Manager, Business Planning & Controls (2-year contract)

About Us

SPH Media's mission is to be the trusted source of news and lifestyle content in Singapore and Asia. One of our core purposes is to produce credible, balanced, and objective news and analysis, always with a view to uphold the public good and fostering an informed, engaged citizenry.

We welcome talented individuals to join us and grow a career in a vibrant and collaborative environment built around a culture of respect and inclusivity.

As an employer, we are committed to rewarding our people fairly and developing them in their careers.

About the Role

We are looking for a driven and detail-oriented professional to lead financial planning and control activities across the business. This role covers revenue forecasting, cost management, and performance tracking to support sustainable business growth.

You will combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution, overseeing areas such as revenue and cost adjustments, system and product setup, and ensuring data accuracy across platforms. Working closely with Finance and commercial teams, you will provide meaningful insights and reporting to support day-to-day decisions and longer-term planning.

The role also involves establishing and maintaining robust performance tracking (daily, weekly, and monthly) to ensure targets are met and operational processes remain well-controlled and efficient.

Please note that this role is on a 2-year contract.

Roles and Responsibilities

Business Performance & Reporting

• Support revenue and cost forecasting, budgeting, and target setting, including developing financial models and simulations to assess cost–revenue impact.
• Prepare and deliver regular performance reports covering revenue, cost, and key business metrics.
• Monitor revenue, expenses, and sales performance to identify trends, provide actionable insights, and recommend initiatives (e.g., targeted incentives) to drive business outcomes.
• Support company-wide requests for revenue-related information, ranging from data extraction to development of dashboards and reports (e.g., in Salesforce or Tableau).
• Validate user-generated reports to ensure data accuracy, provide guidance, and recommend corrective actions where discrepancies are identified.
• Develop and maintain calculators to support Sales Teams incentive claims across various schemes (e.g., SIP, spot incentives).
• Undertake additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned.

Revenue/Cost Operations & Adjustments

• Review, gatekeep, and process revenue and cost adjustments to ensure compliance with accounting policies and principles.
• Ensure proper documentation, justification, and approval for all adjustments in line with governance standards.

System Setup & Process Management

• Support system and product setup/configuration for new revenue streams and initiatives (e.g., subscription billing in SMAP/Adpoint), in consultation with Finance and business stakeholders to ensure accurate accounting treatment and proper performance tracking.
• Ensure data accuracy, timely updates, and alignment across operational and financial systems.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams (e.g., Tech, system administrators, product owners) to enhance or update system functionalities in response to evolving business needs.

Who we are looking for

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related discipline.
• 6–10 years of relevant experience in business planning, commercial operations, FP&A, or revenue/performance management roles, preferably within a revenue-driven environment.
• Experience in media, advertising, or other fast-paced, customer- or sales-led industries is an advantage.
• Proven track record of partnering with commercial or sales teams to drive revenue growth and performance outcomes.
• Prior experience in a managerial or supervisory role is a plus (preferred for Senior Manager level).
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related discipline.

Technical & Functional Skills

• Strong financial modelling, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Good understanding of revenue recognition, cost management, and financial controls.
• Hands-on experience with reporting and data visualisation tools (e.g., Salesforce, Tableau, or similar platforms).
• Comfortable working with large datasets; proficiency in Excel is essential.
• Experience in system implementation, process improvement, or automation initiatives is advantageous.

Business & Stakeholder Skills

• Strong business partnering skills, with the ability to work effectively across Finance, Sales, and Tech teams.
• Good communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment, with a positive and collaborative approach.
• Comfortable engaging and working with stakeholders across different levels of the organisation.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities effectively.

Leadership & Mindset

• Self-driven and adaptable, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• For more senior candidates: ability to lead initiatives, drive process enhancements, and mentor or guide team members.