Job Title: Artist Services Finance Director – WMX
Contract Type: 10 months (Paternity Leave Cover)
A little bit about our team:
WMX Finance sits right at the commercial heartbeat of Europe's Artist Services, powering the financial engine behind world-class talent. We manage the end-to-end data, financial reporting, and operational insights across high-energy, multi-channel pillars - spanning global Tour, cutting-edge eCommerce, Retail, Licensing, and exclusive VIP fan experiences.
Your role:
Reporting directly to the WMX Senior Director, Global Merch Finance, you won't just be keeping the seat warm; you will step in as a critical strategic co-pilot and leadership pillar for the business leads driving our diverse artist services portfolio. In this pivotal 10-month chapter, you will take full ownership of our financial rhythm, guide a focused team, and deliver high-impact commercial clarity during a fast-paced, transformative phase for the business.
Here you'll get to:
•Lead & Inspire: Directly lead, mentor, and empower a high-performing finance team of two.
•Command Month-End: Own and orchestrate the full monthly close process across our dynamic ecosystem of WMX entities.
•Shape Financial Trajectories: Steer robust P&L forecasts, cash flow models, and annual budgets across all operational arms.
•Deliver Strategic Commentary: Appraise budgets, forecasts, and actuals, cutting through variances to present incisive commercial commentary to leadership.
•Drive Merchandise Accounting Integrity: Interrogate the extension ledger to guarantee all artist merchandise entries clear precisely to their respective label profit centers.
•Champion Executive Insights: Deliver sharp, analytical reviews of operational and financial performance directly to senior management.
•Uphold Accounting Rigor: Lead the rollout and practical implementation of technical accounting policies across our operations.
•Navigate Complex Tax Environments: Steer VAT submissions across all business verticals, serving as the authority on cross-border tax compliance and structuring.
•Meet with commercial and label leads regarding commercial strategy, providing financial modeling for new ventures, and advise on VAT handling for live events and popup stores in the UK/EU, depending on the model used (undisclosed vs. disclosed).
•Reviewing and approving artist statements while ensuring all recoupable costs are accounted for correctly.
•Accelerate System Transformation: Play a front-line role in our ongoing Finance Transformation - untangling implementation hurdles, testing critical inputs/outputs, and optimising systems for scale.
•Partner with Commercial Leaders: Embed alongside WMX business heads to remove friction, smash deadlines, and deliver on core milestones.
•Fuel Deal-Making & Commercial Strategy: Build granular financial analyses and evaluate high-stakes artist deals to steer executive decision-making.
•Own Continuous Improvement: Spearhead process optimisation initiatives that make workflows faster, cleaner, and more scalable.
•Fortify Internal Controls: Champion governance by maintaining and enforcing watertight SOX compliance frameworks.
•Protect Artist Trust: Oversee the integrity of artist statement data to uphold reporting accuracy for our roster.
•Master Complex Data: Tackle large-scale data reconciliations, financial modeling, and bespoke ad-hoc investigations to answer urgent business questions.
About you:
•Fully Qualified: ACA, ACCA, or CIMA certified with a stellar track record spanning 10+ years in progressive finance roles.
•Proven People Leader: Experienced in steering, coaching, and getting the best out of finance talent.
•Technically Grounded: Deep technical accounting pedigree paired with hands-on audit pedigree (internal or external).
•Planning Pro: Extensive experience architecting sophisticated budgets, forecasts, and cash-flow roadmaps.
•Sharp Problem Solver: Highly analytical thinker who instinctively dissects complex commercial problems with logic, precision, and speed.
•Fast-Paced Operator: Proven ability to thrive and pivot gracefully under tight turnaround times in dynamic, creative industries.
•Excel Power User: Exceptional advanced modeling and spreadsheet capabilities with zero compromise on data accuracy.
•Collaborative & Agile: A driven, proactive team player who brings high energy, flexibility, and decisive ownership to every project.
We'd love it if you also had:
•Hands-on experience navigating SAP (such as SAP S/4HANA)
•A strong track record managing external audit engagements from inception to sign-off.
•Direct exposure to large-scale finance transformations, system rollouts, or operational process re-engineering.
As the home to 10K Projects, Asylum, Atlantic Music Group, East West, FFRR, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Warner Records, Warner Classics, and several other of the world's premier recording labels, Warner Music Group champions emerging artists and global superstars alike. Its renowned publishing company, Warner Chappell Music, represents genre-spanning songwriters and producers through a catalog of more than one million copyrights worldwide. Warner Music Group is also home to ADA, which supports the independent community, as well as artist services division WMX. In addition, WMG counts film and television storytelling powerhouse Warner Music Entertainment among its many brands.
This position requires a minimum of 3 days per week in the office. We value in-office collaboration, which is essential for talent development and strong working relationships.
