Group Commercial Finance Director

<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>The Role..</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Group Commercial Finance Director is a new senior leadership role created as part of Soho House's Commercial Finance transformation, leading a dedicated commercial finance team covering the Group's commercial and strategic finance arrangements. The role owns debt and banking relationships, property, leases, insurance and commercial agreements, new site feasibility, and capital planning governance and reporting, together with finance business partnering to Soho Works, IHDB, Partnerships, Residences and the Group's other businesses.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Working closely with Development, Legal, IHDB and Works, the Director plays a central role in Development, Capex and Ops Transformation forums, and will champion the use of AI-enabled analytics and automation to strengthen capital planning, feasibility and commercial decision-making, in line with the Group's wider ERP and AI transformation ambitions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Key Responsibilities..</strong></span></p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Treasury, Debt &amp; Banking Relationships</span></h2> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own Group debt management, monitoring facilities and supporting refinancing initiatives as required.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Manage banking facilities and relationships to support the Group's liquidity and funding needs.</span></li> </ul> <h4><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Property, Leases &amp; Commercial Agreements</span></h4> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own commercial and financial oversight of the Group's Leases across the portfolio.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lead Property Management from a commercial finance perspective, ensuring costs, income and performance are effectively managed.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own JV &amp; HMA (Joint Venture &amp; House/Hotel Management Agreement) agreements, ensuring commercial terms are understood, managed and optimised.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own Key Contracts, providing financial oversight and commercial input into major agreements.</span></li> </ul> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Insurance</span></h2> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own the Group's insurance programmes, working closely with the business to ensure appropriate coverage is in place across all risk areas.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lead claims handling, ensuring claims are managed efficiently and effectively from notification through to resolution.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own Business Interruption (BI) and Contingent Business Interruption (CBI) claims, ensuring careful planning and preparation to support timely and accurate recovery.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Provide ongoing, day-to-day support to Operations on any claims and coverage matters, acting as a trusted point of contact for the business.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Regularly review insurance programmes and coverage with the business to ensure they remain appropriate and adequate as the business evolves.</span></li> </ul> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">New Site Feasibility</span></h2> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own New Site Review &amp; Feasibility, leading financial appraisal and underwriting of new site opportunities to support the Group's expansion decisions.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Critically review feasibility models, challenging inputs and assumptions (including revenue, cost, capex and return assumptions) to ensure recommendations are robust and well-evidenced.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ensure a clear understanding of the technical accounting impacts of new site decisions under GAAP (e.g., lease accounting, capitalisation and impairment considerations), working closely with technical accounting and reporting teams.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Present feasibility and underwriting recommendations to senior stakeholders, balancing commercial ambition with financial and accounting rigour.</span></li> </ul> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Capital Planning &amp; Governance</span></h2> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own Capital Planning governance across the Group, setting and maintaining policy to ensure consistent, disciplined investment decision-making.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lead day-to-day management, review and reporting of Capital Planning, checking submissions and spend against Group policy and requirements.</span></li> </ul> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Business Partnering</span></h2> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Act as lead finance business partner to Soho Works.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Act as lead finance business partner to IHDB.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Provide commercial finance business partnering to Partnerships, Residences and Other Businesses (Line Group).</span></li> </ul> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">AI-Enabled Commercial Finance</span></h2> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Champion the use of AI-enabled analytics and automation to strengthen capital planning, new site feasibility and underwriting analysis, reducing manual and transactional effort within the commercial finance function.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Leverage ERP and AI-enabled data to improve decision-making on debt, capital allocation and commercial agreements, focusing capacity on forward-looking analysis and value creation.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Act as key business partner to Development, Legal, IHDB and Works, representing Commercial Finance in Development, Capex and Ops Transformation forums.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lead and develop a dedicated commercial finance team, building specialist capability across capital planning, new site feasibility, business partnering and insurance/risk management.</span></li> </ul> <h1><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Key Skills &amp; Experience</span></h1> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Extensive experience in senior commercial finance leadership roles within complex, multi-site or property-related businesses.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Proven track record managing debt, banking relationships and treasury-adjacent commercial finance matters.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Deep expertise in property, leases, JV/HMA agreements and capital planning within a multinational, multi-brand environment.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Experience managing corporate insurance programmes and claims, including Business Interruption (BI) and Contingent Business Interruption (CBI), with a track record of careful claims planning and ongoing operational support.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Experience leading new site review, feasibility studies and underwriting to support expansion and investment decisions, including hands-on review of financial models and critical challenge of inputs and assumptions.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Strong technical accounting knowledge under GAAP, with an understanding of how new site decisions (e.g., leases, capitalisation, impairment) impact the Group's accounts.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Experience embedding capital planning governance, policy and reporting frameworks, with a track record of day-to-day review against requirements.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Experience business partnering diversified or newer business lines (e.g., co-working, membership residences, licensing).</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Experience leveraging AI-enabled analytics and automation to strengthen capital planning, feasibility and investment decision-making.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Commercially astute, with the ability to negotiate and manage complex commercial agreements and translate them into clear financial and strategic insight.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Qualified Accountant (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), with strong technical grounding and leadership presence.</span></li> </ul> <h1><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Key Competencies..</strong></span></h1> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Strategic Leadership: </strong>Ability to shape and execute a commercial finance strategy that supports growth, resilience and value creation.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Global Perspective: </strong>Strong understanding of property, JV and commercial agreements across multiple jurisdictions.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Technical &amp; Analytical Rigour: </strong>Confident reviewing financial models and challenging inputs and assumptions, with strong technical accounting (GAAP) knowledge.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Data &amp; AI Fluency: </strong>Confident using AI-enabled analytics and automation to strengthen capital planning and commercial decision-making.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Governance &amp; Control: </strong>Rigorous in applying capital planning policy, governance and reporting standards, with strong attention to day-to-day review and compliance.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Stakeholder Influence: </strong>Exceptional communication and negotiation skills across senior leadership, Development, Legal and operational teams.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Risk Management: </strong>Proactive in identifying and mitigating financial and commercial risk across debt, property, insurance and commercial agreements.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Change Management: </strong>Experience leading transformation initiatives and embedding best practice across commercial finance functions.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Benefits…</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Soho House offers competitive compensation packages that feature global benefits and perks. Whether you’re seeking entry-level employment or a new opportunity to expand your profession, we offer training to develop the technical and managerial skills necessary to grow your career.</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Soho Friends Membership</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">50% off Food &amp; Drink, 7 days a week</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Staff Room Rates</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Private Health and Dental Care</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Weekly Pay</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Life Assurance</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Up to 50% Staff Discount on Cowshed &amp; Soho Home</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In Office Dog Policy on Fridays</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Season Ticket Loan</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Christmas Office Closure</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In conjunction with Soho Impact, take 2 days paid a year to support a charity of your choice.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Free Counselling Sessions</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Cookhouse &amp; House Tonic: Our Cookhouse &amp; House Tonic programmes offer unique food and drink trainings, events and opportunities to inspire and educate.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Continuous training to develop yourself personally and professionally</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Exclusive access to our benefits platform with hundreds of discounts on shopping, gym memberships, holidays, insurance and much more</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Team Events: From fitness sessions to cinema screenings and art classes, each month we hold a series of fun events which you can sign up to.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>

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