At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a high-performing finance team and ensure accurate financial reporting.
- Company: Join an award-winning media and entertainment group with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced, creative environment while shaping financial strategies.
- Qualifications: Fully qualified accountant with strong experience in finance leadership.
- Other info: Gain exposure to senior leadership and drive continuous improvement in finance systems.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Hybrid working: 4 days per week in the London office. A leading, award-winning media and entertainment group is seeking a technically strong and commercially astute Financial Controller to join its London-based finance leadership team during a period of continued growth.
Operating across TV, film and wider media platforms, the group produces and distributes high-quality content internationally and is widely recognised for its creative excellence and strong commercial performance. Despite its scale and global footprint, the business retains an entrepreneurial, collaborative culture with a clear focus on financial discipline and continuous improvement.
Reporting to the Finance Director / CFO, this is a senior, hands-on role with responsibility for financial control, reporting and governance across the UK business and wider group entities. You will lead and develop a high-performing finance team and act as a trusted business partner to senior stakeholders across creative, operational and commercial functions.
The role combines robust technical ownership with strong commercial insight and is ideally suited to someone who enjoys building scalable finance functions in fast-moving, creative environments.
Key Responsibilities- Lead, motivate and develop the UK and group finance team, embedding a high-performance culture
- Own financial control across UK and group entities, ensuring accurate, timely and reliable reporting
- Deliver month-end close, management accounts, statutory reporting, audit, tax and compliance
- Oversee cashflow, working capital, banking relationships and covenant reporting
- Play a central role in budgeting, forecasting and long-range planning
- Provide clear commercial insight, analysis and challenge to support senior leadership decision-making
- Strengthen financial governance, controls, policies and documentation as the business scales
- Drive continuous improvement across finance systems, automation, processes and reporting
- Manage relationships with external auditors, tax advisors, banks and other stakeholders
- Support ad-hoc projects and strategic initiatives alongside the CFO and wider leadership team.
- Fully qualified accountant (ACA preferred; ACCA / CIMA also considered)
- Audit-trained with strong post-qualification experience
- Proven experience at Financial Controller or senior finance level
- Strong technical accounting knowledge, including UK GAAP, group reporting and compliance
- Experience within media, entertainment, TV, film or creative industries (preferred)
- Demonstrated people leadership experience with the ability to develop and scale teams
- Commercially astute, confident partnering with senior non-finance stakeholders
- Track record of improving finance systems, controls and ways of working
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving, multi-entity environment
- Excellent communicator with strong interpersonal skills
- Highly organised with strong attention to detail
- Advanced Excel skills and confidence working with financial systems
This is a genuinely broad and business-facing Financial Controller role within a market-leading media group, offering real influence, exposure to senior leadership and clear progression opportunities as the business continues to grow.
Financial Controller – Entertainment employer: Sauce Recruitment
Contact Detail:
Sauce Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Financial Controller – Entertainment
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help land that dream job.
✨Show Off Your Skills
When you get the chance to meet potential employers, make sure to highlight your relevant skills and experiences. Prepare some examples of how you've tackled challenges in previous roles, especially in finance or creative environments. We want to see that you can bring value to the team!
✨Be Ready for the Interview
Do your homework before the interview! Research the company, understand their culture, and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to their success. We love candidates who show genuine interest and enthusiasm for the role and the company.
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we’re always looking for talented individuals who are ready to make an impact in the media and entertainment industry.
We think you need these skills to ace Financial Controller – Entertainment
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Financial Controller role. Highlight your technical accounting knowledge and any experience in media or entertainment to catch our eye!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this position. Share specific examples of how you've led finance teams or improved financial systems in previous roles – we love a good story!
Showcase Your Commercial Insight: In your application, demonstrate your ability to provide clear commercial insight. We want to see how you've partnered with senior stakeholders and contributed to decision-making in fast-paced environments.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity in our growing team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Sauce Recruitment
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Financial Controller, you'll need to demonstrate your technical prowess. Brush up on UK GAAP and be ready to discuss how you've applied it in previous roles. Prepare examples of financial reports you've managed and be ready to explain the impact of your work on business decisions.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role requires strong people management abilities. Think about times when you've led a team or improved performance. Be prepared to share specific examples that highlight your leadership style and how you motivate others to achieve high standards.
✨Understand the Business Landscape
Familiarise yourself with the media and entertainment industry, especially trends affecting finance. Research the company’s recent projects and financial performance. This will help you provide insightful commercial analysis during the interview and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Think about challenges you've faced in financial reporting or compliance and how you overcame them. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers clearly.