Planning a Scalable Finance Team for a Growing Indie Production Company

Client Overview

Our client is a fast growing independent media production company operating in the creative sector. With ambitious plans for expansion, the CEO (a qualified finance professional) recognised the need to create a fit-for-purpose finance function capable of keeping pace with the demands of a growing SME.

The Challenge

The business had previously hired a highly qualified finance professional from a large corporate background, but the role involved significant hands-on transactional work that didn’t match the candidate’s expectations or comfort level.

This experience led the CEO to consider splitting the role into two part-time positions:

• A junior hire to manage transactional tasks
• A senior hire to lead strategic finance

While logical, this approach would be costly and create operational complexity for a lean SME.

Our Advisory Approach

With deep experience in finance recruitment for media and creative businesses, Talentedge had seen this challenge before, and knew there was a smarter way forward.

We advised the CEO to recruit one full-time finance professional from an SME background who could:

• Manage hands-on transactional processing with confidence
• Deliver high level financial insights to senior stakeholders
• Operate with agility in a fast-paced, creative SME environment

This approach would be more cost effective, foster a cohesive finance team and ensure scalability as the company grew.

The Solution & Search Process

Leveraging our specialised network in media finance, we:

• Delivered a broad, high-quality shortlist quickly
• Provided the CEO with clear market insight and confidence in the available talent pool
• Focused on candidates with a blend of technical skill and commercial mindset suited to creative SMEs

The Outcome

After interviewing just two candidates, the CEO made a successful hire:

• A newly qualified ACA with experience in multiple media and TV production SMEs
• Comfortable working “in the weeds” of transactional finance while also preparing accounts and advising senior stakeholders
• Potential to scale with the business as it grows

Impact

• Cost-effective: One full-time hire replaced the need for two part-time roles
• Cultural fit: Deep understanding of SME pace and creative industry demands
• Scalable: Room for the hire to develop alongside business growth
• Efficient process: From brief to hire, the process was consultative, targeted and fast

Conclusion

This case highlights how a truly consultative recruitment service in these circumstances goes far beyond matching CVs to job specs. It's also about restructuring roles, advising on cost-effective solutions and building teams for the future. Talentedge’s combination of sector knowledge and consultative expertise enabled our client to create a finance function that is lean, capable and future-ready.

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