Head Of FP&A

Join our Finance team as Head of FP&A!

 We're looking for a commercially focused and strategic finance leader with extensive experience in financial planning, forecasting, reporting and business partnering.

You'll lead the FP&A function for Bauer Media Audio UK, driving budgeting, forecasting and performance reporting while providing insight that supports informed business decisions. You'll also lead and develop a high-performing team, ensuring reporting processes are delivered accurately, efficiently and on time.

Our Team: How we enrich everyday life

The FP&A team plays a critical role in supporting Bauer Media Audio UK's financial performance and strategic ambitions. Working closely with senior leaders across Finance and the wider business, we provide insight, challenge and analysis that help drive decision-making, identify opportunities and manage risk.

The Difference you will make:

You'll be a trusted partner to the CFO and senior stakeholders, helping the business understand performance, improve forecasting accuracy and make commercially sound decisions. Through strong leadership, robust financial planning and continuous improvement, you'll strengthen financial controls, enhance reporting processes and support the delivery of Bauer's strategic objectives.

Your role:

Financial Planning & Forecasting

• Lead the annual budgeting process for Bauer Media Audio UK.
• Own forecasting cycles throughout the year, ensuring updates are accurately reflected, communicated and understood across the business.
• Support long-range planning activities and strategic planning processes.
• Oversee the annual pay review process, including modelling, coordination and communication of outcomes.
• Maintain a detailed understanding of revenue, costs, overheads and below-the-line activity to ensure forecasts are robust and commercially meaningful.

Reporting & Performance Analysis

• Lead FP&A month-end reporting activities, ensuring all deadlines and reporting requirements are met.
• Chair month-end review meetings and coordinate financial inputs from across Finance and the wider business.
• Conduct detailed P&L reviews, highlighting key variances, risks and opportunities.
• Oversee reporting of actual and forecast royalties and operating costs.
• Produce insightful management reporting packs and performance analysis for senior stakeholders.
• Present monthly financial results, providing clear commentary and actionable recommendations.

Business Partnering & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a trusted finance business partner to the CFO and senior leadership teams.
• Provide insightful analysis and constructive challenge to support commercial and operational decision-making.
• Lead regular cost and balance sheet reviews, increasing accountability and visibility across the business.
• Contribute to finance governance forums and strategic discussions.
• Translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insight for both finance and non-finance audiences.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Lead, coach and develop the FP&A team, creating a high-performing and supportive team environment.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, ownership, accuracy and continuous improvement.
• Ensure key processes are documented, resilient and consistently delivered.
• Oversee submissions to external stakeholders and reporting bodies as required.
• Maintain strong financial controls across planning, forecasting, reporting and month-end activities.
• Ensure effective use of SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) and other planning tools.
• Identify opportunities to streamline reporting, improve accuracy and reduce manual activity.
• Work closely with wider Finance teams to improve coding, allocations and reporting processes.

The Skills you will bring: 

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent experience) with significant experience in FP&A, commercial finance or management reporting within a complex organisation.
• Strong expertise in budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling and performance analysis.
• Proven experience leading month-end reporting, management reporting and financial planning processes.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to translate financial data into clear, actionable business insight.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to influence, challenge and support senior leaders.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing high-performing finance teams.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience using planning and reporting systems, ideally SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) or similar platforms.
• Excellent communication, presentation and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage both finance and non-finance audiences.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Confidence using data, technology and AI-enabled tools to improve efficiency, insight and decision-making.

Working Pattern/Location:

This is a full-time, fixed-term contract (15 months) based in Manchester, operating within a hybrid working model that combines office and home working while supporting collaboration across Finance and business leadership teams.

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