Harper May is working with a London-based media and events business backed by experienced operators in the sector. The organisation produces live experiences and digital content for premium audiences, with revenue streams spanning sponsorships, ticketing, and direct-to-consumer platforms. Having reached a scale where complexity has outpaced the current finance infrastructure, leadership has decided to invest in a dedicated Finance Director role. The business is now seeking a Finance Director to establish financial rigour and provide the strategic insight needed to navigate the next phase of growth.

The Role
Reporting to the Managing Director, you will lead the finance function and sit as a key member of the senior leadership team. This is both a strategic and operational role: you will build financial capability from the ground up, create reporting that drives commercial decisions, and work closely with teams across production, partnerships, and content to ensure margin awareness and cost discipline without compromising on ambition.

• Establish financial planning, forecasting, and reporting frameworks that reflect the business model-event-led revenue, sponsorship, and digital income streams
• Partner with operational leads to analyse event profitability, pricing strategy, and working capital efficiency
• Build and lead a small finance team, setting standards for process, accuracy, and insight
• Provide the Managing Director and Board with clear, timely financial analysis and scenario modelling
• Own statutory accounts, audit liaison, corporation tax planning, and compliance
• Design management accounts and KPI dashboards that track cash, margin, and performance against plan
• Lead implementation of improved accounting systems and controls as the business scales

What we are looking for

• ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified
• 5+ years in a senior finance role within media, events, entertainment, or similar project-based, revenue-generative businesses
• Ability to balance financial discipline with commercial reality in a fast-moving environment
• Experience building finance teams and embedding process in growing organisations
• Strong Excel skills and comfort with financial systems; experience with reporting platforms a plus
• Clear communicator at all levels, from operational detail to Board conversation