Head of Accounting UK

We are looking for a Head of Accounting to join our finance team in Peterborough.

You'll have overall accountability for assigned accounting operations as well as associated analysis and report activities for the UK and non-UK entities. While coordinating the day-to-day tasks of your own Accounting & Treasury team you will demonstrate strong financial accounting skills and ability to manage change.

Our Team

You will be reporting to the Senior Director Accounting & Treasury UK and be responsible for 4 direct reports and approximately 8-10 legal entities within the business. You will be joining our Accounting & Banking Department which right now includes roughly 30 employees.

This is a hybrid position you will be expected to work from home and our office location in Peterborough. 

What you will do

 Financial Reporting:

• Lead the finance/accounting team in the preparation, review and filing of all the Bauer UK entities statutory accounts, German GAAP management reporting and other compliance requirements.
• Effectively manage and co-ordinate the end-to-end audit process, ensuring key reporting deadlines are met and pro-actively reducing any audit review points.
• Lead the UK accounting team to timely respond to ad-hoc requests from the Senior Director Accounting & Treasury UK and to contribute actively to projects and the implementation of the Finance Target Operating Model.
• Oversight and responsibility for the Treasury and Banking team.
• Manage and co-ordinate the central recharge billing process (including budgeting).

Transformation and controls:

• Set up ‘best in class’ controls for the BFH that are at a level expected for a FTSE listed entity.
• Lead the drive towards faster close initiative, with automation of BFH end-to-end processes, optimisation of month end/year-end controls and system improvements.
• Support the finance integration workstreams for business acquisitions ensure seamless transition with minimal impact on operations.
• Lead in onboarding new UK & non-UK companies and products into the new shared service organization once they switch to S/4 Hana and integrate them into the team.
• Make recommendations to the Senior Director Accounting & Treasury UK on team set-up and structure for BFH and identify opportunities to reduce costs, make processes more efficient and reduce workloads; especially once new countries are onboarded.
• Update the Senior Director Accounting & Treasury UK on other regulatory changes impacting BMG, the impact of these changes and recommend how any changes should be implemented.

Technical Accounting:

• Produce, review and present technical accounting analysis for implementation of new FRS 102 updates and GAAP conversion analysis/GAAP adjustments from IFRS and US GAAP.
• Produce and review technical accounting memos for annual accounting procedures (such as impairment reviews) and other judgemental or complex accounting issues as well as for unusual or one-off transactions (such as M&A activity).  
• Lead update of Accounting Policy manual and manage the training of updates in accounting standards or related changes to the finance team and other stakeholders.
• Be the lead partner/finance contact for the transactional team and FP&A as well as for external partners such as auditors and tax advisors.
• Provide accounting analysis on Legal entity rationalisation programmes and M&A transactions.

Strategy:

• Helping the Senior Director Accounting & Treasury building an efficient and effective team within the Bauer Finance Hub
• Leading on good governance and improving controls and helping set KPI’s to achieve a ‘centre of excellent’ model within the Bauer Finance Hub
• Lead on implementing Bauer values and strategy for the Bauer Finance Fub which involves providing best in class services to our stakeholders

Leadership:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering collaboration and best practices
• Assist in leading the UK accounting team through change - new System, new organizational set-up
• Review and optimize the allocation of responsibilities in the UK team
• Ability to manage and develop a small team in a fast pace environment with competing demands.

Who you will be

Experience:

• Qualified accountant (ACA preferred) with extensive post qualified experience (with management/leadership experience) in an organization with a FTSE or other listing status.
• Audit and accountancy background (ideally Big 4 trained ACA) with technical accounting advisory experience within an Accounting firm (ideally Big 4) or an organization with a FTSE or other listing status.
• Experience of oversight of international/global consolidation accounting and preparation of group and company statutory accounts for complex global organisations (preferably with a FTSE or other listing status).
• Extensive experience of setting up or managing a finance team within a shared service centre that have undergone finance transformation and regulatory changes.
• Demonstrate past experience of optimisation of month end/year-end processes and making system improvements as well as implementation of Sarbanes Oxley/UK SOX internal control procedures in a organisation with a FSTE or other listing status.
• Implementation of new accounting standards (including GAAP analysis) and developing accounting policies and making improvements to accounting manuals whilst working in a senior finance role within a FSTE or other listed organisation.
• Experience of business partnering with commercial teams to achieve desired accounting.
• Experience of being finance lead in ERP implementation or other significant accounting system software changes and leading delivery of finance updates to global finance teams.

Knowledge:

• Excellent up to date technical accounting knowledge on new FRS 102 amendments to be enacted from 1 January 2026 and detailed understanding of differences between UK GAAP and reporting in IFRS and US GAAP.
• Strong understanding of new UK SOX revised corporate governance code to be enacted from 1 January 2026 or applying Sarbanes Oxley in a US listed entity.
• Shown the ability to simply communicate technical accounting concepts to key finance staff across the wider business whilst in a senior finance technical role within a FTSE or other listed status organisation.
• Experience of producing  and reviewing technical accounting position papers within a FTSE or other listed status organisation for auditors, senior finance members and other key stakeholders on unusual or complex accounting issues and closing out the accounting treatment.  

Expiry date 4th June 2025

About Bauer Media Group

We are a media business focused on creating content that matters to millions of people across Europe. Our offering extends from print and online publishing to audio broadcasting and entertainment, alongside investments in other media related sectors. With more than 500 million copies sold each year, we are one of Europe’s largest Publishers. From women’s and celebrities’ magazines to TV listings to food and special interest, we own some of the most popular publishing brands in Germany, UK, Poland and France – both digital and print. But not only that. Reaching over 61 million listeners weekly, we operate over 150 radio and podcast brands in nine countries, spanning the UK, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Portugal. Family-owned in the 5th generation, Bauer Media focuses on the long-term, with a consumer-first mindset that guides us across our diverse portfolio. Our workforce of 12,000 shares a common purpose: to deliver content and services that enrich people‘s everyday lives.

What’s in it for you

• You’ll have 25 days holiday, bank holidays & 2 volunteer days to use.
• Your development matters, so access to our internal training provider – Bauer Academy, is a huge win. 
• We have enhanced Maternity/Adoption, Paternity and Shared Parental Leave Pay.
• You’ll have the opportunity for flexible working. 
• And much more! Find the full details of our benefits here

Please Note: We are actively seeking this position. You should hear from us within 48 hours of the expiry date. Please note on some occasions the role may be closed before date shown or need to be extended.

If you have any feedback regarding our UK recruitment process, please email careershub@bauermedia.co.uk we would love to hear from you.