Lauren McAllister

• Managed the cost base for Boohoo WW by setting up and maintaining processes to track, report and challenge costs across multiple departments.
• Collaborated with the management accounts team to interrogate month-end results, analyse variances and ensure performance is accurately reflected by territory and channel.
• Translated month-end insights into actionable recommendations to support the trading team and drive improved performance.
• Supported key financial planning cycles, including quarterly reforecasts and the annual budgeting process, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Partnered with marketing and studio teams to evaluate campaign effectiveness, streamline budget allocation and maximise return on investment.
• Mentored and supported less experienced colleagues through training and guidance, knowledge-sharing and team collaboration.

Key Achievements:

• Rebuilt the P&L forecasting model to align with strategic shift towards accelerating external marketplace growth and incorporating new channel focuses. This improved forecasting accuracy, enabling more reliable financial projections.
• Identified and released £2m in excess balance sheet accruals by reviewing legacy month-end marketing spend, improving reporting accuracy and working capital.
• Developed and implemented a weekly stock ageing report, identifying at-risk inventory. This enabled the commercial finance manager to collaborate with merchandising teams on targeted promotional strategies, mitigating potential stock provisions and improved EBITDA.

• Providing Business Partnering support to Head Office Office Functions, collaborating with members of the executive leadership team & senior stakeholders to prepare budget updates as part of the monthly forecast process.
• Managing the month end process in collaboration with the financial shared service team, reviewing month end actuals against the latest forecast assumptions.
• Critically analysing P&L, Balance sheet & Cashflow to identify risks and opportunities. Challenging stakeholders on areas of spend for cost savings on a base of £60m.
• Working closely with the wider FP&A team to support in the monthly global consolidation process & participation in key improvement projects to deliver strategic financial objectives.
• Assisting with ad-hoc reporting and analysis of management information as required.
• Coordinating and supporting the year-end audit.

Key Achievements

• Embedded improved month end processes, enabling a more timely review of actuals and reduced P&L/Balance sheet risk
• Successfully implemented a robust cost centre reporting process, leading to enhanced communication with non-financial stakeholders and greater spend ownership.
• Strengthened forecasting accuracy by rebuilding payroll model with additional functionalities, which improved headcount reporting and contributed to wider strategic decision-making.

• Leading a portfolio of audit assignments from planning stage through to the signing of financial statements.
• Preparing high quality audit documentation and statutory financial statements ensuring compliance with all regulatory framework; including FRS 101/102 and IFRS.
• Led engagements for clients with revenues of up to £50million and responsible for preparing consolidated group accounts. Acted as Semi-Senior on firms largest clients with revenues of £250million reporting under IFRS.
• Involved in budget setting, ensuring efficiency by implementing a risk-based approach tailored to each client & monitoring recoverability throughout.
• Obtaining a thorough understanding of clients’ systems & identifying weaknesses in both financial & non-financial controls.
• Delegating work to junior staff, providing on the job coaching of trainees and delivering formal technical training..

• Traineeship spent primarily working in external audit department within a busy, high performing team alongside studying for the chartered accountancy qualification.
• Providing support to the manager & senior leading the engagement to facilitate in meeting tight reporting deadlines; as well as having direct communication with key client contacts.
• Performing all aspects of fieldwork including tests of controls, analytical review and substantive procedures.
• Utilising audit data analytics to examine large sets of data, identify trends and investigate any anomalies found.
• Obtaining an understanding of clients accounting systems- Netsuite, Sage 50/200, Xero, Oracle.