We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Finance Analyst to join our dynamic finance team and play a pivotal role in forecasting digital platform revenue streams (AVOD, FAST and EST). The ideal candidate will own the forecasting and planning responsibilities to deliver accurate, timely results; insight to commercial teams in the business; and model future projected performance.

The purpose of this role is:

1. Be an end-to-end business partner for the Digital team, providing insight and analysis, and have an overview of other revenue streams including Content Sales and Royalties
2. Own the budget and forecast submissions for the Digital and Royalty based revenue streams by developing robust financial models to improve forecast accuracy, and by understanding and challenging key assumptions and holding the Digital commercial team accountable

Supporting and reviewing month-end tasks completed by the Finance Analyst including revenue models, revenue journals, balance sheet reconciliations and quarter end disclosures

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Ownership of 3-year revenue budgets and quarterly re-forecasts for Digital and Royalty based revenue streams. Analyse historical data, market trends and user behaviours with the commercial teams to identify key drivers influencing the digital platform revenues.
• Partnering with the Digital team to derive, model and explain assumptions used in revenue projections, ensuring that Digital team is sufficiently challenged to yield ambitious but achievable targets. Establish key KPIs for digital platform revenue and monitor performance against targets.
• Prepare detailed reconciliations to explain movements year-on-year, forecast to forecast and against Budget. Where useful partner with the commercial teams to develop sensitivity models to evaluate the potential outcomes of different strategies that involve investment in audience development.
• Assist in preparation of Budget and quarterly call around slide decks so that we can present financial insights around the digital business in a clear and concise manner.
• Update quarterly and year-end outturn files to track against forecast and Budget targets, ensuring material changes are reflected, and the driving factors for these changes are understood and challenged where necessary.

Business Partnering

• Day to day contact with the Digital team, being an end-to-end business partner and providing analysis on an as needed basis to inform and influence processes.
• Provide monthly updates on performance against Budget and latest forecast, as well as amounts to achieve against quarterly and annual targets in a clear, concise and easily digestible manner. Challenge the teams to provide actionable insights to drive continuous improvements.
• Track Digital performance and trends and liaise with Digital team to understand risks and opportunities against budgets and forecasts throughout the year.
• Develop analytics over time to drive improved KPI tracking and the quality of information sharing with the Digital team. Look for ways to automate processes.

Management Accounting & Reporting

• Analyse actual results against budget, forecast and prior year providing insightful commentary on variances through ongoing dialogue with the business.
• Support the Billing Specialist in ownership of management accounting for passive royalty revenue streams.
• Support in the review of invoice trackers and billing, ensuring signed contracts are accurately added to invoice trackers.

Financial Accounting

• Support the Analyst in preparing month-end accrued and deferred income balance sheet positions, and quarter end disclosures.
• Ensure deal processing and accrual calculations by the Analyst are reviewed for accuracy and policy compliance.
• Review month-end revenue models prepared by the Analyst to ensure accuracy and compliance with internal control framework.
• Review journal entries made by the Analyst to ensure accuracy and compliance with internal control framework.

Additional

• Ad-hoc analysis and project work as required by the business.
• Data and systems champion, taking initiative and responsibility for improving processes, systems and data management to eliminate manual work.

Key Relationships:

Internal

• Digital Commercial Sales Team
• Corporate and Global Finance Team
• Global Royalties Team
• Legal Team
• Shared Service Centres/Global Business Enablement

External

• Customers (mainly in the Digital landscape)
• Audit and tax suppliers

Skills/Knowledge/Experience

Essential

• Qualified ACA/CIMA/ACCA (2+ years post qual)
• Min 2 years experience of working in a finance business partnering role (ideally within a digital operating model)
• Proficient MS Office User – especially Excel (advanced)
• Driven and highly accountable for own work product
• Team player with astute eye for detail
• Excellent communicator (written and oral) and relationship builder
• Ability to work to tight deadlines and under pressure
• Flexible, dedicated and proactive approach

Desirable

• Experience of a multi currency reporting environment
• Exposure to US GAAP working environment
• SAP Experience
• Longview Experience
• Familiarity with digital platforms such as YouTube and the ability to understand the intricacies of digital revenue streams.