Senior Commercial Finance Analyst
At a glance
Senior FP&A role at Colgate-Palmolive. Surrey · £53,100–£59,000 base.
financeroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Assess customer account profitability with Customer Development Managers and recommend ways to improve margins
- Check promotional spending before and after campaigns, measuring financial returns against brand plans
- Support customer negotiations and joint business planning, and flag volume, price and margin risks against budgets
- Lead monthly commercial forecasts and account reviews, overseeing gross-to-net spend, accruals and month-end adjustments
- Work with the service centre on deductions, payment accruals and receivables, while checking compliance with controls and policy
What you bring
- At least four years of accounting or finance work
- A university degree in a relevant subject; ACCA, CIMA or an equivalent credential is preferred
- Commercial finance or FMCG experience is strongly preferred, alongside financial modelling and promotional evaluation skills
Who this fits
This suits a commercially minded finance professional who can advise and challenge business teams while staying hands-on with financial controls and tight deadlines. The role is based in Woking, UK, and relocation assistance is unavailable.
From the employer
No Relocation Assistance Offered
Job Number #176262 - Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Who We Are
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specialising in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!
Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.
Location: Woking, UK
Reporting to: Senior Commercial Finance Manager
Salary: £53,100-£59,000
Give Your Career a Reason to Smile
At Colgate-Palmolive, we build a future to smile about—for our employees, consumers, and communities. Driven by our core values of Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous, we foster a collaborative, high-energy environment where you can bring your authentic self to work every day.
We are looking for a Senior Commercial Finance Analyst to join our Northern Europe Hub Finance Team. If you are a curious, proactive finance professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and wants direct influence over commercial decisions, this is your next career move.
Why Join Our Northern Europe Finance Team?
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Commercial Impact & Ownership: You won’t just be crunching numbers—you will directly influence strategy, trade spend, and profitability alongside commercial leaders.
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Cross-Functional Visibility: Work closely with Customer Development, Retail Marketing, and local market leadership to shape business growth.
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Global Scope: Leverage global strategies, tap into world-class learning and development, and unlock potential international career paths.
The Role
As a Senior Commercial Finance Analyst, you will act as a key strategic partner to our Customer Development and Retail Marketing teams. You’ll blend strategic insight with operational control, helping us drive commercial performance, optimize promotional spend, and maintain financial integrity.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Business Partnership & Commercial Insights
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Partner with Customer Development Managers (CDMs) to evaluate account profitability and drive margin-improving recommendations.
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Lead pre- and post-ROI evaluations on promotional spend to ensure maximum financial return and alignment with brand strategy.
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Support commercial teams during customer negotiations and joint business planning.
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Identify commercial Risks & Opportunities (Volume/ASP/Margin) against budgets and proactively propose solutions.
2. Financial Planning & Governance
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Play a leading role in the monthly commercial controlling process, driving financial rigor across latest estimates and account reviews.
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Manage the Gross-to-Net (GTN) spend process, ensuring strict oversight of accruals, reconciliations, and month-end close adjustments.
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Oversee deduction validations, trade payment accruals, and Accounts Receivable monitoring in collaboration with the Colgate Business Service (CBS) center.
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Ensure full compliance with Colgate Financial Policies, local laws, and internal SOX controls.
Who You Are
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A Strategic Influencer: You have strong communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to challenge and guide commercial teams.
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A Pragmatic Problem-Solver: You balance high-level strategic thinking with a hands-on, "roll-up-your-sleeves" attitude.
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Detail-Oriented & Organized: You thrive under tight timetables and prioritize effectively to deliver accurate financial plans.
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An Agent of Change: Ambitious, curious, and comfortable innovating processes to drive better outcomes.
Your Qualifications
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Education & Professional Certifications: University degree in a relevant field; ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent qualification preferred.
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Experience: Minimum 4+ years of accounting/financial experience, with a strong preference for Commercial Finance/FMCG experience.
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Core Skills: Commercial acumen, financial modeling, promotional effectiveness evaluation, and robust understanding of internal controls.
Ready to Make an Impact?
If you're passionate about commercial finance and ready to play a pivotal role in shaping our business performance, we’d love to hear from you.
Hit "Apply" today to start the conversation!
Our Commitment to Inclusion
Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.
Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.