Job Description

Working in M&E finance allows you to work in an environment that is both creative and commercially focused. We have a developed business partnering model with finance teams embedded within the business.

Reporting to the Group CFO & COO, the Finance Director is a senior leadership and business partnering role, operating as a key member of the M&E Executive Management Team.

You’ll be responsible for setting the M&E Finance strategy in collaboration with members of the M&E Board, maintaining a culture of high performance and managing the development of the M&E Finance team.

Key responsibilities

Working with the Group Director of Finance, Transformation Office and the Group CFO and COO to: 

• Deliver robust budgets, plans and forecasts for the M&E division
• Maintain financial controls
• Ensure business initiatives are supported by credible business cases with clear metrics and milestones
• Prioritise and sequence M&E change initiatives and ensure risks and dependencies are properly identified and tracked
• Develop and promote a culture of cost effectiveness and efficiency within the division
• Act as key business partner to the Managing Director of M&E, supporting and challenging strategy, plans and decisions
• Work closely with the M&E COO and Divisional HR Director to deliver the M&E strategy, joining the Managing Director’s small team of key advisers
• Responsible for supporting the Managing Directors of Commercial, Content (including News and Sport), Marketing, Content Supply, Distribution and Streaming, Interactive and Data and Partnerships and Distribution in strategic planning and appraisal of new business initiatives
• Serve as a key member of the M&E Board and participate in pivotal decisions as they relate to strategic initiatives and operational models
• Advising other M&E Executives on a range of business matters, providing a sound strategic checkpoint and acting as counsel on a range of issues relating to strategy, performance management and M&A
• Maintain a clear view of the strategic risks of the businesses and work with the M&E management, taking necessary actions to mitigate and control those risks
• Assess and evaluate financial performance of the division with regard to long-term operational goals, budgets and forecasts
• Provide insight and recommendations to both short-term and long-term growth plans
• Maintain financial performance of the division while supporting M&E business objectives
• Foster a culture of business partnering with the divisional Finance department, ensuring that the key stakeholders have access to MI when needed.
• This will include responding at pace to building business cases, meeting cost saving challenges and providing financial insight on business as usual matters
• Oversee and promote effective operating risk management within M&E, working closely with the Director of Risk and Internal Audit
• Build on the high performance culture, continue to promote the teamwork environment, setting stretching performance goals, monitoring progress and taking corrective action when required
• Mentor and develop individual team members, supporting progression within the business and develop and maintain succession plans

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Qualified accountant (with appropriate level of PQE), excellent technical accounting knowledge across all areas (including acquisitions)
• Proven experience within a commercial role at a senior board level
• Experience of working in a UK PLC – ideally within a similar size/complexity business
• Broad business awareness and commercial understanding
• Experience of managing large teams and key projects
• There may be a few exceptions where we are not able to take all eligible candidates to the next stage due to the volume of applications.
• Media/Creative/Services experience is preferred but not essential
• Experience of working in a fast-paced, commercial and creative environment
• Experience of finance systems and ERPs (Oracle/Hyperion/SAP) would be beneficial