Financial Controller

About Resident Advisor

Established in 2001, Resident Advisor (RA) is a leading music media brand, deeply rooted in the electronic, dance, and DJ community. With over seven million monthly users, RA offers a wide array of content including news, editorial, club listings, ticketing services, original films, and a renowned weekly mix series spanning two decades. RA operates a multifaceted global business encompassing ticketing, media, events, agency services, and software, managing hundreds of millions in transactions annually across multiple markets, currencies, and corporate entities.

Role Overview

This pivotal position within RA's Finance Department supports the Head of Group Reporting & Control to ensure precise financial reporting and robust internal controls across the organisation. Duties include owning the month-end close process, preparing management accounting reports, coordinating payroll and payment operations, managing tax compliance, and enforcing cost control measures. The role also involves leading a small but capable team, providing coaching and development, while collaborating closely on continuous improvements in financial processes and controls.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly group management accounts and assist in generating the monthly management reporting pack.
• Ensure financial reports comply accurately and timely with group accounting standards.
• Support consolidation processes for group entities, ensuring thorough reconciliation of consolidation models.
• Drive month-end closing for all entities within the group.
• Maintain ownership of the general ledger and monthly balance sheet reconciliations, addressing and resolving aged reconciling items.
• Oversee reconciliation of merchant and payment service provider (PSP) settlements across all payment platforms, correctly categorising settlement funds in transit as receivables.
• Manage intercompany reconciliations and eliminations for all group companies.
• Coordinate payroll processing collaboratively with the Management Accountant.
• Review and approve payment runs to maintain financial integrity.
• Manage treasury operations to guarantee sufficient funds for promoter payments, adhering to treasury policies.
• Conduct daily foreign currency transactions within prescribed FX and treasury policies, handling significant multi-currency exposures.
• Monitor the group's cash flow and liquidity to meet payment commitments.
• Lead debtor management activities as a critical business risk area, including overseeing the Credit Controller to ensure efficient collections and resolution of overdue payments.
• Report on debtor exposure and highlight risks or trends to senior reporting leadership.
• Align debtor balances accurately with promoter ledgers and offsets.
• Collaborate to enhance finance department processes and controls, driving automation projects independently while retaining joint ownership.
• Own reconciliation and control procedures related to ticketing settlements.
• Implement and maintain cost control measures consistent with annual budgets and forecasts.
• Identify opportunities to fortify the control environment in a growing business context.
• Manage the spend management platform controls and maintain key relationships with the vendor.
• Serve as primary contact for external audits, preparing deliverables, schedules, and support documentation to meet audit standards across all group entities.
• Assist in statutory accounts preparation for UK and overseas entities.
• Take ownership of UK tax compliance obligations, including VAT, corporation tax, and PAYE, while coordinating foreign tax compliance with external advisors under senior oversight.
• Manage relationships with tax advisors and track changes in tax legislation.
• Lead and mentor direct reports including Management Accountant, Accounts Assistant, and Credit Controller, setting clear goals and promoting accountability and professional growth.

Candidate Profile

• Qualified accountant with recognized certifications such as ACA, ACCA, or CIMA.
• Between three and six years post-qualification experience in financial reporting and management accounts, including two to three years in a finance manager or financial controller role.
• Demonstrated capability in managing and developing finance teams.
• Proven experience overseeing month-end closing and multi-entity balance sheet reconciliations.
• Desirable experience in client money or payment settlement reconciliations in controlled environments.
• Exceptional attention to accuracy and a commitment to continuous process improvement.
• Additional advantages include exposure to high-volume B2C or B2B2C models, ticketing industry experience, multi-currency treasury management, foreign tax compliance, and familiarity with QuickBooks and Fathom financial software.
• Experience with implementation, migration, or optimization of accounting and financial systems is beneficial.

Benefits and Culture

• Generous paid leave designed to support work-life balance.
• Flexible working options, including hybrid and remote arrangements depending on role requirements and geography.
• Matching pension or 401k schemes.
• Robust employee wellbeing programs, including mental and physical health initiatives, ClassPass discounts, and custom-fitted earplugs.
• Social events, team lunches, and discounts on company merchandise.
• Paid volunteer allowance to support community involvement.
• Regular all-staff Q&A sessions with leadership and ongoing training opportunities.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering a respectful and representative workplace.
• Engagement with community projects supporting the electronic music scene.

Additional Information

This full-time position is based in London at RA's Head Office, requiring physical presence three days per week. The salary range is £70,000 to £80,000 annually. Applicants are encouraged to ensure communication channels are active to receive follow-up emails and correspondence during the recruitment process. RA values diversity and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities.