Finance Manager

About Carter & White Carter & White is a Dubai-founded luxury fashion and lifestyle brand with retail, e-commerce, and production operations. As we expand across the GCC, Europe, and other international markets, we are seeking a Finance Manager who can strengthen financial discipline and support sound commercial decisions. Role purpose The Finance Manager will lead financial reporting, cash-flow planning, controls, and performance analysis across Carter & White’s entities and stores. The role requires a hands-on finance leader who understands both the detail behind reliable accounts and the commercial decisions involved in expanding a luxury retail business. Key responsibilities Financial reporting and planning - Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual close, ensuring accurate trial balances, reconciliations, and management accounts. - Prepare consolidated and entity-level financial reports with clear analysis of performance against budget and prior periods. - Own the annual budget, rolling forecasts, and weekly and monthly cash-flow projections. - Present concise financial insights and recommendations to the CEO and senior management. - Coordinate statutory audits and ensure reporting deadlines are met across relevant jurisdictions. Store and commercial performance - Produce store-level profit and loss reports, covering sales, gross margin, payroll, rent, operating costs, and cash contribution. - Analyze performance by market, store, channel, and product category; identify the causes of variances and recommend action. - Evaluate new store proposals, including fit-out costs, deposits, inventory requirements, break-even sales, payback, and downside scenarios. - Review underperforming stores and support decisions on corrective action, lease negotiations, or closure. - Establish financial measures that help management assess pricing, markdowns, promotions, and distribution channels. Cash, working capital, and controls - Maintain a reliable rolling cash-flow forecast and actively manage liquidity, payment priorities, and working capital. - Oversee accounts payable, receivables, banking, payment approvals, and supplier balance confirmations. - Strengthen controls over point-of-sale transactions, cash and card settlements, refunds, discounts, and store expenses. - Ensure timely bank, intercompany, and balance-sheet reconciliations. - Monitor capital expenditure against approved budgets and maintain clear approval and documentation processes. Inventory and production finance - Oversee inventory accounting, stock-count controls, transfers, write-offs, and provisions for aged or slow-moving stock. - Work with production and merchandising teams to establish accurate product and landed costs, including materials, manufacturing, freight, and duties. - Analyze product margins and investigate differences between expected and actual costs. Compliance, systems, and team leadership - Oversee applicable tax, VAT, and financial compliance requirements, working with local advisers where necessary. - Improve ERP processes, reporting quality, data integrity, and the speed of financial close. - Lead, coach, and review the finance team, setting clear responsibilities, deadlines, and standards. - Partner with retail, production, HR, and commercial teams while maintaining independent financial judgment. Candidate requirements - Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; ACCA, CPA, CMA, or equivalent qualification preferred. - At least 8–10 years of relevant finance experience, including experience managing a finance function or team. - Strong background in multi-store retail; fashion, luxury, consumer goods, or production experience is highly desirable. - Demonstrated ability to prepare management accounts, budgets, cash-flow forecasts, and store-level profitability analysis. - Solid knowledge of inventory accounting, product costing, internal controls, and audit processes. - Experience with multi-entity and cross-border operations, including intercompany accounting and foreign currencies. - Strong Excel and ERP skills, with the ability to turn financial data into clear management recommendations. - Excellent attention to detail, sound commercial judgment, and the confidence to challenge assumptions constructively. - Strong written and spoken English; Arabic is an advantage.