Finance Manager 12 month FTC in London

OVERVIEW – ROLE PURPOSE

The purpose of this role is to ensure accurate and timely monthly and quarterly financial reporting, overseeing accounting processes and compliance with regulatory, statutory and corporate policies. Responsible for forecasting overhead costs and partnering with the business leads and HR to provide insights, ensure accurate budgeting, and support strategic decision-making. The role reports to the Senior Finance Manager with a dotted line to the VP, FP&A and sits within the Universal International Studios Controllership Finance team. This is a 12 month fixed term contract.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in the quarterly close process: journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations and reporting deliverables.
• Oversee payroll accounting, including validation of monthly entries.
• Assist lease accounting, including cost and asset accounting and maintenance of the lease system data.
• Manage quarterly tax estimate calculations and postings.
• Collaborate with the tax team to support reconciliation of tax balances and ensure compliance with local and international tax regulations, including relevant transfer pricing.
• Assist in the preparation, recording and completion of the statutory and audit processes.
• Lead the preparation of long-range statutory forecasts and impairment testing models.
• Lead the financial budgeting, forecasting and actualisation processes for Studios overheads, including salary, consulting, discretionary spend and headcount.
• Review monthly overhead spend to ensure actuals are in line with forecasts.
• Partner with FP&A to review actuals against forecast, delivering accurate pacing submissions and insightful variance analysis.
• Provide strategic guidance to Studio Heads and Production Company leadership on cost management and resource allocation.
• Deliver high-impact financial analysis and reporting to wider Finance and Universal Studios Group (USG) to support decision-making and performance tracking.
• Ad-hoc projects and tasks as required.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA or equivalent) with significant post-qualification experience.
• An experienced controller in an international matrix organization; TV production and Media experience preferred.
• Strong system skills - SAP experience preferred, strong Excel.
• Ability to use a broad suite of communication tools (Powerpoint, Word memos or in-person presentations where appropriate), a good listener and a persuasive influencer.
• Process and system awareness, including the ability to identify and mitigate control weaknesses.
• Foreign currency exposure, UK GAAP and US GAAP experience.
• Ability to work at pace, using judgement to prioritise tasks whilst not compromising on quality, strong attention to detail.
• Ambitious and enthusiastic self-starter who is highly motivated and comfortable managing change.
• Strong team player with excellent communication and interpersonal skills to deal effectively with both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Ability to work comfortably across different timezones, including the US and Australia.

All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove they are eligible to work in the United Kingdom.

The responsibilities associated with this position are not limited to the above description and may be modified at any time by the company.