TV and Digital Division Controller

Description

WRAL/WRAZ and Digital are seeking an experienced and team-oriented accounting professional to process and manage all operational financial aspects of the company’s broadcast television and digital activities.

Responsibilities include all phases of general accounting, including budgeting and forecasting, management reporting and general ledger, traffic systems, customer collections and vendor payments, fixed assets, payroll, and updating and maintaining efficient and effective internal processes and controls. Responsibilities also include managing and developing a team of approximately four accounting personnel.  

We are looking for someone who thrives at being a “strategic partner” to the WRAL/WRAZ  TV and Digital VP/ General Manager and other key managers with an emphasis on setting each other up for success. Working experience should include demonstrated ability to assist business unit and corporate office personnel in decision support for key aspects of the business - including understanding and illustrating industry, market and/or business trends; and the ability to proactively identify core business opportunities via effective operational and contractual projections and analysis.

Working characteristics must include strong ethics, interpersonal skills, creativity, judgment, organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines. Must be able to think conceptually and translate concepts into practical solutions. Must be an effective communicator and embrace a continuous improvement culture.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A.  Serve as a key member of station management teams, fully supporting the employees in those business units on financial/business matters (roughly 60% of job)

• Become a strategic partner to the VP General Manager/ Station Manager and other Department Heads by providing meaningful decision support analysis to help them effectively manage the business/ department.
• Provide VP/General Managers with all necessary financial information and reports for decision making relating to revenue, expense, capital, overtime, etc.  These reports must be clear, reliable, and contextual, with variance analysis included.
• Create robust analytical projections for future projects, including such things as programming, sales commission structures, correlation between ratings and revenue, and trends of local/local agency business.  

B.  Responsible for Monthly Close and Annual Budget for WRALTV, WRAZ and Digital (roughly 30% of job)

• Manage Assistant Controller in monthly closing process ensuring accuracy and completeness of all station financial records and subledgers, including payroll registers, receivables and payables, fixed assets, general ledger, all balance sheet accounts, and management reports in the financial systems.
• Distribute timely monthly financial statements and management reports, with thoughtful analysis/narratives and recommendations where appropriate.
• Review monthly financials including explanation of material variance analysis with VP/General Manager.  
• Provide financial guidance and support for station department heads and staff on key initiatives.
• Prepare timely monthly revenue and expense forecasts for management and Corporate F&A, detailing any variances in revenue or expenses from one forecast to next.
• Submit monthly dashboards to Corporate F&A analysis, continually improving the KPI’s and metrics used by management to manage the business. Identify opportunities to operate stations more efficiently and effectively financially.
• Identify opportunities to update and strengthen internal processes and controls, both from an accounting and a general business perspective.

C.  Lead Annual 5-year projections WRAL TV, WRAZ and Digital (roughly 10% of job)

• Lead and own development of 5-year projections, working with TV VP/General Ledger, Director of Sales to develop extensive national, local revenue projections.
• Work with Other Department Heads to develop sound 5-year expense projections, understanding material changes in expenses (contracts, capex, political/Olympic/Superbowl expenses)
• Provide analysis of reliable 5-year projections to TV management and Corporate F&A, including comparisons to prior year projections.  

D.  Serve as the station interface with the CBC Corporate teams, fully supporting the CEO, Corporate Finance & Accounting, and Human Resources teams as needed on regular and special projects (roughly 15% of job)

• Business & Financial Analysis – be available to create or edit financial or other analyses relating to the stations as needed, including relating to major contract renewals (research services, syndicated programming contracts, etc.) and major station revenue or expense trends (i.e., core advertising, political advertising, key metrics, budget and forecast variances, etc.), to the extent corporate requests information not already prepared by the station business unit teams.
• General Insurance Ownership and Support – proactively collaborate with Corporate F&A - on both annual renewals and new station initiatives/practices - to ensure station property, liability, and other general insurance needs are sound from both a business unit and corporate office perspective.
• Hosted Payroll Ownership and Support – proactively collaborate with station personnel, F&A and HR as appropriate to anticipate any new station practices or initiatives/needs and/or to collaborate to help solve any ADP errors or upgrades.

Successful candidates will have experience:

• Experience in leading an accounting team.
• Extensive experience in developing budgets, forecasts, and strategic 5-year plans.
• Leading/influencing across functional teams that are outside of finance/accounting.
• Being proactive and taking ownership of projects and initiatives with minimal oversight.
• Extensive experience in providing meaningful decision support analysis to upper management. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS or BA degree in accounting or business from a four-year college or university, CPA License preferred.
• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in accounting/finance management, 3 years in public accounting experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including intermediate/advanced Excel analytical and modeling capabilities.
• Experience as a user of Oracle Cloud Financials preferred Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service and Oracle SmartView /Hyperion a plus.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills.

 A pre-employment drug screening is required.  EOE, M/F. All Capitol Broadcasting Company properties are tobacco free. Capitol Broadcasting Company participates in E-Verify.

Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WRAL-FM, WRAL-HD2, WNGT-CD, WCMC-FM, WCMC-HD1, WDNC-AM, WCMC-HD2, WCMC-HD3, WCLY-AM, WCMC-HD4, Microspace, WRAL Digital and Wolfpack Sports Properties (a joint venture with Learfield) in Raleigh, NC; WILM-TV, WILT-LD and Sunrise Broadcasting in Wilmington, NC; The Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Bull City Hospitality, and Coastal Plain League in Durham, NC; The Holly Springs Salamanders in Holly Springs, NC; the American Underground startup hub in Durham, NC; and real estate interests including the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham, NC, and Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC.