Finance Manager

The Spectator; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension 5%

Private medical insurance

Staff discounts at restaurant

Free breakfast

Cycle to work

Season ticket loan

Job summary

OQS Media, owner of The Spectator, seeks a qualified FP&A professional to lead FP&A activities and act as a finance business partner across the group.

You will develop financial models, drive budgeting and forecasting, analyse performance, and support group-wide projects including AI initiatives. The role is office-based five days a week with potential to work from home on Fridays in the future.

Qualifications

• Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA or equivalent).
• 3–5 years' post-qualified experience in a relevant Finance / Audit environment.
• Demonstrable experience of FP&A, including budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-Finance stakeholders.
• End to end month end reporting including balance sheet reconciliation.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of areas of responsibility with limited supervision.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to understand the financial implications of business decisions.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong Excel/financial modelling skills.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work to deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead FP&A activities for designated areas of the business.
• Analyse actual performance against budget and prior periods, identifying key trends, risks and opportunities.
• Provide meaningful financial commentary to support business decision-making.
• Assist in developing financial models to assess strategic and operational decisions including scenario analysis.
• Identify potential areas of financial risk and work with stakeholders to develop appropriate actions.
• Support the annual budgeting process and the production of forecasts including cash flow.
• Act as a Finance business partner to designated departments across the business.
• Build effective working relationships with department heads.
• Provide regular financial reporting and insight to non-Finance stakeholders.
• Challenge assumptions and expenditure where appropriate and support department heads to identify opportunities to improve financial performance while managing costs.
• Develop a strong understanding of the operational drivers of the areas supported.
• Work with the Commercial team to ensure timely debt collection.
• Take ownership of monthly reporting for designated areas of the business including balance sheet reconciliations.
• Ensure that financial information is accurate, timely and clearly presented.
• Investigate significant variances, provide clear explanations and make recommendations.
• Support the preparation of Group and management reporting.
• Raise invoices to Commercial advertisers and reconcile the Commercial billing system (AdPoint) with the accounting system (Xero).
• Provide regular updates and reports on aged debts and proactively chase overdue invoices.
• Be the first point of contact during the audit for designated areas.
• Take ownership of defined financial processes and ensure they operate effectively.
• Support the Financial Controller in implementing financial processes and systems.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, controls and reporting.
• Work with other Finance team members to ensure alignment of financial processes and controls across the group.
• Support the Financial Controller, Senior Finance Manager and CFO with ad hoc financial projects, in particular AI implementation.
• Assist with Group-wide financial projects and initiatives.

Skills

Financial modelling

Excel proficiency

Analytical thinking

Communication with stakeholders

Month-end reporting

Education

ACA/CIMA/ACCA or equivalent

Tools

Xero

AdPoint

Job description

Old Queen Street Ventures Ltd (OQS Media) is a privately owned digital publishing and media business. The company owns and operates several respected media brands including: The Spectator, UnHerd and Apollo Magazine. It also runs the Old Queen Street Café and CoEditor, a publishing technology startup. With the recent acquisition of The Spectator, one of Britain’s most iconic media brands and the world’s oldest magazine, OQS Media has significantly expanded its reach.

We are looking for someone with strong technical skills to support the group through its continued growth. The role requires someone who is happy to be in the office five days a week, with the potential to work from home on Fridays in the future.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

• Lead FP&A activities for designated areas of the business.
• Analyse actual performance against budget and prior periods, identifying key trends, risks and opportunities.
• Provide meaningful financial commentary to support business decision-making.
• Assist in developing financial models to assess strategic and operational decisions including scenario analysis.
• Identify potential areas of financial risk and work with stakeholders to develop appropriate actions.
• Support the annual budgeting process and the production of forecasts including cash flow.

Business Partnering

• Act as a Finance business partner to designated departments across the business.
• Build effective working relationships with department heads.
• Provide regular financial reporting and insight to non-Finance stakeholders.
• Challenge assumptions and expenditure where appropriate and support department heads to identify opportunities to improve financial performance while managing costs.
• Develop a strong understanding of the operational drivers of the areas supported.
• Work with the Commercial team to ensure timely debt collection.

Accounting

• Take ownership of monthly reporting for designated areas of the business including balance sheet reconciliations.
• Ensure that financial information is accurate, timely and clearly presented.
• Investigate significant variances, provide clear explanations and make recommendations.
• Support the preparation of Group and management reporting.
• Raise invoices to Commercial advertisers and reconcile the Commercial billing system (AdPoint) with the accounting system (Xero).
• Provide regular updates and reports on aged debts and proactively chase overdue invoices.
• Be the first point of contact during the audit for designated areas.

Financial Control & Processes

• Take ownership of defined financial processes and ensure they operate effectively.
• Support the Financial Controller in implementing financial processes and systems.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, controls and reporting.
• Work with other Finance team members to ensure alignment of financial processes and controls across the group.

Other Responsibilities

• Support the Financial Controller, Senior Finance Manager and CFO with ad hoc financial projects, in particular AI implementation.
• Assist with Group-wide financial projects and initiatives.

Qualifications

• Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA or equivalent).
• 3–5 years' post-qualified experience in a relevant Finance / Audit environment.
• Demonstrable experience of FP&A, including budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-Finance stakeholders.
• End to end month end reporting including balance sheet reconciliation.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of areas of responsibility with limited supervision.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to understand the financial implications of business decisions.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong Excel/financial modelling skills.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work to deadlines.

Desirable

• Experience of working within a subscription-based business.
• Experience working in media, publishing or an equivalent industry.
• Experience of working across multiple business units or businesses selling globally.
• Experience using Xero accounting system (or equivalent).
• Experience using AdPoint (Commercial advertising management platform).
• Experience of improving financial processes or controls, including implementing AI.

Benefits

• Salary dependent on experience
• 5% Employer Contribution Pension Scheme
• Private medical insurance
• All staff receive generous discounts at our Company restaurant, as well as free breakfast and fruit
• Cycle to work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loan