Senior Finance Business Partner – Direct Costs

Company Description

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. 

Job Description

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.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Education & Professional Experience

• 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

Technical Skills

• 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

Industry Knowledge (Desirable)

• 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

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.

Additional Information

We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. That's why we work in-person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at conference – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely.

Our Milton Park office will be relocating to Oxford city centre in late 2027 / early 2028, offering an exciting new workplace in the heart of the city.

Closing Date: Applications will close on Tuesday 1 September 2026.

What we offer in return: 

• 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

Being Yourself at Taylor & Francis 

If you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and make a contribution regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life. 

Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non-merit based factor. 

We genuinely care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. 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. To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: http://www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/careers 

Or better yet check out our LinkedIn ‘Life’ Page, highlighting our accomplishments, employees, and company culture. It’s also a good way of meeting our recruitment team, who will be happy to advise you on your journey here at T&F. 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/taylor-&-francis-group/life/79e0c27c-afdf-4bbb-84e6-5f8ed5e10bb8/ 

We know that sometimes the 'perfect candidate' doesn't exist, and that people can be put off applying for a job if they don't fit all the requirements. If you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could be just what we need! We believe strongly in the value of diversity and creating supportive, inclusive environments where our colleagues can succeed.  As such, Informa is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, national origin, religion, or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, citizenship, or other protected characteristics under local law.    This role may also be available on a flexible working or part time basis – please ask the Talent Acquisition team for more information. 

To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: https://taylorandfrancis.com/careers/