Finance Director - Direct and Indirect Costs

Informa Markets in Asia; Abingdon; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading event management company in Abingdon seeks a Finance Director to oversee £400 million in corporate costs. The role demands comprehensive financial acumen and leadership in a fast-paced environment. You will collaborate closely with senior executives and lead financial strategies to optimize performance. This position requires proven experience in large matrix organizations, offering flexibility with a minimum in-office presence of three days per week. The closing date for applications is 17th October 2025.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus birthday day off

Flexible working culture

Private medical insurance

Employee assistance programme

Pension scheme

Qualifications

• Professional accountancy qualification with experience.
• Extensive leadership experience in Finance or Management roles.
• Proven experience in business transformations.

Responsibilities

• Full P&L ownership of Direct and Indirect costs.
• Provide insight and analysis for management decisions.
• Establish review mechanisms for cost control.

Skills

Advanced analytical capabilities

Excellent understanding of working capital management

Strong technical aptitude

Leadership skills

Excellent communication skills

Education

Professional accountancy qualification (e.g., ACCA, ACA, CIMA)

Tools

Financial planning systems (TM1 or similar)

Advanced Excel

Job description

Overview

As the Finance Director – Direct & Indirect costs, this role will report directly to the CFO. This role serves as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team and Finance Leadership Team. A high-profile position with full responsibility for circa £400m of corporate costs (£200m direct and £200m indirect). This role will be a key strategic partner with the Executive Leadership Team to manage corporate costs and ensure robust cost reporting, control, optimisation and return on investments.

You will generate insights by applying a financial lens to business decisions and assess opportunity and risk by being a thought partner to key executive leaders across the organisation. You will act as a strategic co-pilot to the Executive Vice President of Operations, Chief Technology Officer, CFO, T&F Group HR Director and Other ELT. The role is a strategic business partner to the VP Commercial Finance; Academic and Finance Director - Consumer & Corporate, shaping the direction of the business through data-driven insight, rigorous financial stewardship, and strong Finance Business Partnering.

This role requires a forward-thinking, commercially astute leader with deep experience in managing large, complex matrix businesses and influencing across functions to drive sustainable growth and profitability. We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. We work in-person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at conference – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely. The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. We ask that candidates live within a commutable distance of our offices to ensure that as a balanced worker they can make it to our office locations to collaborate as required. There is an expectation for a minimum of 3 days per week in-person time in our office in Milton Park, Oxfordshire.

This role is open to candidates based in the UK. You must have the right to live and work in the UK. Closing date for applications: 17th October 2025.

Key Responsibilities And Accountability

• Full P&L ownership of both Direct and Indirect costs across T&F, accountable for margin, cost, investment decisions and cash conversion that drive long-term value creation.
• Provide insight and analysis to support the business and senior management with understanding direct and indirect cost drivers and performance against budget.
• Establish the appropriate review and reporting mechanisms for direct and indirect costs to ensure tight cost control and that risk and opportunities are identified and shared with the relevant stakeholders including headcount and employee productivity metrics.
• Work closely with business stakeholders and finance colleagues to deliver the annual planning cycle process with high-quality accurate indirect cost forecasting incorporating the T&F value drivers.
• Proactively manage all Risk and Opportunities across identify potential areas for cost rationalisation.
• Lead the corporate cost team of 5 with an expected 2-3 direct reports, ensuring highest standards of performance Driving growth and development by actively mentoring team members.
• Build strong internal networks and be the principal contact on all direct and indirect cost related performance and planning for ELT members including the Executive Vice President of Operations, Chief Technology Officer, CFO, Chief Content Officer & Other ELT.
• Support HR leadership team to design, develop and report on headcount and employee productivity metrics, provide accurate and timely information to support the HR Planning process in line with business goals.
• Support the IT leadership team with building business cases, tracking spend and reporting on ROI, ensuring the correct treatment is being followed for the capitalisation of IT staff costs and recognition of SAAS spend. Help lead the CIC process internally for sign off.
• Ensure that T&F is maximising procurement opportunities by supporting the execution of procurement policies and frameworks.
• Support tender processes, negotiations, benchmarking and other procurement initiatives to ensure financial impacts are fully understood and evaluated.
• Prepare robust financial models, business cases and data driven analytical tools for direct and indirect cost investments.
• Proactively seek opportunities to automate processes and to drive process improvements working closely with the Finance Operations team to embed system-based solutions.

Qualifications

Professional Qualifications

• Professional accountancy qualification (e.g., ACCA, ACA, CIMA) with substantial post-qualification experience.
• Extensive leadership experience in Finance, Commercial, or General Management roles, ideally with full P&L responsibility in a global, matrixed environment.
• Proven experience leading complex business transformations and delivering growth through strategic planning, operational efficiency, and commercial insight.

Financial Expertise

• Advanced analytical capabilities with strong numerical aptitude and attention to detail
• Excellent understanding of working capital management and its key levers
• Comprehensive knowledge of O2C and R2R processes
• Experience in cost management and optimization
• Understanding of key ROI metrics, particularly for technology and marketing investments

Leadership & People Management

• Proven leadership skills in managing large teams through challenging matrix environments
• People-first management style with ability to delegate effectively
• Talent development focus - developing and maturing team skill-sets
• Ability to motivate teams and drive a culture of customer centricity
• Track record of building and scaling high-performing teams, with strong coaching and talent development capabilities.

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Excellent communication and presentation skills across all organizational levels
• Strong influencing and negotiation capabilities
• Ability to explain complex financial issues succinctly and clearly
• Experience managing global stakeholder relationships across different time zones
• Emotionally intelligent with collaborative approach that makes people excited to work together

Business Acumen

• Holistic business knowledge with understanding of operational complexities in large multinational organizations
• Experience with matrix organizational structures
• Ability to connect financial insights to broader business strategy

Problem-Solving & Decision Making

• Mature judgment with evidence-based decision-making approach
• Self-starter mentality with ability to work independently
• Curious outlook - asking the right questions of the right stakeholders
• Commitment to data-driven continuous improvement

Adaptability & Work Management

• Flexible and agile mentality to respond to changing priorities
• Excellent organizational skills to manage varied workload
• Ability to prioritize effectively in fast-paced environments
• Program management skills with proven ability to deliver results

Technical Skills

• Advanced Excel proficiency
• Experience with financial planning systems (TM1 or similar)
• Strong technical aptitude with awareness of evolving technology
• Passion for high-quality data and its role in decision-making
• Strong technical accounting knowledge with up-to-date understanding of IFRS and reporting regulations

Professional Attributes

• Commitment to transparency in decision-making processes
• Acts as positive role model for organizational culture and values
• Open to continuous personal development and new approaches
• Detail-oriented while maintaining strategic perspective

Additional Information

What We Offer In Return

• An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture
• 25 days annual leave per year plus an extra day off for your birthday
• 3 additional discretionary days off during the holiday season at the end of the year
• 4 paid volunteering days each year
• Company funded single cover private medical insurance
• Employee assistance programme – offering 24/7 well-being support
• Share Match – Plan that matches every share purchased with two free shares.
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance, plus optical and medical care

Taylor & Francis Group an Informa Business

We want all our candidates to shine in our recruitment process. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to ensure you are able to show us your best self. This could include having the application form in a different format, more time for questions, or anything else – please ask us, we are happy to be flexible! Please contact [email protected]

Being Yourself at Taylor & Francis

If you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and contribute regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life.

Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non-merit-based factor.

If you have a disability, or face another barrier, and would like to request an adjustment to assist your participation in the hiring process and/or in the advertised position, please contact Sarah Parascandolo. Your request will be reviewed and considered in the strictest confidence.

We genuinely care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about. To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: https://www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/careers

Or better yet check out our LinkedIn ‘Life’ Page, highlighting our accomplishments, employees, and company culture. It’s also a good way of meeting our recruitment team, who will be happy to advise you on your journey here at T&F. https://www.linkedin.com/company/taylor-&-francis-group/life/