BACKGROUND
The Blair Partnership is a literary and entertainment agency. We offer our clients a broad range of services including rights management, client representation and franchise management. As part of those services, we help to manage several companies on behalf of our client J.K. Rowling. Those companies are Pottermore and Bronte. These businesses benefit from shared resources and expertise provided by The Blair Partnership, but they are run by their own leaders.
There are three core pillars to The Blair Partnership’s business activity:
- Franchise Management – which encompasses brand & franchise vision and strategy, creative strategy & direction, product development, brand management & comms for the Wizarding World franchise.
- Client Management - we represent our clients’ literary and entertainment rights portfolios and pursue commercial opportunities for our clients through deal making in the UK, US and internationally, partner management and backlist rights management.
- Governance & support - we provide governance and support to companies owned by J.K. Rowling. As part of that support, we cultivate close collaboration & strong, cohesive working practices between all the businesses.
Our vision remains to shape, nurture and grow the most imaginative and engaging brands for generations to come, working with our clients.
Our mission is to shape and connect stories to their audiences.
The Blair Partnership is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace where all talent and potential is valued. We welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives and recognise the value that this adds to our business.
OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE JOB
To provide financial and administrative support to the Management Accountant and to the finance team. To ensure that accounting records / ledgers are maintained to the highest standard in order to provide reliable financial information on a timely basis.
SUMMARY OF DUTIES
- Receive, manage and process supplier invoices across multiple entities within the group.
- Manage the central AP inboxes to ensure all invoices are processed in a timely fashion in each of the group companies.
- Establish whether costs need to be prepaid, accrued or booked to the P&L.
- Ensure invoices are coded correctly and booked to the P&L and/or Balance Sheet accurately, within the agreed SLA.
- Liaise with budget owners to obtain invoice approvals.
- Review aged creditors listings and ensure invoices are paid in accordance with agreed supplier terms and prepare weekly multi-currency supplier payments for authorisation.
- Coordinate supplier payment runs across the group entering payments onto the bank and arranging for release by authorised individuals taking instruction from peers to process payments on QBO entities and managing X3 independently.
- Coordinate Pottermore Participation payments (quarterly or bi-annually) as required.
- Liaising with internal stakeholders and suppliers to resolve invoice queries, ensuring disputes are resolved and payments made on time.
- Creating new supplier records and maintaining existing records.
- Reconcile supplier statements/accounts and resolve all anomalies and discrepancies.
- Process staff expense forms ensuring they are coded correctly, accurately and in a timely manner, and arranging payment of staff expenses.
- Champion use of the new travel booking form, ensuring consistent application of travel guidelines and a smooth approval process
- Distribute company credit card statements to and manage expectations and deadlines with Cardholders / EAs.
- Reconcile, review & enter completed credit card expense forms.
- Ensuring VAT is accounted within HMRC guidelines correctly across all transactions.
- Advocating the Purchase to Payment process and ensuring Purchase Requests are raised by stakeholders at the appropriate time.
- Deliver AP education to stakeholders; with internal training on raising Purchase Requests and with the “optimal” AP process for internal users and external suppliers.
- Assist with year-end audit queries relating to accounts payable.
- Posting all cash payments to suppliers, cash receipts to customers and assist with reconciling bank accounts in multiple currencies.
- Compile a summary of system generated bank reconciliations with corresponding bank balances for review.
- Compile aged debtors, aged creditors and bank reconciliation summary as part of month end reporting
- Meet month-end deadlines for closing the Purchase Ledger
- Provide support to the central finance team with ad-hoc reporting and expense analysis
Team & Personal Development:
- Work towards team success collaborating, sharing regular feedback and knowledge with the broader finance team and business contribute actively to meetings and contribute ways to achieve team goals
- Continue to learn by building knowledge of the group businesses and understanding the connections and the accounting implications of them
- Gain an understanding of the broader financial processes, systems and responsibilities to help guide the business teams through and be able to effectively represent the Finance Team as ambassador group wide.
General
- Other ad hoc tasks as required (resolving queries, preparing reports and system implementation/updates)
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Experience, Technical knowledge and skills
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy to accurately reflect evolving business needs
- Detail-oriented with strong analytical, problem solving and financial skills
- Strong prioritisation, administrative and organisational skills
- Ability to multi-task and prioritize in a busy and dynamic environment and willingness to accept challenges.
- Ability to build relationships with the business to understand how AP can best support them
- Knowledge of accounting terminology, rules and legislation and the ability to detect inconsistencies
- Experience with accounting systems and proficient on Excel
- Experience with Sage X3 / Sage Business Cloud Enterprise Management (desirable)
- Proactive and professional communication within all levels of the business
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US
- Competitive Salary
- Company Bonus Scheme
- 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
- Group Pension Plan where we contribute 5%
- Life Assurance of 4 times salary
- Health Insurance (currently with Vitality)
- Health Shield Cashback Plan
- Harry Potter Franchise Partner discounts and a free ticket to see Harry Potter & The Cursed Child
- Annual Creative Bursary
- Season Ticket Loan
- Cycle Scheme