Senior Production Finance Manager – Theatre

About the role

We're working with a growing theatre company based in Woking, looking for a Senior Finance Manager to lead the Production Finance function and support a busy portfolio of live productions. This senior, hands‑on role oversees a team of four and combines production accounting, technical accounting, tax, cash‑flow and stakeholder management.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee weekly production reporting, providing General Managers with clear views of pre‑production costs, running profits and show‑by‑show performance.
• Lead and manage a team of three production finance professionals, ensuring timely and accurate production accounts.
• Oversee monthly management accounts, group reporting and production profit forecasts.
• Manage production, group, SPV and investor cash‑flow forecasting and reporting.
• Ensure appropriate technical accounting treatment across productions, including consolidation, equity accounting and control considerations.
• Oversee taxation and compliance, including Theatre Tax Relief and other relevant production tax matters.
• Act as a key point of contact for the annual audit, working closely with auditors and senior finance stakeholders.
• Review weekly payment runs and collaborate with purchase ledger and payroll teams to ensure effective transactional processing.
• Identify and lead process‑improvement initiatives, leveraging existing and new finance systems.

Required profile

• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified accountant.
• Strong experience within live entertainment, theatre or production finance.
• Proven experience in production accounting across multiple live productions.
• Understanding of technical accounting, taxation and compliance requirements for live productions, including Theatre Tax Relief.
• Previous line‑management experience with the ability to lead and develop a team.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities and delivering accurate work to tight deadlines.
• Experience of process improvement and finance systems.
• Must be able to commute to Woking and work in the office three days per week.

Required skills

• ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualification.
• Advanced Excel proficiency.
• Financial reporting expertise.