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Vice President Finance Western, Central, Eastern Europe and Africa
Pearson
London, , United Kingdom
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Description
At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that’s always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always re-examining the way people learn best, whether it’s one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe. We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology — and each other to surpass these boundaries — we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world’s innovations, personal and global, large and small.
Summary of role:
Lead the ‘WCEEA’ Finance team and provide financial and commercial support to the MD WCEEA. The WCEEA Finance team are responsible for acting as Finance Business Partners and Controllers across the region driving strategy, planning, finance process, control and overall financial performance.
Responsible for revenues of £100m and a cost base of £70m including opex, cost of sales and capex.
Main activities/responsibilities:
Act as a key commercial business partner and advisor to the MD WCEEA as a member of their leadership team, taking a lead on financial matters and ensuring delivery of business and operational objectives.
Challenge the business to drive sustainable value proactively through informed and insightful decision making
Provide financial and commercial insight and analysis to support strategic decision making:
Business analysis (e.g. customer profitability, local product development analysis) including external benchmarking and support of three year strategic road maps
Support realistic and structured decisions on investments and capital allocation, including acquisitions and disposals, ensuring they are measured against financial targets.
Identify, address and implement solutions for operational improvement and cost opportunities.
Lead planning and forecasting processes, providing accurate and timely data on which to base decisions.
Local statutory director for relevant entities
Ensure the businesses adhere to control and process standards and that these are regularly reviewed for suitability. Ensure SOX/Pre SOX compliance where an entity is in scope.
Ensure Balance Sheet reconciliations are timely and accurate and regular BS reviews are held.
Manage cash from a forecasting, control and process perspective
Responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of financial reporting in accordance with Pearson policies and practices including monthly and annual financial management reporting and KPIs. Preparation of informed and insightful commentary thereon.
Delivery of local statutory and tax accounts on time and accurately.
Lead the WCEEA finance team, providing strong professional leadership:
Drive implementation of global Finance process, policies, controls and procedures
Drive efficiencies and service levels within the embedded Finance team.
Develop and motivate team to provide a continuously improving service and functional bench strength.
Lead implementation of global oracle for relevant markets in line with the latest roadmap.
Key point of contact for internal and external auditors and other professional advisors, ensuring all information is provided on a timely basis and that control reports are actioned. Sustained compliance with regulatory and audit requirements.
Oversight of the Accounts Payable, Payroll and Accounts Receivable functions
Consistent and extensive collaboration within finance and across Pearson, including colleagues in Product groups, support (enabling) Functions and Operations
Expected Results:
Robust delivery against plan and coherent approach to commercial and financial challenges in market
Strong control environment and compliance with regulatory reporting and audit requirements.
Delivery of DSO targets, key AP metrics and accurate payroll.
Limited number of SOX deficiencies
Internal control report findings actioned within agreed timeframe
Effective partnering and strong communication between WCEEA leadership teams and Finance teams
Strong performance against KPIs and targets
Accurate and timely delivery of investment and business cases
Delivery of realigned organizational design across finance
Operating model and new ways of working implemented across WCEEA and finance
Operational improvements and cost opportunities identified and realised
Improved forecasting and planning efficiency and accuracy
Leverage of analytics tools to focus organisation on value-added activities
Qualifications and experience required:
5+ years in a senior finance leadership role.
Fluent English speaker, other relevant languages an advantage
Experience working in a multi-national matrix organization.
Strong understanding of materiality and ability to prioritize across competing agendas
Ability to conduct investment analysis and capital asset evaluation.
Deep accounting knowledge – qualification as an accountant or MBA degree.
Ability to identify business risks and implementation of tactics to mitigate
Understanding of financial control, business performance management and process optimization and experience of working in more than one of these areas.
An understanding of putting internal financial results into an external market context.
Proven capability to develop and lead high performance diverse teams.
Understanding of finance specialist areas: tax, treasury, M&A, compliance, corporate governance and ability to utilize proper judgement to involve them as necessary.
Demonstrated ability to champion and drive change.
Participation in international projects, may be short or long term (preferred but not required)
Required Skills:
Strategic thinking: working beyond the current role to look at the big picture and shape the future.
Communication: strong verbal and written skills
Influence: presence and confidence to interact with senior management. Ability to leverage influence across teams and cultures.
Strong control ethos: confidence to ensure controls are maintained and ability to influence and explain need to maintain
Emotional Intelligence (self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, social skill) and the ability to apply it to work successfully in a matrix environment.
Project Leadership & Delivery: leading team resources to create, drive and deliver on a project plan.
Collaboration: with other internal teams and third party providers.
Decision Making: understanding materiality, complex and uncertain situation, prioritization
Performance focused: self & others