Finance Director (Maternity Cover)

LA PRAIRIE - The Luxury skincare house where audacious innovation has cultivated a pioneering approach to beauty. A place where heritage and creativity are infused with the values of care, passion, entrepreneurship and excellence. A place where dedicated and diverse professionals each contribute to an inspiring and unique environment. A place for careers to grow and flourish and where our sustainable foundation nourishes talents and futures. LA PRAIRIE. CREATE A BEAUTIFUL IMPACT.

Finance Director (Maternity Cover)

Location: London, GB, WC1V 6RL

Contract Type: Temporary - full-time

Are you a strategic finance leader with a passion for luxury beauty? Then the Finance Director role for La Prairie & Chantecaille could be for you. You'll partner closely with the UK General Manager to shape financial strategy, drive performance, and guide business decisions across both brands. This role combines leadership, analysis, and strategic planning to deliver sustainable growth and operational excellence.

Role Purpose / Mission:

The role serves as a strategic business partner, overseeing all financial aspects of the business and driving the UK's financial strategy and planning across the two brands. Meanwhile, they will assess financial performance and evaluate possible risks and investments to achieve quick wins and long-term objectives in line with Global. They will act as a strategic thinker who can make the most profitable decisions from a Finance perspective and partner closely with the UK General Manager.

Main Accountabilities

• Shaping the finance priorities and strategy of the UK for La Prairie and Chantecaille, in alignment with GM and Regional VP.
• Managing regular forecasting cycles and the Annual Business Plan process in close cooperation with the GM, Regional VP, and Group Controlling.
• Driving the development and implementation of strategies/roadmaps from a financial perspective, collaborating with key business stakeholders to achieve organizational objectives.
• Interpreting revenue management and ROI principles across the business, driving data driven decisions that enhance revenue growth and profitability through insightful analysis.
• Establishing and enforcing financial management policies, accounting supervision, and inventory control procedures, ensuring effective implementation through regular monitoring and evaluation.
• Lead financial planning and forecasting processes, analyze performance and risks to support informed business decisions, ensuring all major company decisions are made with a thorough understanding of financial implications.
• Manage risks and opportunities, ensuring the achievement of financial controlling objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement in financial and controlling functions, identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency and cost effectiveness across the organization.
• Monitor and ensure the accuracy of financial statements, reporting inline with Global and system standards to ensure a secure and efficient accounting process.
• Maintain strong collaboration with internal and external auditors to ensure procedures comply with group standards and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare timely and accurate taxation reports to satisfy local requirements; search support from Global or external tax advisors where appropriate.
• Plan and monitor cash flows to maintain an optimal cash position for the company, ensuring efficient management of liquid funds.
• Lead the local Chantecaille Finance Team; support the BSS Shared Service Centre team to ensure smooth communication and collaboration.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Bachelor's degree and above in Financial Management or equivalent, with ACA, ACCA, CIMA qualification preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of financial planning & analysis (FP&A), accounting standards (IFRS/GAAP), budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Experience with financial systems, ERP tools, and reporting software - SAP.
• Significant experience in multinational companies, ideally within the beauty industry.
• Superior analytical and problem solving skills, with the ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions based on accurate and timely analysis.
• Significant experience working with external auditors, internal controls, and compliance related issues.
• High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results orientation.
• A collaborative team player across cross functional teams and external stakeholders with strong leadership to inspire others.

In return we offer

• A good salary with a new competitive commission scheme
• 33 holiday days (including bank holidays) pro rated based on working days
• Generous product allocation & discount
• Long Service Awards starting with 3 years' service
• Free of new launches
• Contributory pension scheme - 5% employer contribution
• Employee referral bonuses