This role is pivotal in delivering comprehensive financial, business, analytical, and reporting support across ITN Commercial Productions (Education, and News & Archive divisions) and the Channel 5 Newsroom. Responsibilities include preparing management accounts, forecasts, and budgets, maintaining robust accounting processes, and providing insightful analysis to guide decision-making.
The position ensures appropriate controls are in place to safeguard revenues and achieve efficient allocation of budgets, while supporting senior leaders in making informed financial decisions aligned with contractual revenues and other income streams.
Key outputs include monthly management accounts presented to business and finance leadership, quarterly forecasting and reporting, and annual budgeting. Success in this role requires close collaboration with operational teams to ensure accurate cost capture and a deep understanding of operations and P&L spend. This is a highly responsive role in a fast-paced environment, demanding flexibility, proactivity, and strong analytical and communication skills.
Key tasks and responsibilities ITNCP
Management Accounting & Reporting
• Prepare monthly management accounts, forecasts, and budgets with clear variance analysis
• Post journals, accruals, prepayments, and perform balance sheet reconciliations
• Review payroll and reconcile headcount to budget and forecast
• Monitor project costs, update cost managers, and ensure accurate production cost tracking
• Maintain project codes and update divisional pipelines with actuals
• Analyse revenue, contribution, and margins; report significant variances to senior
management
• Support financial close-down of productions and ensure timely revenue recognition
• Prepare commercial analysis, quarterly packs, and audit documentation
Business Support & Analysis
• Provide ad hoc financial analysis, costings, and scenario modelling for senior stakeholders
• Develop knowledge of major contracts and ensure compliance with budgets
• Modernise financial reports, dashboards, and KPIs
• Conduct revenue and cost analysis, manage divisional pipelines, and monitor renewals
ERP System & Process Improvement
• Support ERP Finance System rollout and ensure fit-for-purpose production accounting
• Drive purchase order adoption and streamline month-end processes
• Assist with invoice coding, cash advances, and lead finance process training
Other Responsibilities
• Ensure timely billing, accrued income management, and credit card reconciliations
• Maintain cost codes and detailed process documentation
• Build strong relationships with operational managers and divisional heads
• Provide guidance to junior finance staff and support sustainability reporting
• Contribute to ad hoc projects and foster collaboration within the Finance team
• Be a team player, offering support to the production and wider Finance team
Key tasks and responsibilities C5 News
Management Accounting & Reporting
• Full ownership of C5 News P&L, including core contracts and any additional budgets
• Prepare monthly management accounts, variance analysis, and quarterly/annual forecasts
• Manage payroll reconciliation, balance sheet, journals, accruals, and prepayments
• Ensure accurate cost capture, billing, and timely revenue recognition
• Provide financial and analytical reporting to Channel 5 and internal stakeholders
Budgeting & Capital Reporting
• Prepare annual budgets and quarterly forecasts in line with client contracts
• Monitor recharges and costs to reflect newsroom usage
• Manage capital plans, ensuring accurate accounting and timely client billing
Audit & Compliance
• Act as finance contact for internal/external audits
• Prepare documentation and respond to audit queries promptly
ERP & Process Improvement
• Support ERP system rollout and upgrades; implement Just TV for Newsroom finance
• Drive purchase order adoption and streamline finance processes
• Lead training and maintain process documentation
Other Responsibilities
• Business partner with operational teams and clients
• Build strong relationships across finance and newsroom teams
• Manage and develop junior finance staff
• Support sustainability reporting and ad hoc projects
These are the main requirements of the role and is not an exhaustive list of duties. It is intended to reflect the nature, range, and context of the work, which will change over time.
Key Requirements
* Qualified accountant CIMA, ACCA/ACA with significant Finance experience
* Production accounting experience beneficial
* A genuine interest in and good understanding of media production
* Demonstrable experience in management accounts, forecasting and budgeting
* Experience working in a fast-paced environment
* An ability to work calmly under pressure and turn their skills and talents to assignments and tasks as directed by the Finance Manager and Financial Controller
* Flexible worker with a positive approach to problem-solving
* Good organizational skills with the ability to multi-task while retaining attention to detail
* Strong Excel and IT skills
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills
* Confident, proactive can-do attitude
* Interpersonal skills and ability to deal with a broad range of people including both finance and non-finance stakeholders
* Ability to prioritize workload and work to deadlines
Our people are at the heart of everything we do at ITN. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. Reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process will be offered, if required, due to a disability or health condition. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please just let us know in your application, or at any stage throughout the process, if this is something you want to explore.