Group Sales and Planning Finance Manager

The Group Sales and Planning Finance manager acts as Group lead for all financial aspects involved in both the short-term planning and long-term strategic processes.  The role will be responsible for leading the Global group budgeting and reforecasting process in line with the group timetable. The role is also the lead business partner for the UK sales team, providing both challenge and support. The position works closely with the Group Sales Director, the Group Finance Director and the other members of the Executive Committee. The role will provide high quality advice and support to internal decision makers e.g. business case analysis, costing analysis and should be able to interpret and clearly communicate financial information in order to drive both financial and operational change. 

The role

The role will provide high quality advice and support to internal decision makers e.g. business case analysis, costing analysis and should be able to interpret and clearly communicate financial information in order to drive both financial and operational change. 

• Lead the Group budget and reforecast processes including  monitoring and delivery of information within agreed timelines
• As part of this lead UK Sales and Marketing budgeting and forecasting processes, providing robust challenge to senior management on forecast assumptions
• Preparation and delivery of timetables and responsibility mapping for reforecasts and budgets
• Deliver within predetermined deadlines Board and Executive Papers on Budgets and Reforecasts
• Lead liaison with business and relevant Heads of Department for budgets and forecasts
• Drive the quarterly revision of the Group five year plan;
• Continuously improve the budgeting and monthly reporting processes; contribute to the improvement of other finance processes and service
• Development and improvement of Planning Analytics with the Business Partner team and the Finance Systems Accountant
• Develop and improve management reporting and analysis on forecasting and budgeting
• Preparation of ad hoc financial analysis and management of ad hoc queries on sales and marketing financials in order to support and improve commercial decision making
• Support the Sales team on financial aspects for existing assignments, bids, proposals, pricing and reviewing commercial contracts as appropriate;
• Provide constructive challenge to senior members of sales and marketing teams on financial proposals and capital allocation decisions

Knowledge, skills and experience 

• Graduate calibre, qualified Accountant with experience gained in a series of dynamic, change-oriented businesses
• FP&A experience including delivering of forecasts in a high pressure, commercial environment
• Excellent attention to detail
• Very strong excel skills, comfortable manipulating large datasets using pivots, lookups and sumifs
• Business partnering experience in any function preferred
• Able to develop successful relationships with senior staff across the Group
• Demonstrable experience of delivering process and systems improvements
• Proactive, energetic, pragmatic and hardworking
• Highly resilient and adaptable – able to work at speed under pressure and with robust characters
• Able to approach a business from the top and the bottom –diving in and out of detail as required
• Collaborative and a team player
• Able to identify and raise risks, threats and opportunities

Additional information

The role is a full-time permanent position.

The role is based at our London office 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP on a mandatory working pattern of 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred).  Allocated office days for this role are: Tuesday and Thursday

As well as a fantastic opportunity to join a global award-winning organisation, Bloomsbury offers competitive benefits, generous staff discounts and flexible working arrangements.

Please apply with a CV and covering letter addressed to Human Resources (Word or PDF format only) detailing how you meet the requirements outlined above for this role by 1st October 2021.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

The Company

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house, established in 1986, with authors who have won the Nobel, Pulitzer and Booker Prizes, and is the originating publisher and custodian of the Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury has offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Oxford and Sydney. Within Bloomsbury’s Academic division, it publishes under Bloomsbury, as well as under a number of prestigious and historic imprint names. Read Our Story for how it all began. 

 Bloomsbury is committed to creating a working environment that stimulates creativity and collaboration, is respectful of difference, is inclusive and ethical in its practice, and promotes well-being. We are determined to nurture and develop our employees to reach their highest potential, and we know that our success is down to the passion, commitment and hard work of our talented people. We recognise the urgent need to attract and support applicants from all backgrounds and identities to become part of the global publishing industry, allowing diverse voices to reflect and shape our culture and society.

Please read more on our Missions and Values here.

Please read our environmental policy here.