Senior Finance Manager
In little more than two years, Novel has become Europe’s biggest independent audio production company.
We produce premium original podcasts for the likes of the BBC, iHeartRadio, Wondery, Gimlet, Audible, Spotify, Formula One, Google and The Premier League. We achieved a simultaneous US and UK number one with Harsh Reality, about the career of the trans TV star Miriam Rivera, and have won seven awards for the Bellingcat Podcast, which focuses on the international open-sourced investigations agency. Our shows are now being optioned for TV and Film. We’re based in London, but increasingly our content starts with North America in mind. We’re a lean, hungry startup in an industry that’s expanding in every direction.
We make podcasts that are texturally rich and imaginatively fluid. We specialise in investigative and narrative documentary storytelling, but we’re also interested in comedy, politics, sport and scripted. We make shows that have intellectual bite and emotional heft. We care about awards, but care more about attracting audiences who can’t get enough of what we do. We’re fiercely commercially focused as well as fiercely creative. We think about our industry and the world differently and we’re looking for people who do the same.
From being a team of five before the pandemic, we now employ over 50 people full-time. Our staff now includes Julie Shapiro (Third Coast, Radiotopia), Austin Mitchell (NYT, Gimlet), Mythili Rao (The Guardian, WNYC) and Neil Krishnan (NBC Universal), and we’ve hired other top talent from some of the world’s leading media organisations. We’re all about excellence, and we want the very best people to work with us.About the job
We’re looking for a Senior Finance Manager with a head for heights as we enter the new phase of growth, having recently completed our Series A.
We’re a company heavily focused on business development and expansion: we’ve grown from 5 to 45 employees in under two years without external funding. We have maneuverability. But getting to our next phase will require an extra level of financial acumen and sophistication. This is where you come in.
There’ll be slate deals, complex IP arrangements, content financing, a growing staffbase and the challenges that come with running multiple bespoke projects in a fast-moving creative industry. Experience of working with investors is a definite plus, as we collaborate closely with them to achieve our plans.
A major next step for us is the launch of our Novel originals network in 2023, which will bring its own challenges and opportunities with new revenue lines in subscriptions and advertising. And as we go full-throttle into film and TV and film adaptation, we’ll also be targeting new revenue streams from Hollywood. Podcasting is a booming industry that offers immense creative flexibility, and new clients are appearing all the time. It’s also a constantly changing landscape; your job will be to help future-proof us and make sure our ambitious plans are financially rigorous and astute. You’ll be a core part of the team that we need to be our financial and strategic anchor – working intimately with our creative teams and anticipating their needs, but also rigorous about asking questions and ensuring that their plans are underpinned by the strongest of foundations. You’ll not only need to keep the business functioning, but ensure that it’s pointing in the right direction – towards growth.
For anyone looking to move away from a starchy corporate environment, this job will instantly feel fresh and involving.
About You
This is a senior role, which will see you taking responsibility for both accounting and FP&A in a scaling and complex business. You’ll need to be great at the technicalities of the job as well as being execution-oriented and operationally strong, taking ownership of change initiatives.
Alongside this you’ll also need to be someone who has prior experience working in a high growth company with a ‘start-up’ mindset, with vision, ambition and insights that can steer the thinking of an expanding media company.
Given that this is a new role and that we haven’t had an in-house finance team to date, you’ll have the chance to assist on the creation of financial systems, processes and reporting channels from the ground up. You’ll be aware of financing models, when to take on debt or issue equity, and obsessed by ways to make it happen for us. In other words, you’re someone who doesn’t merely report figures, but has deep insights into how things ought to be done. And you’ll have the drive to make them happen, as well as being able to clearly articulate how decisions have been made in order to achieve growth.
We’re looking for someone who has experience working within media, entertainment or other creative industries. You don’t need to be a specialist in audio or podcasting – but you must, of course, genuinely be interested in our world, not just the financial elements of it.
You’ll be educated to degree level in accounting or finance and ACA/ACCA qualified (or equivalent). As well as being highly proficient in accounting software, you’ll have advanced skills at Excel, Google Sheets and be tech-savvy more generally. If you have experience in Asana, that is a definite plus as this is integral to how the business is run.
You’ll have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage and deal with people of all levels, operationally strong and the ability to take ownership of change initiatives. Additionally, you’ll be approachable, friendly and adaptable, with a positive, can-do attitude and the ability to multitask.
Key Responsibilities
- Assisting in financial planning and strategy
- Analysing and reporting on financial performance
- Working on audit and tax functions
- Developing and implementing accounting policies
- Preparing forecasts and comprehensive budgets
- Reviewing departmental budgets
- Assessing, managing and minimising risk
- Analysing financial data
- Working towards monthly KPIs
- Preparing monthly management accounts to include balance sheet reconciliations, accruals and prepayments, salary control accounts, variance analysis etc.
- Preparing and reconciling the monthly payrolls, managing the relationships with the outsourced payroll providers
- Bank reconciliations and cashflow forecasting
- Investor relations, reporting and board presentations
Details
Job Title: Senior Finance Manager
Location: Emerald Street, Holborn, London / WFH (Hybrid, office attendance required)
Contract Type: Full Time, permanent
Term: Full-Time, 09:30-18:00
Start Date: ASAP
Reports to: CEO
Benefits
- 23 days of holiday per annum, plus Bank Holidays
- + 3 days company closure between Christmas and New Years
- Private Health Insurance
- Life insurance
- Income Protection Cover
- Pension scheme
- Season ticket loan
- Cycle to work scheme
- Flexible hours (work around our core hours)
- LifeWorks Access - Employee Assistance Programme
How To Apply
To apply for the role, please email jobs@novel.audio with the subject line SENIOR FINANCE MANAGER. Please include a copy of your CV and any other relevant information, as well as a cover note outlining why you’re a good candidate for the role. Please also include where you saw the position advertised.
Applicants must have the correct work permissions for the UK.
Application deadline: Tuesday 7th February 2023
_____________________
It is obvious the podcast industry needs to change and become more diverse. We are therefore particularly keen to hear from applicants that are underrepresented in the industry, such as those from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic backgrounds and those with disabilities.
_____________________
We work from our central London office. We do however operate a hybrid working policy, as well as a flexible working policy around time and location, in the hope of being as accommodating to individual circumstances as possible.
Historical Narrative Documentary Producer
In little more than two years, Novel has become Europe’s biggest independent audio production company.
We produce premium original podcasts for the likes of the BBC, iHeartRadio, Wondery, Gimlet, Audible, Spotify, Formula One, Google and The Premier League. We achieved a simultaneous US and UK number one with Harsh Reality, about the career of the trans TV star Miriam Rivera, and have won seven awards for the Bellingcat Podcast, which focuses on the international open-sourced investigations agency. Our shows are now being optioned for TV and Film. We’re based in London, but increasingly our content starts with North America in mind. We’re a lean, hungry startup in an industry that’s expanding in every direction.
We make podcasts that are texturally rich and imaginatively fluid. We specialise in investigative and narrative documentary storytelling, but we’re also interested in comedy, politics, sport and scripted. We make shows that have intellectual bite and emotional heft. We care about awards, but care more about attracting audiences who can’t get enough of what we do. We’re fiercely commercially focused as well as fiercely creative. We think about our industry and the world differently and we’re looking for people who do the same.
From being a team of five before the pandemic, we now employ over 50 people full-time. Our staff now includes Julie Shapiro (Third Coast, Radiotopia), Austin Mitchell (NYT, Gimlet), Mythili Rao (The Guardian, WNYC) and Neil Krishnan (NBC Universal), and we’ve hired other top talent from some of the world’s leading media organisations. We’re all about excellence, and we want the very best people to work with us.about the role
At Novel we’re looking for a producer with a proven track record on historical narrative documentary style shows who is confident with long form, serialised productions to join us for a 6 month period working across a show that is about to start the interviewing and structuring phase of production. Together with our host, an editor and a researcher you will be responsible for sculpting the show, leading on interviews and shaping episodes through to delivery to our post-production.
This is a show about a woman in pre-civil rights era America who broke racial boundaries and fought organised crime. You will be joining Novel’s team working alongside our talented producers at an integral point in the show.
The ideal candidates will have a great ear for audio storytelling, experience as a narrative history documentary producer and - most crucially - a solid understanding of what it takes to deliver impactful long form narrative podcasts for leading platforms, as well as original shows for a strong brand. A highly creative approach to audio production is a must. Experience editing on Reaper and Descript is a significant plus.
If this sounds like you then we want to hear from you.
details
Job Title: Long Form Narrative Producer - Historical narrative documentary
Location: Holborn, London / Hybrid (remote 2 days pw) - open to remote working, UK only
Contract Type: Freelance, 6 months
Term: Full Time, 09:30-18:00
Start Date: Asap
Reports to: Head of Production
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Podcast production
- Project management
- Episode and series/narrative structuring
- Series planning
- Talent relations
- Sourcing, liaising with and booking contributors
- Interviewing and recording contributors, both remotely and on location
- Script drafts
- Audio editing in Descript
- Music sourcing
- Devising and implementing a production schedule
- Budget management
- Admin throughout production and post production
ADDITIONAL SKILLS & PERSON SPECIFICATION
- Proven narrative experience as audio producer
- Team player with a track record of leading longform narrative podcasts
- A strong understanding of what it takes to tell powerful stories
- Passionate about podcasting and creative audio production with wide ranging listening habits
- A skilled multitasker with exceptional organisation skills
- Confidence with audio file organisation
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills
- Great communicator with junior staff, senior management, clients, interviewees and talent alike
- Creative thinker, capable of developing progressive approaches to familiar topics
- Keen problem solver – must be able to think on your feet and react quickly and calmly under pressure
- Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritise
- A self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment
- Attention to detail – everything we deliver is at a premium level
- Proficient user of G-Suite, Descript, Asana
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for the role, please email jobs@novel.audio with the subject line PRODUCER - HISTORICAL NARRATIVE and include a copy of your CV and any other relevant information. Additionally, please include a paragraph why you are a good candidate for the role and where you saw it advertised, along with examples of your work that you’re most proud of.
All applicants must the correct work permissions for full time work it the UK
Application deadline: Friday 9th February 2023
_______________________It is obvious the podcast industry needs to change and become more diverse. We are therefore particularly keen to hear from applicants that are underrepresented in the industry, such as those from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic backgrounds and those with disabilities.
_______________________
We operate a hybrid working policy, as well as a flexible working policy around time and location, in the hope of being as accommodating to individual circumstances as possible.
CV Drop
In little more than two years, Novel has become Europe’s biggest independent audio production company.
We think about our industry and the world differently and we’re looking for people who do the same. We’re all about excellence, and we want the very best people to work with us.
Want to join us in producing premium original podcasts for the likes of iHeart, Wondery, BBC, Apple, Audible, Spotify, Formula One, Google and The Premier League?
As we continue to expand in every direction, we want to hear from the very best producers, researchers, story editors, executive producers, sound designers, writers, development producers, sales types, production managers, operations pro's and more. If you think you have what we are missing in our team, let us know by emailing jobs@novel.audioIDEAL CANDIDATES
- Collaborator
- Multi tasker
- Organiser
- Dynamic creator
- Resourceful team player
- Diligent self starter
If that’s you, drop your CV into our inbox, and we’ll be in touch.