Vice President Finance and Controller

Our client of many years, Tennis Channel, the premier media hub for the global tennis and pickleball communities, has retained us to identify a Vice President, Finance/Controller. This senior finance leader will work from their Santa Monica office and report directly to the COO/CFO.

• Oversee all accounting functions, including General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and Production Accounting.
• Lead a fast, accurate month‑end close and ensure timely submission of financial results and supporting schedules.
• Prepare and review GAAP‑compliant financial statements and management reports.
• Maintain strong internal controls, ensuring audit readiness and compliance with company policies.

• Lead the annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and long‑range planning processes.
• Analyze financial performance, identify key variances, and provide actionable insights to leadership.
• Support preparation of executive‑level operating reviews and financial presentations.

• Oversee production finance for live sports, studio programming, and original content.
• Partner with Production and Programming teams on budgeting, cost tracking, and forecasting.
• Ensure compliance with contracts, union agreements, and production finance best practices.

• Provide financial oversight and support for new business initiatives, including new content offerings, distribution opportunities, partnerships, and strategic investments.
• Develop business plans, financial models, and pro formas to evaluate growth opportunities.
• Support greenlight decisions and ongoing financial tracking for new initiatives.

• Serve as the primary finance liaison with Corporate Accounting, Tax, and Shared Services teams.
• Support federal, state, local, and other required tax filings through coordination with Corporate Tax.
• Ensure adherence to corporate reporting standards, timelines, and controls.
• Lead and develop teams across Accounting, FP&A, Production Finance, and New Business support.
• Foster a collaborative, hands‑on, high‑accountability finance organization.
• Drive continuous improvement in financial processes, reporting, and systems.

• Support system implementations, process improvements, M&A integrations, and other special projects assigned.

• CPA required
• Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field (advanced degree preferred)
• 12+ years of progressive finance and accounting experience, including leadership responsibilities
• Strong knowledge and practical application of U.S. GAAP
• Experience in sports, media, or entertainment strongly preferred
• Proven ability to operate in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven, production environment
• Experience supporting new business initiatives or growth investments, diligence or IPO experience helpful
• Strong communication skills and ability to partner with operational and corporate stakeholders
• Hands‑on leadership style with attention to both detail and outcomes