Financial Accountant (12-Month FTC) in Manchester

Harmonic are delighted to be partnering on an exclusive basis with one of the UK's fastest-growing digital sports media businesses, in the search for a Financial Accountant to join their Manchester-based finance team. This is a 12-month fixed term contract with a genuine chance of becoming permanent. It suits a tech-savvy, self-starting finance professional who wants real ownership in a fast-moving media environment.

The Business:

Our client is a digital media business founded in 2021. It has quickly become one of the most-watched sports content brands in the world, with tens of millions of monthly views across its channels. It is known for long-form conversations with the biggest names in sport, fan-led debate and hit original series. The team is around 50 people and growing quickly. The business was acquired by a major UK media group last year. More recently, it acquired a portfolio of early-stage content brands of its own. The result is an interesting and complex structure: a small, creative business sitting inside a large corporate group, which in turn owns very young content companies. Finance sits at the centre of all of this. The team is led by an experienced CFO-level finance leader and a Head of Finance, supported by a Financial Accountant who comes from a production accounting background.

The Role:

This hire will work alongside the existing Financial Accountant and complement their skill set. Our client is especially keen to bring in someone with strong Excel skills who is comfortable with finance systems, AI tools and automation. You would help shape how the finance function works as it integrates into the wider group. Your main focus will be the newly acquired content companies. You will own their month-end accounts, bring structure to purchase ordering and intercompany recharges, and help migrate the business onto the group's finance system. The migration is targeted for early November. The group's processes and timelines also need to be followed, so you will need to balance building new processes with keeping to the group's standards. Senior finance leadership is not always based in Manchester, so you will need the maturity and self-discipline to manage your own workload with limited day-to-day oversight. Personality, curiosity and fit with the culture carry real weight, and the more you want to take on, the more responsibility is available.

Main Duties:

• Own the month-end accounts for two recently acquired content companies, including journals, accruals and reconciliations
• Manage the purchase order process end to end, making sure spend is properly approved, tracked and recorded
• Process and reconcile intercompany recharges across the group structure
• Support the migration of finance processes and data onto the group's system (Workday), targeted for early November
• Prepare cash flow forecasts and monitor cash across the entities
• Work with production teams on forecasting and cost visibility
• Design and put in place new processes and controls for the acquired entities, while keeping to group processes and timelines
• Find opportunities to improve and automate finance processes, using Excel, AI tools and system functionality
• Take on more responsibility across the wider finance function as your capacity and appetite allow

What we need to see (essential):

• ACCA / ACA / CIMA - Finalist or Qualified by Experience
• Strong Excel skills and a real interest in finance systems, AI tools and automation
• A proactive, hands-on approach, with a willingness to take ownership and pick up more as the role develops
• Strong communication skills and confidence working with non-finance and creative teams

What we'd like to see (bonus):

• Experience in a media, broadcast, digital content or production environment
• Hands-on Workday experience
• An interest in sports media culture

Salary: £45,000 - £50,000 (£55,000 for perfect candidate)

Contract Length: 12-month fixed term contract, full-time, with potential to become permanent

Location: Manchester - four days per week in the office and one day working from home, with a flexible approach to this.

Start Date: ASAP ideal - up to one month's notice considered

If this role is of interest, please apply online or email me at.

At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to race, religion, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation.