Finance Manager in London - Harper May Ltd

Harper May is working with a founder-led media and events business that has grown steadily over the past five years through a combination of owned content platforms and live event delivery. The business operates across multiple revenue streams-sponsorship, ticketing, and content licensing-and is now at a point where finance infrastructure needs to mature alongside operational complexity. They are seeking a Finance Manager to establish clearer financial discipline and provide the commercial visibility that will support the next phase of growth.

The Role
Reporting to the Finance Director, you will manage the core finance function day-to-day. You'll own the monthly close cycle, produce management accounts that stakeholders actually read, and build out reporting that helps teams understand the commercial performance of individual events and content initiatives. The role sits at the heart of a collaborative, project-driven business where finance insight directly influences decision-making across events, partnerships, and media teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Complete month-end accounts close and prepare accurate, timely management reporting
• Develop and maintain annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and cash flow projections
• Monitor project profitability and event-level margins across the portfolio
• Establish and sustain robust financial controls and account reconciliations
• Support audit, tax compliance, and external reporting requirements
• Partner with operations teams to analyse costs and commercial performance
• Streamline finance processes and systems as the business scales

What we are looking for

• ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified (or demonstrable equivalent experience and commitment to qualification)
• Prior experience in events, media, entertainment, or other project-led sectors
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and hands-on close experience
• Ability to translate financial data into actionable commercial insight for non-finance teams
• Proficiency in Excel and accounting systems; exposure to consolidation or reporting tools is valuable
• Collaborative approach and comfort working in a fast-moving, outcome-focused environment