Lead finance data, automation, and analytics initiatives during a nine-month contract. Automate management accounts and external reporting, modernize Power BI and Databricks pipelines, optimize finance workflows, strengthen reconciliation and data governance, and provide team direction. The role requires translating technical solutions into commercial value while maintaining robust financial controls and collaborating across Finance, IT, Data Engineering, and operational teams.
The Role
NEXT has an exciting opportunity for an experienced, delivery-focused finance and data leader to join our Group Finance team as Group Finance Manager - Data, Automation & Analytics for a 9 month fixed-term contract based in our Leicestershire Head Office.
Reporting directly to the Group Financial Controller, you will accelerate how Group Finance leverages data, automation, and modern analytics tooling to streamline operations. This is a hands-on role focused on executing key automation priorities—such as our monthly management accounts and external reporting back-ups—while refining our data pipelines across Power BI and Databricks.
You will balance innovation with strong financial controls, delivering measurable efficiencies and establishing best-practice data governance for the permanent team to build on.
What You Will Take On
- Accelerate Process Automation: Lead the end-to-end automation of core reporting cycles, specifically focusing on the monthly management accounts and external reporting schedules.
- Modernise Reporting Pipelines: Build on our existing Databricks and Power BI foundations to transition manual spreadsheets into automated, resilient, and forward-looking data models.
- Finance Process Optimisation: Review and streamline existing finance workflows prior to automation, ensuring we eliminate inefficiencies rather than automating broken processes.
- Strengthen Data Controls & Governance: Partner with stakeholders across the finance and tech team to ensure financial datasets within the analytics environment remain secure, reconciled, audited, and strictly governed.
- Lead & Mentor the Team: Provide day-to-day direction and coaching to our existing Group finance team.
- Stakeholder Translation: Act as the strategic bridge between Group Finance, IT/Data Engineering and operational leaders, communicating technical solutions in clear commercial terms.
What You Will Bring
Essential Experience & Capabilities:
- Proven track record leading finance change, automation or analytics initiatives within a complex, large corporate environment.
- Deep practical knowledge of modern reporting and data environments, specifically Power BI and Databricks.
- Working technical proficiency in data manipulation and modelling languages (strong SQL and DAX; working knowledge of Python).
- Strong background in core finance cycles (financial reporting, management accounts, internal controls).
- Proven ability to re-engineer manual processes, establish robust reconciliation frameworks, and mitigate operational risk.
- Outstanding stakeholder management: confident in challenging established workflows and translating complex technical concepts into business value.
Desirable:
- Recognised accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or equivalent finance background.
- Experience with RPA platforms or practical application of emerging AI/copilot tools in finance.
This is an opportunity to shape the future of our Group Finance team through data, automation and AI — not simply manage what exists today.
#LI-DC1
About UsYou know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global! About the Team- 25% off most NEXT, MADE*, Lipsy*, Gap* and Victoria's Secret* products (*when purchased through NEXT)
- Company performance based bonus
- Sharesave scheme
- On-site Nursery available; OFSTED outstanding in all areas
- 10% off most partner brands & up to 15% off Branded Beauty
- Early VIP access to sale stock
- Access to fantastic discounts at our Staff Shops
- Restaurants with great food at amazing prices
- Access a digital GP and other free health and wellbeing services
- Free on-site parking
- Financial Wellbeing - Save, track and enhance your financial wellbeing
- Apprenticeship - Grow and develop on the job whilst gaining a qualification
- Direct to Work - Discount online and instore, collect your items the next day for free from your place of work or local store
- Support Networks - Access to Network Groups to empower and celebrate each other
- Wellhub - Discounted flexible monthly gym memberships, with apps, PT sessions and more
Conditions apply to all benefits. These benefits are discretionary and subject to change.
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email [email protected] (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.
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