Senior Financial Accountant

Job Details

ROLE: Senior Financial Accountant

CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-Time

DEPARTMENT: Finance

LOCATION: North Sydney, Hybrid

WORKING RIGHTS: Candidates must have Australian full working rights

About BBC Studios ANZ

Working for BBC Studios, we are all part of a premium content and production company that inspires global audiences. We are proud to represent some of the world's biggest, most trusted and loved content brands. In Australia and New Zealand, we bring the best of bold, British storytelling to our region through distributing content to broadcasters, our seven branded services on subscription platforms and our own local production arm, as well as other commercial partnerships such as live entertainment and licensing.

Our Values: Audiences. Creativity. Trust. Respect. Accountability. One BBC.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Finance Manager, ANZ, managing the Actuals & Reporting finance function, this role will be responsible for leading the day-to-day financial control, statutory reporting and governance activities for BBC Studios' ANZ operations. You will ensure the accuracy and integrity of the ANZ financial statements and general ledger, support the monthly and year-end close, maintain robust balance sheet governance, and deliver local statutory accounts, audit and regulatory requirements. This role will support the implementation of ICFR policies and processes locally and provide timely technical accounting advice and escalation to the Finance Manager, ANZ.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Support and coordinate the ANZ financial close and reporting process, working closely with the Finance Manager, ANZ and the wider Finance team to deliver:
  • Accurate and timely month-end and year-end accounts;
  • ANZ results and reporting inputs for APAC consolidated group accounts;
  • Provides analysis, interpretation and variance commentary of ANZ results;
  • Annual statutory financial statements for all required ANZ entities, including all required disclosures;
  • Technical accounting reviews for ANZ corporate entities; and
  • Ad hoc analysis and support for ANZ, APAC and global finance activities and projects.
• Own the quality and completeness of balance sheet reconciliations and account substantiation, ensuring reconciling items are investigated, resolved and escalated where required, open items are cleared on a timely basis, and control processes and review disciplines support the financial integrity of the account balances across multiple entities.
• Manage the day-to-day performance of the outsourced provider team supporting ANZ Finance, setting delivery timelines and quality standards, knowledge transfer, coordinating issue resolution, and driving agreed process efficiencies and workflow simplification to support accurate period-end and year-end close.
• Support the day-to-day accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable and debt collection activities within ANZ, drawing on support from the Group financial operations and Credit Control teams, and liaising with business stakeholders and external parties as required.
• Support the ANZ payroll process in collaboration with the HR team and external payroll provider, ensuring payroll is processed in accordance with all legislative requirements and deadlines, journal and banking files are reviewed and approved, and funding is completed by the relevant payroll payment deadlines.
• Support the A&R function to perform activities required to fulfil local statutory obligations for tax and audit filings across ANZ, inclusive of:
  • ANZ Annual Income tax and FBT returns, together with tax accounting entries
  • Monthly BAS return and manage withholding tax process across all markets
  • Review payroll tax reconciliation and wages declaration for payroll statutory compliance
  • Work with A&R team and external auditors to deliver on the annual audit process in ANZ
• Partner closely with regional and global finance teams to support consistent reporting, resolve technical issues and ensure alignment with group policies and requirements.
• Implement and monitor the Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) and broader governance framework across ANZ, identifying control gaps, driving agreed remediation and escalating material deficiencies to the Head of Financial Reporting and Controls, APAC.
• Review the application of significant accounting judgements in accordance with BBC policies and relevant accounting standards, providing practical technical accounting advice and escalating complex matters to the Head of Financial Reporting and Controls, APAC.

Job Scope

Business Partnering

• Provide financial management and advisory support to the ANZ business, focusing on actuals, financial controls and statutory matters.
• Provide support on the accounting, tax and control implications of contracts, new business cases and business decisions for the ANZ business.

Reporting Transformation & Automation

• Develop, document and maintain standardised reporting templates and improve workflows across the ANZ A&R team through standardisation, automation and simplification.
• Engage with wider Finance teams to support the development of system tools including approved AI accounting tools, self-service reporting and automated dashboards, to minimise processing work and strengthen the ANZ A&R team's ability to provide value-added finance support.

Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Document reporting processes and establish best-practice reporting standards across areas of responsibility.
• Champion and reinforce Global Finance policies, accounting guidelines, procedures and financial controls and collaborate with members of the wider finance community to promote best practice and deliver continuous improvement, with an aim to maximise the impact of finance.

Staff Management

• Develop the outsourced finance team, including remotely located team members where applicable.

Scope & Impact

• Accountable for the day-to-day financial integrity and operational effectiveness of BBC Studios' multi-entity and multi-division ANZ operations, subject to oversight with the Finance Manager, ANZ.
• Supports the ANZ A&R accounting team and coordinates outsourced service providers.
• Supports the ANZ audit engagement and is accountable for timely resolution of audit requests and findings.
• Operates across ANZ, APAC and global teams, escalating material accounting, tax, control and compliance matters to the Finance Manager, ANZ or the relevant regional specialist.

Key Relationships

• APAC Finance Director
• Head of Financial Reporting and Controls, APAC
• Finance Manager, ANZ
• ANZ Business leadership, including any directors and officers of the ANZ entities
• APAC Finance Team, including the Actuals and Reporting (A&R) and Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) teams across APAC time zones.
• Corporate Finance, Group Finance, Treasury, International Tax, BLA, Internal Audit and other global stakeholders. Most global stakeholders are UK based so you will be required to manage different time zones.
• Outsourced Record-to-Report (R2R) TCS team.
• Finance Operations and systems teams
• External advisors, auditors and relevant regulatory stakeholders

Knowledge, Skills & Education

• Degree qualified in Finance, Business, Accounting or a related discipline.
• Professional accounting qualification required, CA preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills and the ability to work effectively with a broad range of reporting, reconciliation, and workflow tools - experience using AI in reporting processes is a plus.
• Exposure to large ERP platforms (SAP preferred) and the ability to understand, interpret and communicate complex financial data to a range of audiences.
• Strong technical accounting and financial control skills, with sound knowledge of IFRS and the practical application of accounting judgements and controls within a complex, cross-border and multi-entity business.
• Strong knowledge of ANZ statutory reporting, taxation and regulatory requirements.
• Strong operational understanding of accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll processes and associated controls.
• Highly developed analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills, supported by strong attention to detail and a disciplined approach to delivery.
• Proactive, self-motivated and comfortable operating with appropriate autonomy.
• The ability to manage competing priorities while delivering high-quality outcomes.
• A continuous improvement mindset and a genuine interest in making work more efficient.

Professional Experience

• At least five years' relevant financial accounting experience.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and reviewing monthly management accounts, statutory financial statements, consolidated reporting outputs and compliance deliverables.
• Experience supporting audit processes and working with external advisers, regulators or group stakeholders on technical accounting and compliance matters.
• Experience operating within a complex, matrixed or international organisation, ideally with exposure to multi-entity and cross-border environments.

Perks and Benefits

• 25 days of annual leave
• 18 weeks paid parental leave
• 2 days volunteer leave per year
• Annual Flu Vaccinations
• Annual Skin Checks
• Employee Assistance Program and Wellbeing resources
• Access to Coaching programmes and numerous learning courses
• Complimentary BritBox Subscription