Director, Group Reporting

Pearson - UK; London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational publisher in London is seeking a Director of Group Reporting to ensure the integrity of external financial reporting. The role involves overseeing key technical accounting matters, working across multiple countries, and providing strategic guidance. Candidates should have proven group reporting experience and significant understanding of UK PLC reporting and IFRS. The position offers a competitive salary and a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Competitive salary

25 days annual leave

Pension plan with company match

Private medical insurance

Qualifications

• Proven experience at a top-tier accountancy firm or medium-to-large organization.
• Significant PQE with strong experience in UK PLC reporting.
• Expert understanding of financial control processes, including Sarbanes-Oxley.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the VP, Group Reporting to deliver high-quality external reporting.
• Lead on technical accounting areas including M&A and goodwill.
• Act as primary contact for auditors and coordinate with actuaries and legal advisors.

Skills

Group reporting experience

Knowledge of IFRS

Financial control processes

Project management

Communication skills

Tools

Oracle

Hyperion

Job description

About the team

The Group Reporting team is accountable for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the Group’s external financial reporting, supporting both UK and US listings, as well as internal reporting to the Board and senior management. The team defines and maintains the Group’s accounting policies, oversees and develops the Group’s financial consolidation systems, and sets appropriate financial controls for consolidating and reporting Group data. It also provides accounting guidance to business units on acquisitions, disposals, and other complex technical matters, while managing the accounting for the parent company and the investment and treasury entities based at head office.

The Group reporting team is supported by the Pearson Financial Services (PFS) Financial Reporting & Control team which is based in Belfast.

Location: Based on a hybrid working model, you will be expected to work both from home and from our central London office.

About the role

Reporting to the VP of Finance and Group Reporting, the Director of Group Reporting will be accountable for ensuring the integrity of external financial reporting in support of the Group’s UK and US listings, including the production of the Group’s US listing document.

The role will oversee key technical accounting matters affecting both internal and external reporting and act as a principal contact for the wider Finance team, operating companies, and specialist departments on reporting issues.

As the Group’s accounting and finance expert, the Director will play a central role in strategic initiatives such as acquisitions and other complex projects, providing both technical insight and strategic guidance.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the VP, Group Reporting to deliver high-quality external reporting
• Lead on technical accounting areas including M&A, goodwill, share-based payments, and leases—defining treatments, disclosures, and best practices.
• Act as primary contact for auditors and coordinate with actuaries and legal advisors to support reporting.
• Apply technical expertise to strategic initiatives such as new business models, M&A, and restructuring, contributing to both accounting integrity and broader business decision-making.
• Serve as subject matter expert on reporting systems and data, with strong analytical capability.
• Oversee the Group’s material transactions review process, escalating key issues to the VP, Group Reporting and Deputy CFO.
• Manage pension accounting, coordinating with internal teams and advisors, and prepare disclosures for interim and year-end reporting.
• Maintain Sarbanes-Oxley documentation for Group reporting and recommend control improvements.
• Advise operating companies, auditors, and advisors on accounting matters and ad hoc queries.
• Review statutory accounts for UK-based entities.
• Monitor financial and regulatory developments (e.g., Climate, FRC, SEC) and lead Pearson’s responses, including comment letters.

About you

• Proven group reporting experience, gained either at a top-tier accountancy firm or within a medium-to-large organisation.
• Significant PQE, with strong experience in UK PLC reporting, detailed knowledge of IFRS, and exposure to complex multi-currency consolidations.
• Expert understanding of financial control processes and systems, including familiarity with Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.
• Experience in management accounting and financial reporting.
• Adaptable communicator, capable of working and leading across multiple countries with cultural agility.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage complex projects effectively.
• Experience with Oracle and Hyperion finance systems is desirable.

This group Finance role provides great exposure across the Pearson business and is a great place to start your Pearson Finance career!

Your rewards & benefits

We know you’ll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business. We know that one size doesn’t fit all, so our workplace programs meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families too. There is a range of options, see some of them shared here:

• A competitive salary
• 25 Days annual leave, this increases by 1 day each year up to 30 days with the option to buy and sell up to 5 days per year on top of this.
• A fantastic pension plan, where Pearson double what you contribute.
• Pearson’s other benefits also include private dental care, private medical insurance, digital GP service, season ticket loan, eye tests, cycle to work scheme, volunteering days, employee wellbeing assistance discounted retail and leisure products and services from leading companies and much more.