Jake Edwards
Oxford,Oxfordshire
Summary
Dynamic and results-driven professional with a strong foundation in financial analysis and strategic decision-making. Adept at translating complex financial concepts into actionable insights, with expertise in US, UK, and EU GAAP. Skilled in stakeholder management and mentorship, fostering effective communication across teams. Committed to leveraging analytical skills for impactful financial modelling and analysis to drive process improvement and risk mitigation.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work history
Finance business partner
RM PLC
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
07.2023 - Current
- Partnered with Technology leadership to provide financial insight, challenge, and strategic support across product development, operations, and digital transformation initiatives.
- Engage and participate in relevant leadership meetings, including delivering Monthly Business Performance Reviews with Technology Stakeholders. Providing a commercial and strategic view of the business.
- Acted as a trusted advisor to non-financial managers, building financial literacy and strengthening business accountability.
- Identified cost-saving opportunities and efficiency improvements, contributing to margin enhancement and improved utilisation of technology budgets.
- Identified risk in one of our Business unit’s customer bases, partnering with the team and improving our retention rate in this space from 73% to 86%.
- Developed purpose-driven reporting. Providing financial information and support on all aspects of the business, including but not limited to, budgetary management, regular forecasting, business performance analysis and management reporting.
- Worked closely with SLT to evaluate expansion into adjacent markets. Provided modelling to better outline strategy. Resulting in a number of early Tender wins in this space.
- Deliver budgeting, forecasting, and long range financial planning for the Technology division.
- Hold Monthly Business Unit reviews with the company stakeholders, delivering insights into performance and commentary surrounding variances. Challenging spend, identifying efficiencies, and ensuring clear visibility of cost drivers.
- Advised on pricing strategy for both new and renewing business, including the Tender Landscape.
- Developed new recurring Financial reporting including improved visibility on business pipeline and retentions.
- Participated in multiple process improvement projects as part of the group finance team, including group management reporting, streamlining monthly finance processes, and cost centre restructuring.
Commercial Controller
Avery Dennison Corp
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
04.2022 - 07.2023
- Lead projects and partner with regional and global stakeholders to drive business improvements and re-engineer company processes.
- Led and managed the companies global rebate programs with Customers, partnering with Sales. Devised rebate programs that incentivised greater sales volumes and improved retention. In addition I developed inter company agreements to alleviate tax risk, avoiding paying tax twice.
- Production and review of Pipeline reporting, delivering insights to the Commercial Team and coach to maintain strong pipeline management.
- Partnering with Commercial Team outlining profitability analysis and risk for customer programs or RFP's
- Quarterly forecasting and trend analysis to help drive stronger commercial outcomes.
- Support commercial teams in more complicated customer business reviews, aiding from both and Commercial and Financial perspective.
- Develop and deliver business viable proposals to commercial team, ensuring future deals and contracts were in best interest of the business.
- Partner with regional commercial directors advising on strategies to preserve business interest.
- Reviewed contracts financially impacting company and counselled executive leaders on impact that contracts would have on the company.
- Developed and implemented financial process improvements to minimise issues and business risk.
- Provide both regular and ad-hoc reports to both functional directors and business unit general managers.
Financial Business Analyst
ResMed UK Ltd
Didcot, Oxfordshire
09.2019 - 04.2022
- Supporting Commercial strategy and decision making with data driven insights and reporting via RAPID Cognos & Tableau.
- Support FP&A activities including forecast and budgeting cycles where appropriate.
- Manage the Tender landscape and help drive submissions
- Identifying and presenting analysis of customer accounts within UK Business. Helping to identify higher risk accounts & improve contract renewal rate.
- Creating business proposals for the commercial team to drive renewals and new business, while considering business viability.
- Responsible for managing contracts for UK business. Including risk & Impact analysis, along with post contract evaluation. Aiming to improve future process and function.
- Provide advice and guidance to Commercial Teams on Pricing Strategy for new and existing Customers.
- Engaged in strategic development of Managed Services client base, providing advice on implementation & pricing among other factors.
- Generating and analyzing Monthly/Quarterly/Annually reporting using RAPID Cognos
- Providing stakeholders with ad-hoc bespoke reporting where requested.
- Recommended specific Pricing System improvements based on tracking and analysis of Pricing Amendment data.
- Assisted in planning and development of Oracle and Salesforce systems, creating and driving implementation of new workflows and functions. Improving overall ease of use for various teams and improving company compliance.
Sales Executive
Solera Holdings - Autodata Ltd
Maidenhead, Berkshire
03.2018 - 09.2019
- B2B Sales delivering software solutions to commercial accounts across the UK.
- Regularly met and exceeded Sales targets set by Commercial manager.
- Working with wider commercial team to regularly achieve personal and group targets.
- Assisted in developing sales strategies to drive revenue and profitability.
- Partner with wider commercial team, sharing business ideas ands transferability across accounts.
- Generating Revenue through New Business, Renewals and Customer Retention.
- Solutions selling to large Commercial Accounts with multiple sites.
- Collaborate with commercial finance to generate competitive proposals while preserving business interest.
- Strong relationship building skills to develop and improve accounts within UK market.
- Aided in the creation and management of client contracts, negotiating positive, profitable terms to aid target revenue/renewals rates.
- Strengthened profit opportunities through targeted customer relationship development, continually meeting sales objectives.
Bar Manager
Karma Sanctum Hotels/Godiva Leisure
Cookham Dean
12.2017 - 03.2018
- Drove sales by devising and promoting unique events, seasonal specials and promotional offers.
- Strategised long-term business needs by gathering guest relations feedback for process improvements. Increased average covers per night in restaurant by 15%
- Managed bar tills effectively, processing accurate cash and card payments, balancing floats and preparing bank deposits.
- Interviewed, hired and trained staff on best bar practices, maintaining highly efficient service teams.
- Maintained faultless customer service through proper staff training and development.
Sales Executive
Eden Motor Group
Kidlington, Oxford
02.2017 - 12.2017
- Increased profitably per unit to achieve targets agreed with Sales Manager.
- Listening to customer needs and utilising to ensure Vehicle purchased would easily satisfy their individual needs
- Consistently achieved 5-10% above target each month on both main product and additional services
- Effectively utilising knowledge of in-house products to ensure most products were sold and cross sold for each individual
- Promote and maintain excellent customer relations by personal manner, appearance, integrity and loyalty.
- Assist and participate in preparation of promotional activities to drive business.
Education
Diploma of Higher Education - Level 3 Extended Diploma - Uniformed Public Services
Abingdon and Witney College
Abingdon2016
GCSE -
Burford Secondary School
Burford2014
Skills
- Effective communication skills
- Self-motivated and adaptable
- Proficiency in Oracle, Cognos, UNIT4, QlikSense, and Power BI
- Strategic decision-making
- Translation of financial concepts
- Problem solving and process improvement
- Risk analysis and mitigation
- Stakeholder management
- Financial modeling and analysis
- Mentorship
- Expertise in US, UK, and EU GAAP
Timeline
Finance business partner
RM PLC
07.2023 - Current
Commercial Controller
Avery Dennison Corp
04.2022 - 07.2023
Financial Business Analyst
ResMed UK Ltd
09.2019 - 04.2022
Sales Executive
Solera Holdings - Autodata Ltd
03.2018 - 09.2019
Bar Manager
Karma Sanctum Hotels/Godiva Leisure
12.2017 - 03.2018
Sales Executive
Eden Motor Group
02.2017 - 12.2017
Diploma of Higher Education - Level 3 Extended Diploma - Uniformed Public Services
Abingdon and Witney College
GCSE -
Burford Secondary School