HarperCollins Publishers UK
Commercial Manager, Collins
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Application Deadline: 31 July 2026
Department: Finance
Location: London
Description
Collins has been publishing educational and informative books since 1819. This role will manage the division’s commercial finance team, that supports Collins with its broad breadth of publishing ranging from educational and language resources, dictionaries, atlases, general reference, and children’s nonfiction. The role will include, but is not limited to, preparation of investment cases for acquisitions, profitability reviews, annual budget preparation, month-end analysis and reporting, monthly forecasting, and regular reporting to licensors (e.g., Disney, National Trust, Mattel). You will work closely with the senior publishing team including the Executive Publishers and the Managing Director. Deputise for the Commercial Director as required.
Key Responsibilities
Team Management (1 direct report)
- Coach financial analyst to identify and work through knowledge gaps and areas for improvement.
- Delegate efficiently and effectively to develop and challenge the team.
Forecasting and Budgeting
- Planning the budget and forecast process to ensure accurate delivery and reporting to key stakeholders.
- Ensuring accuracy of submissions, uploads, and reports, demonstrating careful attention to detail and developing a culture of self-assessment and review.
- Applying the principle of continuous improvement in budget/forecast (and other) reporting and striving to incorporate high-quality insight and analysis.
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Acquisitions
- Attend acquisitions meetings, be the first point of contact for editorial staff for acquisition queries, and, in consultation with the Commercial Director, advise on best practice for offers and cost improvements. Liaise with sales, marketing, production, design, and the contracts team as required.
- Ensure that acquisition P&Ls are prepared in a timely and accurate manner and that the relevant stakeholders have a full understanding of the commercial implications for each title.
Financial Reporting
- Manage the month-end process ensuring the team completes retro provisions, plant accruals, subscription deferrals, cost center accruals, and marketing accruals in sufficient time for detailed review prior to group submission.
- Lead the team in identifying significant variances to budget and/or forecast and analyzing the reasons for these variances. Consider the impact for forecasting and future planning.
- Ensure timely preparation of reports for monthly divisional executive meetings, including month-end commercial reports and post-publication reviews.
- Ad hoc analysis and support of the division, either performed personally or delegated within the team, including, but not limited to:
- Regular monthly reporting on the performance of individual sales reps against targets.
- Preparation and presentation of results for divisional strategy meetings.
- Management of the annual price review process.
- Long-term profitability analysis of individual departments/series.
- Analysis of costs and ROI – production, marketing, plant, royalties.
- Attendance at print, reprint, and excess stock meetings to give financial guidance and to further your understanding of costs, retail behavior, and risk.
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Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
Qualifications & Experience
- Qualified ACA/ACCA/CIMA
- Experience of budgeting and forecasting
- Proven business partnering experience
- Proven experience of presenting financial information to non-finance staff
- Team management experience
Skills
- Mature and confident with the gravitas to work with and influence Board level, non-finance staff
- Highly numerate and detail-oriented
- Self-starter who can generate ideas and take the initiative in making improvements and developing strategy
- Excellent administrator who takes pride in being organized
- Advanced Excel skills
- Ability to work under pressure and adapt to shifting deadlines
- Collaborative and empathetic
- Strong sense of accountability
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