Senior Finance Manager (18-month FTC)

Senior Finance Manager (18-month FTC)

Temporary 70000 - 70000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead financial management for exciting projects and drive meaningful business change.
  • Company: Join Penguin, a creative powerhouse with a commitment to authenticity.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and a supportive environment for personal growth.
  • Other info: Embrace creativity and diverse perspectives in a flexible workplace.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic role that combines finance and collaboration.
  • Qualifications: Qualified accountant with experience in commercial finance and project management.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 70000 £ per year.

  • Legal
  • Entity: The Random House Group Limited
  • Compensation: up to GBP 70000 - yearly

Job Description

We’re looking for an experienced and commercially minded Senior Finance Manager to play a key role in supporting major programmes of change across our Distribution Division at our office in Frating, Essex.

This is an exciting opportunity to bring your financial expertise to a project-focused environment, working at the heart of significant business initiatives and ensuring strong financial management and insight are embedded throughout their delivery.

Role Summary

As Senior Finance Manager, you’ll take ownership of all aspects of financial management across a portfolio of projects and programmes, partnering closely with Programme and Project Delivery Leads and other key stakeholders.

Representing Distribution Finance within programmes of change, you’ll provide financial insight, guidance and constructive challenge to support effective decision-making.

This is an influential role for someone who enjoys combining strong financial expertise with collaboration, stakeholder management and the delivery of meaningful business change.

Key responsibilities

  • Ownership for tracking and control of project costs at each phase in accordance with the project plan.

Pro-actively challenging any over commitment if necessary and understanding and monitoring any delays v plan or necessary overspends as they arise.

  • Production of regular executive reports showing costs versus plan.

Such reporting to be prepared for Steer Co meetings and in other circumstances as required (e. g for reporting to the UK Leadership team, to US or to Bertelsmann).

  • Financial planning for inclusion in budgets/forecasts through the programme life cycle.
  • Ensuring the necessary financial arrangements are in place new suppliers who may be appointed for projects.
  • Ensuring that group policies are being followed in respect of individual supplier appointments and contractual arrangements.
  • Maintain a financial risk and opportunities log for the project.
  • Regular cash flow projections required for projects (e. g regular reporting of CAPEX spend to the US is an established requirement).
  • Support the creation of new business cases for all projects across Distribution.
  • Plan and undertake post project financial review with respect to delivery of benefits against business case.
  • Providing the required information for project capitalisation at the appropriate point.
  • Involvement as Distribution Finance representative on those programmes and projects where Distribution Finance is a stakeholder.

Such projects may be Distribution led or they may be company-wide projects.

  • Provide support in the budget/forecasting process where necessary and appropriate.
  • What you’ll bring
  • Qualified accountant with post-qualification experience working in a commercial finance or project accountant role.
  • Experience of analysing and modelling complex commercial scenarios.
  • Experience of communicating and operating with senior/board level stakeholders.
  • Experience of working as part of a project team on high profile projects.
  • Experience of using SAP and Anaplan and a good level of Excel skill is required.
  • Preferred criteria
  • Experience using Power BI.
  • Distribution sector experience.
  • Use of AI tools

Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity.

When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice.

Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills.

This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team.

We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself!

While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form.

The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section.

There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing (emailprotected) .

Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable with, for us to support your request.

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important.

For this role we expect that you will work from our office in Frating, Essex, two days per week.

  • Additional Information
  • Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:

Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated.

The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.

The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process.

You can find these here .

You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.

Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here .

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Senior Finance Manager (18-month FTC) employer: Bertelsmann-Jobs

DK is an excellent employer that fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture, making it an ideal place for aspiring finance professionals. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have access to ongoing training and development opportunities while working in the vibrant city of London, known for its dynamic business environment. The hybrid role allows for flexibility, ensuring a healthy work-life balance as you contribute to meaningful financial insights that drive the company's success.

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Contact Details:

Bertelsmann-Jobs Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Finance Manager (18-month FTC)

Join Financial Networking Events

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Connect with Alumni from Your Uni

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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Finance Manager (18-month FTC)

Financial Management
Project Cost Tracking
Financial Reporting
Budgeting and Forecasting
Stakeholder Management
Risk Management
Cash Flow Projections

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Academic Achievements:In banking and financial services, your academic record can really make you stand out. List relevant grades, certifications, or coursework on your CV, especially if you've taken finance-related modules. This is particularly important for a temporary role where qualifications can help you shine even brighter!

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Tailor Your Cover Letter Purposefully:When writing your cover letter, focus on why you’re interested in a temporary position at Bertelsmann-Jobs. Let them know how you can quickly adapt to the team's needs and how eager you are to learn the ropes of the banking sector during this short stint. Your motivation and enthusiasm could really set you apart!

Be Prepared with References:For temporary roles, references can play a crucial role in your application. Make sure you’ve got a couple of references lined up who can vouch for your skills and work ethic. This helps to give Bertelsmann-Jobs confidence in your short-term commitment to the role.

How to prepare for a job interview at Bertelsmann-Jobs

Brush Up on Financial Regulations

Since this is a role in banking and financial services, be ready to discuss key regulations like MiFID, Basel III, or GDPR. These are hot topics, and your awareness of how they impact daily operations can give you a significant edge during your interview with Bertelsmann-Jobs.

Showcase Your Analytical Skills

Prepare for interview questions that assess your analytical abilities. You might need to tackle hypothetical scenarios involving risk assessment or financial forecasting. Bringing examples of relevant projects or coursework can emphasise your practical understanding of these concepts.

Highlight Flexibility and Adaptability

For a temporary role, showing that you can quickly pick up new processes and tools is crucial. Be ready to discuss previous experiences where you had to adapt to changing requirements or tight deadlines, as this will reassure Bertelsmann-Jobs that you’re a reliable team player.

Demonstrate a Willingness to Learn

In a temporary position, leaning into your eagerness to learn can really set you apart. Be prepared to share how you’re staying updated on industry trends or any additional training you've pursued. Employers appreciate candidates who are proactive about their development—even for short-term roles.