Senior Finance Business Partner – Direct Costs

Informa is a leading academic publishing, business intelligence, knowledge, and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

Taylor & Francis is one of the world’s largest publishers of high-quality, peer reviewed scholarly journals, books, e-books and reference works. We empower learners, thinkers and doers with trusted knowledge that advances research and enriches lives. We bring together diverse people, ideas and opinions to validate and publish the experts, theories and truths that matter. And we’ve been doing this in an unbroken arc since 1798.

Our purpose is to foster human progress through knowledge. We strongly believe that this requires us to encourage and examine different ideas and voices, so that any work that meets our exacting levels of quality deserves to be included in our publications. This requires open minds, the opportunity for robust debate, and the courage to defend perspectives that stand up to scrutiny, even if they conflict with our personal beliefs or values. Because that’s the only way to find the best obtainable version of the truth and, ultimately, foster human progress. If you agree, then we’d love to hear from you.

What we offer in return

At Taylor & Francis we care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. You will be joining a thriving business, working alongside an exceptional group of people. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about.

The Senior Finance Business Partner – Direct Costs is a strategic finance role supporting Taylor & Francis's key direct cost lines including editorial operations, marketing activities, and production/manufacturing operations. This position provides financial leadership and business partnering across journals editorial costs, peer review processes, direct marketing expenditure, author royalties, production costs, manufacturing operations, inventory management, and supply chain costs. The successful candidate will work closely with functional leadership to optimise investment decisions, drive ROI, improve operational efficiency, and support strategic decision-making across Taylor & Francis's portfolio of over 2,700 journals and extensive book publishing operations.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Partnership: Serve as the primary finance business partner to key direct cost line leaders, providing financial insights, analysis, and strategic guidance to support decision-making across content acquisition, marketing investments, and production/manufacturing operations.

Cost Management & Reporting: Own the financial planning, forecasting, and reporting for all key direct cost lines, ensuring accurate and comprehensive financial information for executive leadership and supporting data-driven decision-making.

Budget Planning & Control: Lead the annual budgeting/planning process and monthly forecasting for direct cost centres, collaborating with functional leaders to develop robust budgets aligned with strategic priorities and ensuring effective cost controls throughout the year.

Performance Analytics & ROI: Develop and maintain comprehensive KPIs and performance metrics including marketing ROI, production efficiency, manufacturing costs per unit, inventory turnover, and supply chain effectiveness, providing regular insights to drive operational improvements.

Investment Appraisal: Evaluate investment proposals for new journal launches, editorial initiatives, marketing campaigns, capital expenditure, process improvements, and technology investments, providing detailed financial analysis and ROI assessments to support business cases.

Supplier & Vendor Analysis: Partner with Procurement to analyse supplier performance, negotiate cost structures, and assess vendor contracts, ensuring optimal value from key supplier relationships.

Process Improvement: Identify opportunities for cost reduction and process efficiency improvements across the value chain, from content creation through to final delivery, including supporting the financial analysis of the ongoing transition from print to digital publishing.

Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with Commercial, Technology, Operations, HR, and Legal teams to understand the financial implications of business decisions, new product development, and changes to publishing workflows or business models.

Key Competencies and Skills

Financial Acumen: Strong commercial awareness with ability to translate complex financial data into clear business insights and excellent analytical skills with meticulous attention to detail.

Ownership & Accountability: Takes full ownership of their designated business area, becoming the definitive subject matter expert. Demonstrates deep immersion in the numbers and operational drivers to provide immediate, confident responses to leadership queries. Proactively identifies issues and opportunities through intimate knowledge of performance trends.

Business Partnering: Proven ability to build trusted, collaborative relationships with non-finance stakeholders. Strong influencing and consultative skills at senior management level with ability to challenge constructively.

Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with ability to present financial information clearly to diverse audiences. Confident in facilitating discussions and driving consensus on financial matters.

Strategic Thinking: Ability to balance strategic perspective with detailed financial analysis. Forward-thinking approach to identifying opportunities and mitigating risks.

Curiosity & Continuous Learning: Intellectually curious with genuine interest in understanding the publishing business. Proactive in seeking to understand operational processes and business drivers. Asks insightful questions to uncover opportunities for improvement.

Data Analysis & Project Management: Strong data manipulation and modelling skills with ability to identify actionable insights. Excellent organisational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities. Operates with pace and urgency, maintaining momentum without unnecessary delays.

Adaptability: Comfortable delivering results in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Resilient and solution-focused approach to challenges.

Requirements

Professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent) – Essential; Demonstrable and credible progressive finance experience, with some of that spent in a business partnering or FP&A role, ideally within a matrix organisation.; Proven experience managing complex cost structures and marketing budgets, with demonstrated ability to conduct ROI analysis; Track record of influencing senior stakeholders and driving business performance through financial insights; Experience working in a matrix organisation; Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (financial modelling, scenario analysis, complex formulas); Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or similar); Experience with business intelligence and reporting tools (Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent); Solid grasp of accrual accounting, cost accounting principles (including standard costing, variance analysis), and cost allocation methodologies

Nice to have

Understanding of publishing industry economics, particularly editorial, marketing, and production cost structures; Knowledge of manufacturing and supply chain financial management; Familiarity with royalty accounting and inventory management

Benefits

An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture; 25 days annual leave per year plus a day off for your birthday; 3 additional discretionary days off during the holiday season at the end of the year; 4 paid volunteering days each year; Company funded single cover private medical insurance; Employee assistance programme – offering 24/7 well-being support; Share Match – Plan that matches every share purchased with two free shares.; Pension scheme; Life assurance, plus optical and medical care