Martin Chambers

Lead finance role leading marketing, online (e-commerce), proposition (price, promotion, range, quality), and partnerships. Highest colleague satisfaction score of finance teams across Co-op. Management of 3 direct reports.

Key finance role leading a new growth area of the business to enable the delivery of a low capital plan to optimise returns. Provide challenge and insight to drive the transformation of the way that Co-op delivers food to customers.

Promoted from the Pricing and Promotions Manager role to reflect management of an additional direct report, bringing the total to two, and multiple category responsibility. I partnered with the Head of Pricing, managing price investment and cost and retail inflation across all Food categories. I led and supported transformational programmes.

Newly formed role working with Ambient categories on pricing and promotions, alongside matrix responsibility for business wide promotional strategy. Management of one direct report. I business partnered the heads of category and their direct reports providing category insight. I presented to the executive on numerous occasions on topics including commodity inflation and Brexit. I completed the business case, implementation, and review for the biggest price investment in Co-op Food history.

• Forecasting and variance analysis of investment in pricing. The annualised budget is over £100m. • Ensuring standardisation of reports to reduce risk of calculation and reporting errors as well as improving consistency in presentation. • Category analysis to analyse the impact of price changes and inform buying team of performance against expectations. • Improvements to analysis methods and department processes. • Co-ordinating with the pricing value team to provide financials and understanding of information.

• Project management support across numerous transactions including the production of agendas, actions and management of stakeholders to ensure project progression. • Management of risks and issues for a large transaction, challenging closure where applicable, and compiling the information into a clear and understandable presentation for senior stakeholders at project meetings. • Business evaluation and appraisal of multiple companies both from a financial and non-financial perspective. • Financial modelling (NPV analysis) of an investment opportunity. • Design and implementation of Q&A process acting as key intermediary between an investment bank and internal stakeholders. • Drafting of Board papers for disposal of food stores. • Online data room support on numerous transactions, including the disposal of The Co-operative Farms.

• Forecasting and variance analysis on a periodic basis for a new business area. • Production of management accounts and presentation of results to the commercial team. • Development of new processes for both operational and finance teams ensuring compliance with SAR. • Development of new revenue recognition model. • Creation of new management information for senior management. • User acceptance testing of new finance system. • Review of VAT treatment of disbursements ensuring compliance with regulations. • Integration and training of a new financial administration assistant.

• Reconciliation of food store bank deposits with EPOS system records. • Analysis of non-product costs for petrol filling station estate. • Design and implementation of a new cashbook process resulting in the automation of previous manual processes improving efficiency. • Update of Food CITRUS policies for colleague use across circa 3000 food stores. • Planning and running a team building event for the department (circa 20 people).

• Updating accounting ledgers including calculating depreciation charges and accruals & prepayments. • Preparing monthly management accounts for review by the Financial Director. • Producing KPIs to track performance against budget. • Performing reconciliations on domestic and foreign currency accounts. • Completing payroll for warehouse colleagues. • Preparing trial balances. • Completing VAT and other regulatory returns including EU Sales and Intrastat. • Intra-group accounting and reconciliations.