Acting Finance Business Partner

Job Title: Acting Finance Business Partner

Location: London

Opportunity Overview : Resource Solutions has an exciting opportunity for an Acting Finance Business Partner to join Warner Media for a 15 month contract. This opportunity will be based at their stunning offices in London with a hybrid working structure.

Role Objective:

As directed by VP, FP&A, the Finance Business Partner is the primary point of day-to-day contact between Group and the Business Director of a defined number of local Opcos, working closely with the Finance & Accounting team (supporting corporate accounting, compliance & controllership); and with Business Management & Operations team (in relation to operational issues).

The Finance Business Partner is responsible for ensuring that the Opcos provide accurate financial planning and actual information to Group on a timely basis; and for collating regular financial reporting and analysis for the Management Team, including the Long Term Plan, together with appropriate variance analysis, KPI's and commentary. By maintaining day-to-day contact with the Opco Business Directors & Production Finance heads, the Finance Business Partner should understand the business rationale and commercial circumstances behind the Opco's financials; and should provide both the Opco and Group management with relevant financial information including business background, recommendations and conclusions.

Key Responsibilities:

Commercial

Ensure that the Opco Business Director fully understands and complies with Group reporting timetables for all relevant Finance deliverables

Ensure timely delivery of monthly US GAAP financial management reporting pack, with appropriate & consistent explanation of significant variations from budget / latest re-forecast

Ensure that subsequent re-forecasts reflect impact of highlighted variations (including monthly full-year forecasts and programme slates), with appropriate explanation

Ensure financial planning and reporting highlights are shared with the ITVP Management & Operations management teams in a timely manner; and relevant information shared with Senior Manager FP&A to enable consistent inclusion in Group financial planning and reporting

Ensure that the financial elements of LTP, annual budget and quarterly re-forecast review materials are prepared and circulated ahead of review meetings

In conjunction with the rest of the FP&A team, review accuracy and consistency of budget and re-forecast dataloads into SAP, and assist with Cause of Change analysis

Understand and validate assumptions used in programme slates, including per episode revenues & cost production ultimates during relevant financial planning and reporting cycles

Understand and validate assumptions used for overhead expenses, overhead allocations to cost of sales, amortization and depreciation charges, interest expense and other income and costs as appropriate

Track Opco capital expenditure budgets, re-forecasts and annual spend, ensuring costs/benefit analysis is provided for all proposed investments

Ensure an accurate and timely cash-flow forecasting and reporting process, including analysis of related assumptions and variations;

In conjunction with Senior Manager FP&A, ensure that adequate management and financial review procedures and associated controls operate as required by the Group SOX framework (as applicable)

Operational

Build day-to-day relationships with the Opco Management Team, including the relevant Managing Director

Support the local Opco Management Team, addressing any issues with financial systems or procedures that might impede the successful operation or development of the business

Ensure clear understanding and ongoing implementation of delegation of authorities, administrative organization and internal controls within the local Opco (based on WBITVP Group Policies)

Where operational decisions are taken within the local Opco, ensure that the financial impact of such decisions are communicated to FP&A & Operations teams on a timely basis

Build and follow up on ongoing action lists applicable to each Opco and track/assign responsibilities

Attend each assigned Opco's forecast review meeting (4-6 times a year) with the corresponding Opco Management Team, VP Business Management and SVP Finance; and follow-up on action points, as applicable

Aim to meet with each Opco approximately quarterly to review ongoing commercial & financial issues and follow action status

Based on day-to-day liaison with Opco Management Team, immediately update VP, FP&A & Operations teams on any significant local operational activities, claims, litigation, developments, decision-making, etc.

Requirements & Skills:

Qualified Accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) or equivalent international, graduate or business-related qualification, with min 3 years post-qualified experience

Experience within Entertainment / Media / TV production is essential, ideally within a multinational, multicurrency environment

Highly numerate with strong excel skills, including financial budget modelling and pivot tables

Detail oriented with strong financial reporting and analysis presentation skills

Ability to report financial activities based on multiple sources of information

Excellent technical and systems skills (including development of reporting templates etc.)

Budgeting and reporting experience, including reporting systems, preferable with exposure to SAP BW reporting

Exposure to international accounting and ideally a thorough knowledge and experience of US GAAP applicable to revenue recognition