Manager Financial Control

Job Description

Summary of role:An experienced qualified chartered or certified accountant, the Financial Reporting & Control Manager will play a leading role the financial reporting and control function within PFS. Responsible for financial control for several areas within the financialreporting and control function, the Financial Reporting & Control Manager will work closely with the Director Financial Control as well as the wider Pearson Finance Community and their peers in PFS to maintain the integrity of the financial accounting processesand controls.The Financial Reporting & Control Manager will be expected to:

• Take ownership of several sub-teams within the financial reporting and control team.
• Ensure efficient & effective management and delivery to customers of financial reporting and control activities within their specified areas.
• Undertake effective demand management processes to manage, prioritise, delegate and deliver an optimum service to the customer that aligns to their strategic requirements.
• Liaise closely with the Governance Team in order to maintain effective service delivery to PFS from the BPO centre in Bangalore and drive standardisation of processes within the BPO team.
• Be a fully integrated member of the PFS leadership team to assist the continuing and effective operations of the organisation.
• As a senior member of the PFS financial reporting and control team, work to develop & continuously improve the services performed by the team, constantly seeking further efficiency & effectiveness through standardisation, simplification & elimination asappropriate.
• Lead, coach and mentor staff within the team.
• Deputise for the PFS Director Financial Control where required.

Main activities/responsibilities:Lead a team of financial analysts and senior analysts to deliver:

• Monthly close the books activities including balance sheet reconciliations and review; accruals; prepayments; bank and cash and other accounting entries arising; and other operational accounting processes for Pearson products and services.
• Challenge and follow up on reconciling items within your specified areas, ensuring explanation and actions arising are completed. Ensure particular balance sheet risk areas are brought under control.
• Ensuring communication of required accounting entries impacting on management reports across the relevant teams in the Pearson Finance Community.
• Check the integrity of the sub-ledger accounting entries being driven from the operational accounting teams.
• Working closely with the Director Financial Control and Controls Centre of Expertise to deliver a robust internal controls framework and ensure that controls are tested at recommended intervals.
• Act as a key player in facilitating audit process across interim and final audit. Liaise closely with external auditors throughout the audit cycle.
• Adhering to financial reporting standards and ensuring self and team remain up to date on current technical requirements.

Service Delivery

• Manage the activities in the running of the team. This includes establishing and managing operating plans and goals for the team, developing work schedules, back-up procedures and managing staffing requirements to ensure maximum and minimum coverage levelsat all times.
• Ensure that teams function effectively and efficiently.
• Develop and manage short- and long-term operational goals and tactical objectives ensuring customer goals are incorporated.
• Ensure key performance metrics are met and service is delivered to customers as expected.
• Develop, build and maintain relationships with all finance areas serviced by PFS.
• Manage key projects and improvement initiatives as directed.
• Monitor, control and identify improvements required to systems, processes and databases to ensure system and data security and ensure they are up to date and comply with current legislation.

Technical expertiseThe Financial Reporting & Control Manager will display a deep knowledge of statutory reporting requirements, and the financial control processes required to deliver to necessary accounting standards.

• Keeps abreast of latest developments in accounting standards, attending technical updates internally and externally to ensure compliance with requirements.
• Ability to multi-task; coordinating the delivery multiple priorities in parallel across disparate teams and locations.
• Works closely with the Controls Centre of Expertise to ensure SOX controls across all aspects of the Finance Operations organisation are embedded and tested, and pass audit requirements.
• Liaises closely with the business to ensure audit required documentation is retained, archived and easily collated for internal and external audit purposes.
• Key contributor to the co-ordination and delivery of the year end audit.
• Works closely with internal and external auditors to implement recommendations arising from audits.
• Understands filing deadlines for financial statements and tax returns and liaises with all relevant teams to ensure deadlines are met.
• Identifies areas of risk and escalates as appropriate.
• Works closely with other teams across PFS to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of their own service.
• Works closely with the community of Global Process Owners to embed best practice across PFS, BPO and the business as a whole.
• Takes ownership for resolution of issues pertaining to financial control and reporting, building a reputation as a trusted advisor/experience user in their area of expertise.
• Has experience/knowledge of Oracle R12 including Oracle Hyperion Planning and OBIA.

Information systemsEnsures the team and self:

• Obtain working knowledge of the finance systems landscape, its integration and data flows.
• Monitor the applications and effectiveness of the finance systems to support the work of the team.
• Proactively share finance systems knowledge across PFS.

Leadership, people management and development

Work with the Director Financial Control to recruit, retain and motivate staff and build a high performing team. Work collaboratively with the financial reporting and control team and the broader Pearson Financial Contro