Commercial Finance Manager

Purpose of the Role

To work alongside the Commercial Director for the divisions to deliver a gold standard commercial finance service to the publishing department. This will include, but is not limited to, preparation of investment cases for acquisitions, profitability reviews, annual budget, month end analysis and reporting, monthly forecasting, long term planning and ad hoc reporting (internal and external). You will work closely with the senior publishing team including the Executive Publisher and the Management Team. You will also be required to deputise for the Commercial Director when necessary.

Responsibilities include:

Team Management

• Coach junior commercial analyst to identify and work through knowledge gaps and areas for improvement

• Delegate efficiently and effectively to develop and challenge junior analyst

• Identify and encourage interests in specific areas of publishing so the team can integrate more fully into the overall publishing team

Forecasting and Budgeting:

• Take ownership of the budgeting and forecasting process to ensure timely and accurate delivery and reporting to stakeholders across the business. This will include:

• Planning the budget and forecast process and organising the finance team and external data providers from the publishing teams to ensure reasonable and achievable deadlines

• Ensuring accuracy of submissions, uploads and reports through careful attention to detail and modelling a culture of self-assessment and review -

• Applying the principle of adding value in budget/forecast (and other) reporting and striving to incorporate rich detail, illuminating insight and surprising content

• It is expected that due to workload and time pressure the Commercial Manager will be required to assist junior analyst in preparing and uploading data 

Acquisitions:

• Work closely with the commercial director in operating an effective Book acquisition process, including completion and subsequent iteration of acquisition P&Ls, analysis of past performance of similar titles, and investigation into current trends

  Financial Reporting:

• Manage the month end process ensuring the team completes unearned provisions, retro provisions, plant accruals and marketing accruals in sufficient time for detailed review prior to group submission

• Identify significant variances to budget and/or forecast and analyse the reasons for these variances. Consider the impact for forecasting and future planning HarperCollinsPublishers

• Ensure timely preparation of reports for monthly divisional executive meetings, including month end commercial reports and post publication reviews

  Ad hoc analysis and support of the division:

  Value added activities, either performed personally or delegated including, but not limited to:

• Long term profitability analysis of individual departments/imprints or brands - Maintaining a pipeline for long term planning

• Analysis of costs and ROI – production, marketing, plant, royalties -

• Attendance at print, reprint and excess stock meetings to give financial guidance and to further your understanding of costs, retail behaviour and risk

• Deputising for the Commercial Direction in attendance at meetings, and approval of print runs, POs, special sales deals, rights deals and travel expenditure

  Benefits

• Hybrid working model (3 days in the office)

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays (option to buy and sell holiday days) 

• Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave 

• Private healthcare cover and life assurance 

• Summer Hours  

• Free access to HeadSpace, employee assistance programme (24 hour helpline), mental health first aiders, and a wellbeing portal 

• Season ticket loans (from day 1 for entry level) and cycle to work scheme 

• Relocation Rent Support Loan  

• Employee networks: HC All In (open forum), Elevate (for ethnic minority colleagues), HarperParents, Menopause at Work, Pride at HC, Social Mobility Network and Neurodiversity at Work

• Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal, management courses (up to MA level) and mentoring programmes 

• Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers 

• Gym membership discount 

• Onsite physiotherapy (London only) 

• Charitable donation matching and 2 volunteering days 

• We're a certified Carbon Neutral company

• Green Electric/Hybrid Car Benefit Scheme (salary sacrifice)

• With Trees for Life we plant a tree in the Highlands of Scotland for every permanent hire

• Free e-books and audiobooks, digital newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books 

• Subsidised canteen and retail discounts 

• Onsite prayer room 

• The Book Trade Charity offers financial support to people looking to enter the book trade but who may struggle to afford the costs of attending interviews and undertaking internships or entry level positions. For more information visit  https://www.btbs.org/

• If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to [email removed - click apply for more details] with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.

• Please note, if you are interested in the role you would need to submit your application via Applied. We do not accept email applications.