Halfords floated on the stock market in the summer of 2004, the first time in its history it has been publicly quoted. In that financial year, we turned over £578m through our 400 stores and generated an operating profit of £65.5m. It’s a serious business and, because of our recent change in ownership, finance naturally plays a huge part in the way the business operates.

But while financial control and statutory reporting is essential, it’s only half the story. We are working with the business to inform decision making and keep commercial interests at the heart of the way the business runs. That means we’re reporting on performance on a monthly, weekly, even daily basis and making recommendations that professionals in other teams take seriously.

It means that to work here, you need to have commercial credibility – understanding the business drivers in each area of operation, analysing trends to establish future direction and, as importantly, being able to influence actions and outcomes. We’re just as much about the future of the business as we are about its past performance.

It’s a small team, all qualified accountants and although few have come from a retailing background, we’re all deeply embedded in the operational culture working on the front line. And the pace of change just seems to keep growing here, which makes it demanding but exciting and satisfying too.

  Current Vacancies.