SVP, Finance Television Studios and Network Entertainment

Job Description

ABOUT US:

CBS Studios is one of the industry's leading suppliers of programming with more than 70 series currently in production across broadcast and cable networks, streaming services, and other emerging platforms. The Studio's expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, genre-defining franchises, including the ever-growing ''Star Trek'' universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, and an extensive library of iconic intellectual property.

DESCRIPTION:

Reporting relationship: Reports to COO & CFO, CBS Entertainment Group

Key Business Partners: President, CBS Network Entertainment, President, CBS Television Studios, President, Global Content Licensing and leadership team, Network Advertising Sales, Studio and Network Business Affairs, Production, Global Business Services, Human Resources Leadership and other areas in Finance as appropriate

Key Finance Partners: All Corporate CFO Direct reports, including Controller, Corporate Finance and Planning, Finance Technology Leader, Tax and Treasury; Internal Audit

Ideal Background: Previous experience in leading Television Studio and Network Entertainment Finance teams and a major media company

Role description

The SVP Finance is a key strategic business partner to the Studio and Network Entertainment Presidents. The role is responsible for long range planning, annual budgeting, monthly forecasting, management reporting for the CBS Television Studios and Network Entertainment (Primetime, Late Night, Daytime). In this capacity, the finance leader will drive profitable growth through meaningful, data-driven decision support while ensuring that sound fiscal discipline is in place. The role will play a critical part in helping the Entertainment Group CFO as well as the Studio and Network Entertainment Presidents achieve annual budget targets including Revenue, Profit and Cash, and any other targets specified in the annual budget. The role will also be responsible for ensuring the divisions remain within its annual headcount and overhead budget.

The role will coordinate closely the Global Head of Content Licensing and the Finance business lead in determining the value and strategy behind content licensing decisions. The SVP Finance will work closely with the Head of Production to ensure that all production budgets are met. The role will work with multiple revenue leads and divisional finance leads to determine the group-wide profitability of our content which is critical for strategic decision making. The SVP Finance will work with a cross functional team in determining our annual Network Schedule.

The role will also be responsible for managing, motivating and developing their own Finance team. They will need to help allocate their team's time, focus them on the right work, provide constructive evaluations and feedback, support their professional development through appropriate business/finance training and apprenticeship, and help create compelling career paths. As a Senior leader within the Finance team, this position is instrumental in creating an inspiring team environment with an open communication culture.

Specific responsibilities include:
• Provide strong leadership of the Studio and Network Entertainment Groups, taking responsibility for improving all aspects of its financial management
• Manage, motivate and develop their Finance teams, by fostering professional impact and a culture of feedback, development, support and growth
• Initiate and develop broad financial strategies to help frame the business plan for groups, and align it with the broader organizational objectives
• Act as a business lead to the groups, providing decision support for global licensing and distribution revenues to help achieve business goals and objectives
• Drive and accelerate growth, improve margins and improve working capital through process improvements and use of innovative technology
• Provide a framework of overall financial discipline, against which financial planning and control is exercised
• Create a rigorous and robust financial management capability and demonstrate a hands-on approach of understanding and challenging the business
• Create and maintain an integrated view of financial performance and KPI's
• In collaboration with Corporate Finance, Content Finance Business Leads, Human Resources, and other Revenue Business Leads, prepare the long-range plan, annual budget, and monthly forecasts in accordance with the policies and standards set by Corporate Finance
• Develop tools and techniques to improve underperforming commercial accounts while collaborating with operational leaders
• Prepare and deliver management reporting, including the standard management reporting package, as well as ad-hoc management reporting
• Oversee cash collections, capital spend as well as other working capital for to ensure cash flow meets plan
• Partner with Human Resources to ensure adherence to compensation and headcount budgets
• Support Controllership to ensure accuracy, timeliness and transparency in accounting decisions, that US GAAP is properly applied, and the efficacy of internal controls as required under U.S. Sarbanes Oxley legislation.
• Ensure their organization adheres to the policies and processes set by the functional leaders of Accounts Payable, Travel & Expense, Payroll, Tax, or Treasury
• Collaborate with other groups, such as Finance Technology Leader and IT, to implement/enhance large systems such as ERP/General Ledger or content licensing systems

QUALIFICATIONS:

Qualifications
• 15+ Years of progressive experience in finance, including at least 7 years of experience in an FP&A role ideally with at least some experience in a senior finance role at a media and entertainment company
• Experience at a streaming company or a streaming division within a media company is a plus
• Bachelors Degree, Finance or Accounting preferred
• Demonstrated experience navigating a complex and challenging business environment
• Highly analytical, able to synthesize data and provide insightful narratives
• Strong project management, organizational skills, attention to detail and work ethic
• Results-oriented with ability to balance multiple assignments at a time in a fast-paced environment to achieve desired result
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to convey information to a variety of internal and external audiences

JOB CATEGORY: Finance

FUNCTION: Finance/Accounting

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-r023m6-3-149-214-32-42 in your application.