VAT, payroll, and statutory outputs prepared with advisers
• Liaison with external accountants and tax advisers
• Ensuring consistency between forecasts, management accounts, and statutory results
• Maintaining group-wide financial policies and modelling standards

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

• Strong background in forecasting, FP&A, and variance analysis
• Experience in multi-entity or SPV-based groups
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling skills
• Ability to communicate financial insight clearly to non-finance stakeholders

Experience in:

• Franchise or multi-site operating models
• Leisure, hospitality, sports, or consumer-facing businesses
• Exposure to investor reporting and board-level finance

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Commercially focused and analytically strong
• Comfortable challenging assumptions and explaining variances
• Structured, detail-driven, and outcome-oriented
• Confident working with directors, investors, and franchise partners
• Calm under pressure in a fast-growth environment

Seniority level

Not Applicable

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Finance and Accounting/Auditing

Industries

Wellness and Fitness Services

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