Finance Manager (Rights)

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We are looking for an experienced Finance Manager to join our Rights Revenue team at our office in Frating, Essex.

The Rights Revenue team within the Royalty Department process royalty sales information and income received from our Rights Customers where PRH have sold the rights to a book, extracts from a book or permission to use characters/images for merchandising.

In addition, the Rights Revenue team ensure that the financial clauses in the Customer's contracts with PRH are accurately reflected in the accounting system and chase for any missing or inaccurate royalty sales information.

There are 14 members of the Rights Revenue team consisting of 11 Administrators, 2 Team Leaders and an Audit Analyst.

As well as the welfare and development of their team members, the Manager is accountable for all tasks performed in the Rights Revenue area ensuring that they are carried out accurately and efficiently to meet targets and deadlines.

They are also responsible for reconciling cash movements, reporting KPIs and statistics as well as maintaining professional and effective relationships with the team's key stakeholders. These include other internal departments, our Rights Customers and our Agents and Authors.

Key Responsibilities:

Rights Processing

• Learn all aspects of rights sales contracts, statement and income processing and credit control to be an expert in this area.
• Work with the team leaders to ensure that all processes are carried out accurately and efficiently by reviewing workload and KPIs.
• Work with all stakeholders both internally and externally to provide an exceptional service and champion improvements.
• Attend regular meetings with Rights Sales colleagues in the London office and our Credit Services department in Frating.
• Produce and share KPIs as part of a larger pack for business reporting and review.
• Ensure that all processes are documented and kept up to date and that tasks have adequate cover within the teams.
• Work with the other Royalty Managers to ensure that rights income is accurately reported to our Authors.
• Reconcile rights cash incoming and cleared on a daily basis and investigate any issues.
• Review outstanding cash and statements with the Team Leaders to assist any query resolution.
• Review tax/write off exception reports.
• Work closely with the Rights Audit Analyst with the following :-
  • Identify and contact Customers for audit.
  • Provide support for any re-calculation/data issues that may arise.
  • Liaise with Customers for any queries, chairing meetings where appropriate.
  • Approve final audit reports.

Staff Management

• Work closely with the rest of the royalty senior team to coordinate and bring together the whole department as one unit. This includes playing an active role in issues such as improving morale, staff integration, training programs etc.
• Play an active role in change management within the department.
• Assist the Team Leaders at busy periods and provide cover for them in their absence.
• Carry out performance reviews for direct reports.
• Coordinate / organise training and personal development across the department to meet the needs of the individual and the business.
• Carry out absence management interviews, performance monitoring and welfare meetings as necessary.
• Arrange and facilitate meetings to ensure that staff are kept up to date on current issues.
• Take responsible for the team's administrative tasks such as holiday booking.

Improving Processes and Procedures

• Assist the Royalty Department Manager in improving communication with other departments and building effective business relationships.
• Work with the team to identify changes to existing methods of working where efficiency, accuracy and reporting could be improved within the department and other areas of the business.
• Take an active role in any other initiatives or projects within the department and company.

Experience Required:

• The Rights Revenue Manager will have significant experience leading a medium to large team in an accounting function and be able to demonstrate a track record of high service levels, continuous improvement and change management.
• An accounting qualification is desired but not essential if qualified by experience.

Personal Characteristics

• Excellent people skills and communication is a requirement of this role to be able to collaborate and influence at all levels.
• Always works to a high standard of accuracy, has excellent attention to detail and able to spot inaccuracies.
• Able to identify opportunities for improving working practices and business systems and is comfortable challenging the status quo.
• Able to prioritise their own workload and that of their team to ensure that deadlines and targets are met.

About Penguin:

We're the UK's largest publisher; made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher. Here, you'll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone.

How to apply: Please apply with your CV and cover letter by 23:59 on Tuesday 17th September 2024.

Salary: Circa £40,000 depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus benefits.

Competitive benefits package: Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition.

Our benefits include:

• Financial - income protection, life assurance, childcare allowance
• Wellbeing - healthcare cash plan, critical illness cover, health checks
• Lifestyle - enhanced parental leave, tech scheme

For our full benefits list please visit: https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/what-we-offer/

Hybrid working: While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we currently expect that you will attend the office, based in Colchester, once a week.

The recruitment process: You can read about our recruitment process at https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/how-we-hire/

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we're part of the offer an interview scheme. This is where disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role can opt in to get to the next recruitment stage. There may be some situations where volume of applicants means we can't take all eligible candidates to interview.

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.

Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.

Company: The Random House Group Limited

Country: United Kingdom

State/Region: Essex

City: Colchester

Postal Code: CO7 7DW

Job ID: 273599

Date: 4 Sep 2024

Location: