Finance Business Partner

Roles & Responsibilities

A job with Merlin isn’t like a job anywhere else. With attractions around the world, from rollercoasters to wax figures, we don’t trade in suits, handshakes or briefcases. We trade in fun. In smiles, shrieks, and spine-tingles. In Memories. In magic. But there are no tricks behind our magic. Instead, there are people like you. Passionate, dedicated people who are committed to making sure our worldwide attractions and guests’ experiences are the best they can be.

Merlin - Miday North America is looking for a Finance Business Partner to join their Finance Team. This a Hybrid position (remote/in-office) based in Orlando.

About The Role

As a Finance Business Partner you will support an operational team to deliver business targets and budgets; provide your business partners with solid analysis and proposed business solutions that drive conversations in leadership meetings regarding driving efficiencies and challenging the norm; review internal and external factors to provide information, insight and tools to take the business forward; recognize the need to work closely with other functions and you are working hard to build, maintain and harness these relationships and be an advocate of the Merlin Way, demonstrating our key values of taking ownership, driving innovation and ensuring we do it all for the love of FUN. Your business partners will involve you in meetings and you will be expected to provide advice and insight to support business solutions.

Compensation for the opportunity starts at 95K/year (rate is dependent upon skills and experience related to this opportunity).

In this Role you will:

• Be responsible for providing finance business partnering for key functional stakeholders including P&L support with key business decisions on pricing, yield, margins, operating costs, and profitability.
• The focus of the role is to provide overall financial insights into business drivers to deliver and develop the site’s strategic objectives and annual budget.
• Be accountable for partnering with the Finance Hub to ensure the finance processes (as defined by the Process Taxonomies) reflect accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Prepare of month end commentary, providing insights and suggestions for remedial activities.
• Review and approve balance sheet account reconciliation prepared by the Finance Hub including deferred revenue and fixed assets.
• Support the business stakeholder to ensure the correct finance processes are adopted including Capital Requests, Purchase to Pay and Order to Cash processes.
• Investigate and question reported trends in KPIs with stakeholder groups and implements mid to short term plans to maximize performance.
• Aid in supporting stakeholders through providing variance analysis and overall financial modeling to drive business decisions.
• Challenge unusual P&L movements, forecasts, and fluctuations to ensure forecast and actual financial performance is robust.
• Be accountable for the financial analysis of key business drivers using a standard suite of reporting tools via the Finance Hub and data from other internal and external sources.
• Assist business operations to manage Financial Governance and Risks and Controls as outlined by Group Policies and financial reporting standards.
• Act as the finance ambassador to build and maintain partnerships to develop strong networks across the area of responsibility.
• Able to use sound business acumen to assess new ideas, both from an operational and financial perspective and then be able to articulate the impacts with clear and meaningful recommendations.
• Support the Finance Director & Senior Business Partner by producing complex/bespoke analysis that requires sound business acumen and understanding of business trends.
• Partner with the business stakeholder to negotiate, deliver and drive sound financial vendor and customer terms through building the right external relationships for Merlin.

Qualifications & Experience

The Ideal Candidate for this Role: 

• Is Degree educated.
• Is ACCA/CIMA Qualified - (US: CPA, MBA qualification)/(UK: ACA, ACCA, CIMA). 
• Has proven and demonstrable business partnering experience or technical role within a Shared Service environment.
• Has good analytical ability with a good attention to detail.
• Ideally has experience in a consumer facing organization with a continuous improvement agenda.

Key Competencies of the Role: 

• Drive Partnerships
• Analysis and Decision Making
• Questioning and Challenging
• Communicating Effectively
• Catalyst for change
• Assists stakeholders of the functional areas in driving performance.
• Demonstrates knowledge of all the levers of finance and their impact on business performance.
• Proactively uses technical and professional skills to support others at their site. 

Benefits

About the Perks

In return, you will find a competitive salary and benefits package including affordable and robust medical, vision & dental plans, company-paid life insurance and 401(k) matching plan offering, and free entry to all of our Merlin attractions worldwide - which also extend to family and friends, and much

more.  In addition, you can expect continued growth by joining an exciting, global organization.

About Us

Merlin Entertainments is the company behind iconic brands like LEGOLAND theme parks, Madame Tussauds wax museums, SEA LIFE Aquariums, and LEGO Discovery Centers. We operate over 140 attractions across 24 countries, delivering memorable experiences to 67 million visitors a year. Our company and its people are defined by the 7 values that make up “The Merlin Way”: We love what we do, We care, We are innovative and fast-moving, We do what we say, We make every dollar count, We take ownership, and we do it all For the love of fun.

Everyone Matters at Merlin

At Merlin we welcome the world to our magical attractions and resorts every day and we want to reflect that same multicultural mix inside our business too. We strive to create an inclusive and diverse workplace where people can be themselves, have the same opportunities and thrive together. Because at Merlin, everyone matters! Together, we work to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, no matter their age, race, gender, disability or sexual orientation. Although we understand that we'll always be learning and growing, we aim to be the most inclusive and flexible employer in our industry. 

We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to perform their best at the interview, so if you have any additional requirements due to ill health or a disability, please contact our friendly team to have a discussion. You can get in contact at NAPeopleHUB@merlinentertainments.biz.

Pay Range