Financial Reporting, Planning and Analysis Senior Manager

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Job Description

Location: Hybrid (2 days per week in office) Belfast, Country Antrim, UK

At Pearson, we believe learning opens up opportunities, creating fulfilling careers and better lives. We're looking for a dynamic and experienced FP&A Senior Manager to join our Higher Education division, supporting our Central Functions team. This is a key leadership role within Pearson Finance Services, responsible for driving financial performance, strategic insight, and operational excellence across our global support functions.

About the Role

As FP&A Senior Manager, you will lead financial planning and analysis for Pearson's Central Functions, including Finance, Technology, Legal, HR, Marketing, and Property. You'll manage a high-performing team of 20 finance professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

You'll be responsible for:

• Team Leadership: Managing, coaching, and developing a diverse team of 20 FTEs, ensuring alignment and cohesion across deliverables.
• Financial Planning & Analysis: Leading month-end close, planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes. Reviewing inputs and delivering high-quality analysis for senior stakeholder review.
• Strategic Insight: Providing complex analysis and data storytelling to support decision-making and communicate performance to senior leaders.
• Project Finance: Overseeing CIP spend tracking, hosting costs, capitalization schedules, and partnering with cross-functional teams for accurate forecasting.
• Audit & Governance: Managing audit responses and ensuring compliance with financial controls.
• Change Leadership: Supporting transformational change across Pearson's finance operations, driving efficiency and quality improvements.

What You'll Bring

We're looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, matrixed environment and is passionate about leading teams through change. You'll need:

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and team management capabilities
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate financial concepts for non-finance audiences
• High accountability and ownership, with a focus on outcomes and continuous improvement
• Proven ability to collaborate across functions and geographies
• Change management experience and the ability to lead others through transformation
• Strong prioritization and time management skills

Qualifications & Experience

• Extensive experience in Finance Management or BPM roles
• Recognised professional accountancy qualification
• Strong accounting knowledge and understanding of financial control and performance management
• Experience with finance ERP systems (Oracle preferred)
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, v-lookups, sum-ifs)
• Proven people management experience
• High attention to detail and commitment to quality
• Experience working in a multinational, matrixed organization
• Exposure to shared services or delivery centre environments
• Understanding of specialist finance areas (e.g. tax, treasury, M&A, compliance)