Hunter Campbell’s Accounting Employment Insights Series offers a comprehensive look into roles within the accounting sector. Leveraging our specialised Accounting recruitment market knowledge, we provide valuable insights into the roles currently in demand, shedding light on market trends, salaries, and sought-after skills. In today’s article, Caroline Ledger, Senior Consultant at Hunter Campbell shares her expertise on the role of Commercial Analyst, a strategic role central to driving impactful change.
What does a Commercial Analyst do?
A Commercial Analyst is often the centre of information, enabling informed decision-making and delivering valuable commercial advice and insights to drive a business forward. Armed with detailed analysis and utilising tools like Excel and Power BI, they establish actionable recommendations that influence key stakeholders resulting in tangible outcomes.
Depending on industry, typical duties can include:
- Analysis
- Modelling
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Reporting
- Developing KPIs
- Stakeholder communication
- Business partnering
- Competitor/market/industry analysis
- Cost analysis
Typical KPI’s of a Commercial Analyst role
The success of a Commercial Analyst is gauged through a range of performance metrics. It’s also worth noting that often it is a Commercial Analyst who is tasked to help develop KPIs for the wider business.
KPIs of a Commercial Analyst serve as benchmarks of excellence and typically include:
- Revenue growth
- Profit margin improvement
- Budget variance and forecast accuracy
- Financial modelling accuracy
- Stakeholder satisfaction
- ROI
Key skills and qualifications required
Commercial Analysts often possess a unique blend of skills and qualifications, with a need for a curious mindset. Desired technical expertise lies in the ability to interpret data and articulate insights with clarity.
Proven stakeholder engagement, analytical skills, and proficiency in tools like Power BI and Excel form the cornerstone of this role. While certifications such as CA/CPA or CIMA are advantageous, they are not essential.
Beyond technical expertise, success as a Commercial Analyst hinges upon soft skills. Exceptional communication and relationship-building are pivotal in fostering collaboration across business functions, ensuring alignment towards common objectives.
Recruitment Forecast and Career Prospects
Given the way the accounting & finance world is transforming, we expect demand for this skillset to only increase (in terms of analysis and power BI skills, innovation etc.) in New Zealand.
The career pathway to a Commercial Analyst can be quite varied. Some employers will take candidates directly from public practice if they display the right attributes, but the more common pathway is for Commercial Analysts to work up through the Industry, and can be from any role where you have exposure to budgets, forecasting and a high level of skill in Excel.
Commercial Analysts tend to progress into roles like Finance Business partners, with long-term pathways to a Commercial Manager role.
Salary Guide
Salaries for Commercial Analysts are relatively consistent across organisations and typically sit within the range of $100,000 to $130,000. For a more junior Analyst, the salary can start at $90,000.
Recent roles placed by Hunter Campbell
- FoodStuffs – Commercial Analyst
- GoSee – FP&A Analyst
- Ngāti Porou – FP&A Analyst
- Kotahi – Commercial Lead
- Icebreaker – FP&A Analyst
- Walter & Wild – Commercial Analyst
If you are looking to hire a Commercial Analyst, or looking for your next opportunity in this space, get in touch with Caroline to chat through these insights and available opportunities.
