London
Finance Manager The main function of this role is to provide finance, business, analytical and reporting support for the ITV Newsroom and Good Morning Britain Programme, enabling senior leads in the business to make informed decisions on budget spend in line with the contract revenues plus other income sources and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to safeguard revenues and ensure economic and effective allocation of budget. A key output being the production of monthly management accounts, presented to the business and finance senior management as well as quarterly forecasting/reporting and annual budgeting. Working closely and managing relationships with the business is key to this role, aiding cost capture and accurate reporting as well as a real understanding of all newsroom operations and spend across the P&L. This is a very responsive role, with fast changing priorities. Key Responsibilities Management Accounting and Reporting/Production Support • Responsible for end-to-end reporting for ITV News & Good Morning Britain, • Full ownership of the ITV & GMB P&L including the core news contract as well as additional budgets including Special Commissions and Current Affairs programming, • Proactively advising on how to meet editorial objectives within tight budgetary constraints, • Acquire in-depth knowledge of the ITV news & GMB associated contracts ensuring all finances are run in accordance with those contracts, • Monthly management reporting on financial performance to the Operational Managers, and Finance Leadership, providing variance analysis and commentary of actual performance against budget/forecast, • Review monthly payroll and reconcile headcount and staff changes in the business according to the contracted headcount and staff cost, • Monthly & Quarterly financial and analytical reporting to ITV PLC in line with group reporting requirements, • Detailed understanding of all central function and technology recharges ensuring consistency and accurate allocation against ITV News & GMB cost centres, • Full ownership of the ITVN & GMB Balance Sheets, preparation of associated reconciliations and audit schedules, preparation of journals, accruals and prepayments as necessary, • Provision of support to the Production Managers, Newsdesk and admin teams as required, • Ensuring contractual documentation is prepared to facilitate the timely submission of billing requests to accounts receivable in line with client agreement/timetable and ensuring such receipts are timely and that accrued revenue is minimized, • Oversee and review preparation of coverage reporting to the business, detailed cost manager reconciliations and cross-newsroom foreign bureaux management accounts, • Proactively engaged to improve cost capture and management Budget/forecasting/Capital Reporting • Detailed preparation of the ITN and Client annual budget and quarterly forecasts as per the negotiated customer contract price and additional agreements whilst working closely with the business, the People team, and all central functions, identification of opportunities and exposures, working to both client and ITN deadlines, • Analyse and understand all budget and forecast allocated recharges and costs to ensure they appropriately reflect Newsroom usage and client expectations, • Detailed understanding of the ITVN & GMB capital plan, working with the Financial Controllers and Finance Manager for Technology to ensure capital is correctly accounted for, the capital plan is up to date, reconciled and capital is billed to the client in a timely manner Audit and Compliance • Finance contact for all ITVN & GMB internal and external audit queries, able to respond efficiently and on a timely basis, • Prepare required documentation, information and reports for yearly and mid-year audits and any third-party client audits ERP System Project/Financial Processes • Proactively engaged and involved in the continued rollout and upgrades of the ERP Finance System, • Key involvement in the successful implementation of a production management system within Newsroom finance, ensuring it is fit for purpose for the Newsrooms, • Development of all financial policies and processes, identifying efficiencies and suggesting improvements to potentially reduce effort and inefficiency, • Play a lead role to drive momentum to increase the use of purchase orders across the Newsrooms, minimizing duplication and creating efficiency, • Always seeking to strengthen and improve all finance and production finance processes, controls, and efficiency, • Participate and if required lead business training in relation to finance processes/systems, • Record and keep up to date detailed process notes for month end processes and all other routine tasks Other • Business partnering with operational management and clients, • Manage business relationships within the team including those with Production Managers and the wider operation, • Establish strong working relationships with the wider ITN finance team and Newsroom to facilitate effective cross-collaboration and efficiency of processes, • Manage, coach and professionally develop the Management Accountant ITV News, Assistant Management Accountant and the Newsroom Finance Assistant in the execution of their duties, • Support finance management and leadership on ad hoc projects and analyses as required, • Manage the preparation and collection of data relating to Albert Sustainable Production Certification, working with the Financial Controller, Newsrooms & Technology to review process & resource, • Be a Team player and build professional relationships, offering support to the wider Finance Team as required These are the main requirements of the role and is not an exhaustive list of duties. It is intended to reflect the nature, range, and context of the work, which will change over time. • Qualified accountant CIMA, ACCA/ACA with significant post-qualification experience, • Experience working in the media industry, • Team player, with an ability to prioritise their own workload, operate under their own initiative and work to tight deadlines in a fast-paced business, • Good commercial awareness and data interpreting, business analysis abilities, • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, • Personable with a great attitude and ability to communicate with both finance and non-finance stakeholders, • Experience of staff management & development essential, • Business partnering experience desirable, • Confident and pro-active and with an assertive professional attitude, • High attention to detail, thoroughness of approach and committed to taking great pride in their work, with the drive to take full ownership of management accounts and to deliver to a high level of accuracy with minimal review, • System implementation experience desirable, open to working in a demanding environment where finance systems and processes are being improved and developed, • Open minded and solutions orientated, • Advanced knowledge of GL Systems, Excel and Word Our people are at the heart of everything we do at ITN. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. Reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process will be offered, if required, due to a disability or health condition. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please just let us know in your application, or at any stage throughout the process, if this is something you want to explore.