Finance Director - Direct and Indirect Costs

Informa Plc; Abingdon; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading publishing company in the UK seeks an experienced Finance Director to oversee and manage corporate costs of around £400m. This strategic role requires a commercially astute leader with significant experience in large, complex organizations. Responsibilities include P&L ownership, team leadership, and collaboration with senior management to optimize financial performance. Candidates must hold a professional accountancy qualification and demonstrate strong analytical and leadership skills.

Benefits

Flexible working culture

25 days annual leave plus your birthday off

Company funded private medical insurance

Paid volunteering days

Pension scheme and life assurance

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience in Finance, ideally with full P&L responsibility.
• Proven experience leading complex business transformations.
• Ability to motivate teams and drive a culture of customer centricity.

Responsibilities

• Full P&L ownership of Direct and Indirect costs across the company.
• Provide insight and analysis to support senior management.
• Lead the corporate cost team of 5 with direct reports.

Skills

Strategic financial planning

Cost management

Leadership and team management

Stakeholder management

Analytical capabilities

Education

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

Substantial post-qualification experience

Tools

Advanced Excel

Financial planning systems (TM1 or similar)

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. 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.

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.

We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. This is supported by a balanced working model that includes in-person collaboration with offices or other workplaces, with flexibility to work from home or remotely when not in the office. 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: 17 October 2025.

Key Responsibilities and Accountability

• Full P&L ownership of both Direct and Indirect costs across Taylor & Francis, 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 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 Taylor & Francis 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 and 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 correct treatment for the capitalisation of IT staff costs and recognition of SAAS spend. Help lead the CIC process internally for sign off.
• Ensure that Taylor & Francis 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 Order-to-Cash and Record-to-Report 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 [e-mail]

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.

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. To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: Taylor & Francis Careers

Or 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 Taylor & Francis.

LinkedIn Life: https://www.linkedin.com/company/taylor-&-francis-group/life/79e0c27c-afdf-4bbb-84e6-5f8ed5e10bb8/