Financial Controller

We are looking for a Financial Controller to lead and manage the central finance function for a thriving and growing TV and digital production company.

This offers a rare chance to make a move into the media industry as sector experience is not essential

The role oversees the full accounting and reporting cycle across multiple group companies, manages and mentors a small finance team, and supports the wider business including Strategic Rights, Content & Audiences, Production and Operations.

Accounting & Reporting

• Oversee, supervise and ensure a timely, full and accurate set of accounting records commensurate with relevant UK legislation and regulation, currently across four of the five group companies.
• Responsible for preparation of accurate and timely monthly Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet for inclusion in the Management Accounts pack.
• Oversee detailed transactional postings for month-end processes, including calculation and posting of intercompany recharges.
• Oversee balance sheet reconciliations.
• Oversee departmental and regional reporting of actuals vs. budget.
• Oversee preparation of management accounts across group companies.
• Provide financial input into the annual budget process to support the FP&A team, ensuring monthly actual vs. budget reporting runs smoothly.
• Furnish senior management and cost centre managers with timely, accurate and comprehensive reporting and cost performance analysis on a monthly basis.
• Assist with completion of the reporting pack and KPIs.
• Oversee preparation of biannual royalty statements.
• Manage the accounts payable function, oversee weekly payment runs and approval of supplier payments, and ensure accuracy of data entry and account coding across all accounting records.
• Oversee ad hoc financial analysis as required by the business.

Audit, Tax & Statutory Compliance

• Liaise with external auditors and advisors to ensure a smooth annual audit and ongoing tax and statutory compliance.
• Oversee preparation of year-end audit files for review by external auditors.
• Prepare annual statutory financial accounts and ensure compliance with applicable UK financial reporting standards.
• Liaise with external advisors on taxation and compliance matters, including the annual corporation tax return.
• Manage timely preparation and submission of VAT and EU returns.
• Prepare and submit UK animation tax credit tax returns to HMRC, as applicable.

Other Key Functions

• Oversee the external payroll company and ensure accuracy of monthly payroll submissions.
• Act as key point of contact for pensions and benefits payments and related annual submissions, such as P11D.
• Manage banking relationships and act as key point of contact
• Act as key point of contact for insurance brokers, manage renewal of annual insurance policies, and ensure complete and accurate disclosure to insurers
• Work with the COO to manage the companywide staff option scheme, including related EMI submissions and EMI valuation submissions to HMRC
• Preferably ACA or ACCA qualified and trained in practice
• Must have prior experience of the preparation of financial statutory accounts
• TV, production, or creative business experience is an advantage but not a prerequisite if you have a keen interest in the media
• Keen attention to detail and a drive for high standards of excellence.
• Collegiate work ethic, with the ability to coach, mentor, influence and develop stakeholders and staff.
• Comfortable getting involved in the detail as well as operating at a senior, strategic level.
• Ability to create and implement effective processes and procedures, and to multitask in a fast-paced environment