Finance Manager – Food, Risk & Controls

Overview

As Finance Manager for Governance, Risk & Control, you will strengthen the Food division’s control environment and shape risk awareness. You will partner with senior leaders across Finance, Buying, Product Technology, Logistics and commercial teams to ensure robust governance and informed decision-making. The role focuses on risk identification, controls design, audit collaboration, and driving a culture of continuous improvement. You will influence strategic initiatives and reporting to enhance accountability and transparency.

Pay / Benefits

• 20% colleague discount on M&S products
• Competitive holiday allowance
• Discretionary bonus schemes
• Strong pension and life assurance
• Tailored induction and training
• M&S Choices perks portal

Responsibilities

• Lead risk management across the Food business, coordinating with risk leads to identify, assess and monitor risks and controls, and support quarterly/bi-annual risk reporting to Group Risk
• Serve as the GRC subject matter expert for Food, advising on new processes, projects and control frameworks and leading process reviews to strengthen controls culture
• Oversee governance and assurance activities with Internal and External Audit, support audit planning and timely closure of actions, and contribute to compliance programs and material control testing
• Drive accountability through reporting to senior stakeholders, manage open Risk, Audit and Change & Control actions, and chair quarterly Food Leadership Team risk updates
• Support strategic control and compliance initiatives across M&S Food, including presenting to the Audit & Risk Committee and supporting Group Change & Control programs such as non-financial reporting assurance

Key requirements

• Qualified accountant with strong Governance, Risk, Internal Audit, Compliance, Controls or Strategy experience in a large international organisation or Big 4
• Proven ability to design and implement risk management frameworks and internal controls
• Strong project management, analytical and problem-solving skills with change-management capability
• Confident communicator capable of influencing senior stakeholders (finance and non-finance)
• Highly organized self-starter with curiosity and continuous improvement mindset in a fast-paced environment
• Retail/Consumer/FMCG or Food retail experience desired but not essential

• influencing and credibility-building
• strong communication
• stakeholder management
• Governance, Risk, Internal Audit, Compliance, Controls
• GSCOP compliance programme
• UK Corporate Governance Provision 29

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