Head of Management Finance (UK Venues) in Woking

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job reference: REQ01328

Date posted: 19/08/2026

Application closing date: 04/09/2026

Location: Woking

Salary: Competitive depending on experience

Contractual hours: 40

Basis: Full time

Job category/type: Finance

ABOUT TRAFALGAR ENTERTAINMENT

Founded by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire in 2017, Trafalgar Entertainment is an award-winning global live-entertainment business, producing plays and musicals, theatre and venue ownership and operations, live music and comedy, events and hospitality, Performing Arts education, ticketing, the distribution and filming of event cinema and TV live-streaming innovative content through Trafalgar Releasing Ltd.

Trafalgar Entertainment is home to Trafalgar Theatres (with 23 venues in the UK, Sydney, London, and across the UK), including four London Theatres - Trafalgar Theatre, The Bridge Theatre, The Lightroom King's Cross and the new British Airways Theatre, Olympia.

We are passionate about entertainment, audiences, and the live experience and we value Creativity, Collaboration, Excellence and Respect.

THE ROLE

Role Purpose: The Head of Management Finance plays a key leadership role within the venues division, leading the financial operations of a dynamic, multi-site live entertainment business. The role is responsible for delivering high quality and timely management reporting, within an environment of strong financial control, to support performance and growth across the estate.

Working closely with the divisional leadership team, the Head of Management Finance will lead a small, capable finance team, embed consistent processes and controls, and act as a trusted partner to the members of the divisional leadership team to support financial performance measurement and aid strategic decisions.

This is a hands-on leadership role in a fast-moving environment, requiring strong judgement, confidence to make decisions at pace, and the ability to balance financial discipline with commercial opportunity.

This is an opportunity to play a central role in a growing, entrepreneurial venues business, working at the intersection of finance, live entertainment, and commercial decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Team Development: Lead, coach, and develop the UK Venues finance team, supporting capability building and succession. Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Act as a senior member of the divisional leadership team, contributing to performance measurement, business planning and decision-making. Ensure clear priorities, strong delivery discipline, and effective workload management across the team.
• Financial Operations and Control: Oversee the production of timely, accurate monthly management accounts, KPIs, and variance analysis. Oversee day-to-day accounting operations across the venues, including Accounts, Payroll oversight, Month-end and year-end, Journals, accruals, prepayments, and balance sheet, VAT and statutory. Maintain strong balance sheet control and clear audit. Monitor and manage cash flow, supporting working capital discipline and capital. Ensure accurate financial records and effective use of the general ledger.
• Compliance, Risk and Governance: Ensure compliance with UK accounting standards, tax regulations, and internal policies. Build strong relationships with auditors, advisors, and internal stakeholders and lead the year-end audit process and preparation of statutory accounts. Design and maintain effective internal controls and risk management. Keep abreast of regulatory changes and advise on potential business impacts.
• Systems and Process Improvement: Work closely with other departments to improve data quality and reporting. Simplify and standardise processes across multiple functions.

Essential Qualifications and Experience:

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Significant post-qualification experience in a senior finance role.
• Experience in a multi-site, customer-facing or transactional business, ideally within live entertainment, arts, leisure, or hospitality.
• Proven experience leading and developing finance teams.
• Strong technical grounding in UK accounting standards and financial regulations.
• Experience delivering clear, commercially focused financial insights.
• Experience working with multiple finance systems; experience with Business Central is preferred.
• Effective leadership skills.
• Clear, confident communication with finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Analytical, structured, and solutions-focused.
• High attention to detail with strong delivery capabilities.
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment.

Reporting Structure: Reports to: Group Financial Controller

Location and Hours: Primarily in Woking with some need to visit the London office and occasional visits to venues around the country. Flexibility for hybrid working arrangements. 40 hours per week.

Package: Competitive salary and benefits package, including life cover, contributory pension and critical illness cover.