Senior Finance Manager

Job Description

Eleventh Hour Films is a successful Sony owned production company specialising in high end drama with universal appeal. Current on air or streamer productions include Alex Rider (3 seasons for Amazon/Freevee), Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders (BBC/Masterpiece USA), a Reimagining of Rebus (BBC and iPlayer), The Killing Kind (Paramount UK/Hulu).

The Senior Finance Manager role is an opportunity to join the friendly drama team at EHF and play an important part in the ongoing evolution and continued business growth of this successful Sony production company, from its London base. This role has a broad remit and will report primarily to the EHF Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), but also have close contact with EHF’s Chief Executives (CEOs) and the Sony Pictures Television accounting team and each of the production teams.

Overview of the role

This person will perform all the day-to-day financial tasks relating to EHF’s productions and company finances (including SPV’s). This is a full-time hands-on role responsible for the provision of all financial support to EHF. This support will cover monthly financial consolidated reporting, company banking, including invoicing and payments, annual statutory accounting, financial planning and budgeting, liaising with production accountants and other ad-hoc financial assistance.

Currently, EHF has external financial support, and this role has been created to bring that support in house. The role will include supporting the CCO and ensuring a smooth transition of EHF’s finance function to an in house one.

Responsibilities Include:

Financial accounting, audit and transactional support; incl production accounting support:
Manage and perform month-end close process, signing-off on trial balance and production of monthly EHF Management Accounts Pack,
Producing the consolidated month end reporting package to be submitted to Sony Pictures Home Office.
Ensure reconciliation between SAGE reporting and Sony Picture’s SAP reporting for EHF
The month end process includes the following work:
o Calculations of corporate prepayments and accruals for journal postings
o Month end bank recs and other balance sheet reconciliations
o Liaise with production accountants to obtain month end reports and produce monthly production reconciliations
o Maintain fixed asset register and depreciation schedule
Manage local payment approval and ensure PO and non-PO invoice approvals are in line with SPE approvals (COFA) and journal postings according to Company financial policies
Raise sales invoices to broadcasters and distributors in accordance with agreed production milestones
Submission of EHF Group VAT reports through Sage
Lead the EHF statutory audit
Assistance with the subsidiary audits – usually for primary purpose of the tax credit claim
Set up of production bank accounts for subsidiaries.
Manage Sales & Purchase Ledgers and raise and pay invoices in a timely manner.
Perform monthly bank reconciliations of all EHF bank accounts.
Manage EHF credit card processing.
Help maintain Sage Accounting Software
Preparation and submission of ONS returns.

Planning, Budgeting and management reporting:
Work with CCO and Sony on the EHF FP&A annual budget and quarterly reforecast submission
Deal with ad hoc requests from EHF & Sony
Preparation / monitoring of scripted development budgets including liaising with broadcasters / development funders.
Assisting CCO with operational and corporate matters as require

Adhoc Finance Transformation Projects as required by Sony from time to time.

Required experience, skills and qualities:

Fully or newly qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA)
Technically sound and up to date knowledge of accounting standards
Typically requires at least 2-5 years’ experience in Finance and in Media
Direct television production experience would be advantageous.
Confident communicator with people from a broad range of backgrounds
Must be self-starter who can work independently but also not afraid to ask for assistance
Good attention to detail
Willing and used to working to tight deadlines
Proficiency in the use of MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint
A working knowledge of Sage would be helpful
Office Motto – ‘Work Hard and Be Nice to People’

This person needs to work in the current Blackfriars/Waterloo office to mirror the days of the CCO -which would be a minimum of three days a week, ideally more. 20 days holiday plus bank holidays, and additional holiday during Christmas/New Year break. Professional fees towards qualifying could be covered by EHF.

EHF is an inclusive employer and particularly welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and under-represented groups, including supporting with any requirements or needs in the application process and training during the job.