Financial Controller

Sky Group; Livingston; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free Sky TV or NOW package, including

Pension package with up to 9% employer

Private healthcare with mental health

Aviva Digital GP and dental insurance

Discounts on Sky products

Sharesave and Tech schemes

Sky VIP rewards and experiences

Job summary

Sky UK is seeking a Financial Controller to join the A2R Leadership Team, working with the Head of Finance and Senior Finance Manager to deliver robust financial reporting and informed business insights. You will lead the finance team, own the month-end close, strengthen controls, drive process improvements and support internal and external audits.

This role offers hybrid working with two days in the Livingston office and opportunities to influence across Sky while developing people and driving

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent).
• Leadership experience managing and developing teams.
• Strong financial reporting and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication with senior stakeholders.
• Experience with SAP and finance systems.

Responsibilities

• Own and oversee the month-end, quarter-end and year-end close, ensuring P&L and balance sheet positions are complete, accurate and appropriately supported.
• Ensure balance sheet reconciliations meet Sky’s Evidence of Review requirements, investigate aged or unsupported balances and drive remediation of control issues.
• Review actual results, understand key business drivers and variances versus forecast/budget, and ensure clear and accurate commentary is provided to stakeholders.
• Review complex or unusual accounting matters, journals, accruals, provisions, capitalisation and intercompany positions, escalating technical accounting matters where required.
• Own or oversee relevant financial controls, ensure they are performed and evidenced appropriately, and support internal/external audit and remediation of any control findings.
• Manage and develop the finance team, review their output, allocate responsibilities and ensure deadlines are met while maintaining appropriate review and segregation of duties.
• Work closely with Commercial Finance, Finance Operations, Group Reporting, other Sky entities and business stakeholders to resolve accounting and reporting issues.
• Challenge existing processes, identify opportunities for simplification and automation, and support transformation initiatives.
• Provide the final level of review/sign-off for key accounting activities within the team's remit and ensure issues are escalated early rather than discovered during reporting or audit.

Skills

Leadership experience

Delivery-focused

Communication and stakeholder mgmt

Project management

Self-motivated and proactive

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Tools

SAP

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

As a Financial Controller, you will play a key role in the A2R Leadership Team, working closely with the Head of Finance and Senior Finance Manager to deliver the department’s operational and strategic objectives. You will help drive continuous improvement, strengthen financial controls and ensure the delivery of high-quality financial reporting and insightful analysis to support business decisions.

What you’ll do:

• Financial reporting and close: Own and oversee the month-end, quarter-end and year-end close, ensuring P&L and balance sheet positions are complete, accurate and appropriately supported.
• Balance sheet control: Ensure balance sheet reconciliations meet Sky’s Evidence of Review requirements, investigate aged or unsupported balances and drive remediation of control issues.
• P&L ownership: Review actual results, understand key business drivers and variances versus forecast/budget, and ensure clear and accurate commentary is provided to stakeholders.
• Accounting and technical judgement: Review complex or unusual accounting matters, journals, accruals, provisions, capitalisation and intercompany positions, escalating technical accounting matters where required.
• Controls and compliance: Own or oversee relevant financial controls, ensure they are performed and evidenced appropriately, and support internal/external audit and remediation of any control findings.
• Team leadership: Manage and develop the finance team, review their output, allocate responsibilities and ensure deadlines are met while maintaining appropriate review and segregation of duties.
• Stakeholder management: Work closely with Commercial Finance, Finance Operations, Group Reporting, other Sky entities and business stakeholders to resolve accounting and reporting issues.
• Process improvement: Challenge existing processes, identify opportunities for simplification and automation, and support transformation initiatives.
• Governance: Provide the final level of review/sign-off for key accounting activities within the team's remit and ensure issues are escalated early rather than discovered during reporting or audit.

What you'll bring:

• A fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
• Leadership experience: Proven experience in managing and developing teams, with the ability to motivate, coach and support individuals to achieve their full potential.
• Strong delivery focus: A proven track record of delivering high-quality financial reporting and insightful, value-adding analysis that supports effective business decision-making.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management: Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage senior stakeholders, challenge constructively and build effective, long-lasting relationships.
• Technical expertise and process improvement: Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills, together with experience of SAP and other financial reporting systems. A proven ability to identify opportunities to simplify, streamline and automate finance processes, improving efficiency and effectiveness.
• Proactive approach: A self-starter who takes ownership, demonstrates initiative and can work independently with minimal direction.
• Flexibility and adaptability: The ability to manage competing priorities, adapt to changing business requirements and undertake occasional travel when required.
• Project management experience: Experience of leading projects within a large, complex organisation, working collaboratively across functions to deliver successful outcomes.

There's one thing people can't stop talking about when it comes to life at Sky: the perks. Here’s a taster:

• Free Sky TV or NOW package, including Sky Sports and Sky Cinema
• Pension package with up to 9% employer contribution
• Private healthcare with mental health support
• Aviva Digital GP and dental insurance
• Discounts on Sky products, including Sky Mobile, Sky Broadband, Sky Glass and Sky Protect
• Sharesave and Tech schemes
• A range of Sky VIP rewards and experiences

How you’ll work:

We've adopted a hybrid working approach to give more flexibility on where and how we work. The hybrid working expectations for this role are 2 days in the office per week.

Your office base:

Livingston

Sky Watermark is our central site for Livingston, sitting between Glasgow and Edinburgh. With vibrant office spaces, chill-out areas, and an onsite canteen, it’s a great place to work and connect.

The nearest train station is Livingston North. A Sky shuttlebus runsbetween the station and campus every 20 minutes throughout the day.Plus, there’s onsite parking available for cars, motorbikes and bicycles.

Who we are

We’re Sky, a leading media and entertainment company who connect millions with entertainment, sports, news and arts through innovative products and services. Working with us means you’ll be bringing the joy of a better experience to more people, every day. All so we can do better and deliver better for our customers, colleagues and society.

We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We're a Disability Confident Accredited Employer, and welcome and encourage applications from all candidates.We will look to ensure a fair and consistent experience for all and will make reasonable adjustments to support you where appropriate. Please flag any adjustments you need as early as you can.

Just so you know: if your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a criminal record check. And depending on the role you have applied for and the nature of any convictions you may have, we might have to withdraw the offer.

To be eligible for this role you are required to have the appropriate right to work in the UK. Please be aware Sky does not offer sponsorship for this position.

To find out more about working with us, search #LifeAtSky on social media.

Our Corporate and Consumer teams set us on the course for success. They’re the brains behind the scenes of every customer touchpoint, helping to craft our brand and keep our business moving forwards.

There’s more to our work than work. We’ve built an inclusive culture where we can learn from each other and innovate together. There’s plenty of opportunities for you to explore what you’re passionate about.