Senior Finance Manager

Trafalgar Theatres; Woking; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Trafalgar Theatres in the UK is looking for a Senior Finance Manager: Productions to lead the Production Finance team, delivering accurate weekly production accounts and supporting theatre tax relief.

You will manage four accountants, oversee statutory filings, budgeting, and cash flow forecasts, and act as a key point of contact for audits, ensuring compliance across group entities.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with production/theatre sector experience.
• Experience leading a team in a senior role and managing stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of taxation and theatre tax relief in production accounting.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of four production accountants and deliver timely production accounts.
• Oversee group returns and cash forecasting for productions.
• Ensure tax compliance and filing of statutory accounts and tax returns.
• Coordinate annual audit process with auditors and finance leadership.
• Support budgeting, re-forecasting, and show-by-show profit forecasts.

Skills

Line management experience

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Strong accounting knowledge

Education

Qualified Accountant (ACCA/CIMA/CA)

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Founded by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire in 2017, Trafalgar Entertainment is an award-winning global live-entertainment business, producing plays and musicians, theatre and venue ownership and operations, live music and comedy, events and hospitality, Performing Arts education, ticketing, the distribution and filming of event cinema and TV live-streaming innovative content through Trafalgar Releasing Ltd (from David Tennant in Macbeth to Taylor Swift).

Trafalgar Entertainment is home to Trafalgar Theatres (with 23 venues in the UK, Sydney, London, and across the UK), including four London Theatres - Trafalgar Theatre, The Bridge Theatre, The Lightroom King's Cross and the new British Airways Theatre, Olympia.

We are passionate about entertainment, audiences, and the live experience and we value Creativity, Collaboration, Excellence and Respect.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

The Senior Finance Manager: Productions plays a key part in the effective functioning of the Production Finance team in providing support to the Productions department.

The role is responsible for a team of four (three direct reports) in ensuring the delivery of timely and accurate weekly production accounts to the Productions department. Through this they ensure that the General Managers hold an accurate picture of pre-production costs and running profits. The role ensures that technical considerations relating to taxation including theatre tax relief have been correctly incorporated within these accounts.

The Senior Finance Manager: Productions also ensures that the team complete timely and accurate monthly management accounts and other reports to the group finance team. Working with the Senior Production Accountant, the role oversees the production of high-quality cashflow forecasts and helps form decisions to ensure cash is being managed effectively.

The role is responsible for compliance (including taxation and company administration) for the core entities and SPVs within their remit. Through their team, the role oversees the filing of statutory accounts and tax returns to ensure the timely receipt of theatre tax relief.

The role is a key contact for the annual audit process and liaises with the auditors as well as the Head of Production Finance and the group finance team to ensure this runs smoothly.

The Senior Finance Manager: Productions works alongside the Head of Production Finance and Financial Planning and Analysis Manager: Productions to determine the appropriate technical accounting treatment for each production (e.g. level of control, consolidation, equity accounting etc.). The role combines this with timely and accurate production accounts to understand the impact on group EBITDA.

ABOUT YOU

You will be a qualified accountant with experience of a production/ theatre organisation. You will have line management experience and have worked in a senior role within the sector.

You have experience of production accounting and have a strong understanding of the technical and taxation factors relevant to productions. You will be capable of managing multiple priorities and delivering high quality outputs to deadline. You will be proficient in managing stakeholders and building strong relationships in order to meet common and individual objectives.

You will have experience of leading on process improvement project and getting the most out of current and new systems.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the team in providing a first-class service to the productions department including the distribution of timely and accurate production accounts.
• Oversee the completion of group returns (including management accounts)
• Oversee the effective management of group, SPV and investor cash including accurate reporting and forecasting.
• Ensure compliance across the department from a taxation and company administration perspective.
• Ensure statutory accounts are submitted as required to ensure timely receipt of theatre tac relief.
• Act as a key point of contact for the annual audit process
• Identify and design process improvement projects as required.
• Ensure a smooth relationship with the purchase ledger and payroll teams in providing an effective transactional processing service to the Productions department.
• Contribute to the budget and re-forecasting process.
• Provide advice on tax related issues relevant to productions.
• Review of weekly payment runs

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

• Develop and manage a high performing team of production accountants in the delivery of a first class service to the productions departments.
• Set clear performance objectives with their team, identify training requirements and manages performance effectively.
• Contribute to the setting of robust budgets complimented by timely and accurate reforecasts.
• Work with the Head of Production Finance and Financial Planning and Analysis Manager: Productions to maintain show-by-show profit forecasts.
• Maintain a strong understanding of tax and compliance issues relevant to productions. Ensure the department remains compliant from a taxation and company administration perspective.

Trafalgar Entertainment is an equal opportunity employer.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We welcome applications from people in groups where we are under-represented, for example people with disabilities, from minority ethnic groups, older returners and people who are neurodivergent.

We are curious, courageous, and ambitious, empowering people to challenge and innovate in pursuit of excellence.