Harper May is working with a mid-market retail operator with a portfolio of established high-street brands and a network of over 150 stores across the UK. The business is privately owned, cash-generative, and in the middle of a multi-year modernisation programme - upgrading supply chain infrastructure, expanding online channels, and rationalising the estate. Following recent board changes, they are now seeking a Chief Financial Officer to lead financial strategy and bring fresh rigour to capital allocation and operational efficiency.

You will report directly to the CEO and sit on the executive committee. The CFO role spans financial strategy, internal controls, capital planning, and stakeholder reporting. The business is at an inflection point: the modernisation programme is live, store economics are under pressure in certain locations, and the board wants stronger financial discipline alongside measured growth in higher-performing channels. This is a hands-on role - you will own the numbers, own the forecast, and own the conversation about where money should and should not be spent.

• Build and own a three-year financial plan; stress-test assumptions around store productivity, working capital, and return on capital investment
• Lead monthly and quarterly performance reviews; challenge variances and feed insight into board papers
• Partner with operations and merchandising to understand inventory turn, shrinkage, and margin dynamics across the portfolio
• Oversee the modernisation programme budget; track capex spend and ROI on new systems and store refits
• Manage relationships with the bank and external audit; ensure covenant compliance and clean reporting
• Build a lean, capable finance team; recruit and develop the talent you need to run the function
• Lead cash management and work capital discipline; identify working capital levers across the business

• ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified; minimum ten years' post-qualification experience
• Proven CFO or senior FD track record in retail, consumer, or a similar operational business - not advisory or corporate finance
• Hands-on experience with P&L ownership, stock management, and cash flow in a multi-unit retail environment
• Comfort with systems and process; some experience of finance transformation or ERP implementation is valuable
• Board-level presence and the ability to explain financial strategy in commercial, not just accounting, terms
• Pragmatic, direct communication style; you enjoy solving problems with colleagues from operations and merchandising