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Bertelsmann

Global media, services, and education conglomerate

Senior Controller - Corporate Centre

Full-Time
No salary listed
Senior
Bachelor's
Cologne, Germany
Hybrid
Finance & BankingCorporate Finance & FP&A

About the job

Requirements
  • An excellent university degree in Business Administration, Economics, or a related field, ideally focused on finance or accounting.
  • More than 5 years of professional experience in financial controlling or a related area.
  • Strong analytical capabilities with attention to detail, high commitment, and sound business judgment.
  • Strong business partnering skills and the ability to challenge and influence senior stakeholders and collaborate effectively across departments and territories.
  • A solid understanding of International Financial Reporting Standards and financial reporting requirements.
  • Experience with cost allocation models, controlling frameworks, and budgeting and forecasting processes.
  • Advanced skills in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and PowerPoint.
  • Experience with finance systems and business intelligence solutions, particularly SAP S/4HANA, SAP Financial Consolidation, OneStream, and Power BI.
  • Fluency in English.
Responsibilities
  • Act as the business partner to Corporate Center functions and identify, track, and communicate cost risks and opportunities, efficiency initiatives, and investment decisions.
  • Conceptualize and deliver performance updates and ad hoc analyses for top management, translating complex financial data into actionable insights for decision-makers.
  • Manage Corporate Center cost accounting activities by defining analytical structures, setting up cost allocation mechanisms, and governing master data across finance systems.
  • Lead and own the budget planning and forecasting processes for the Corporate Center, coordinating with department heads and top management.
  • Own the high-quality, consistent, and timely delivery of actuals, forecasts, and budgets to Group Reporting in line with Group standards and International Financial Reporting Standards principles.
  • Oversee and continuously improve key performance indicator dashboards and performance frameworks, and drive controlling tools and processes in collaboration with other headquarters departments to ensure strong integration with Group finance systems.
Desired Qualifications
  • Prior experience with corporate functions or headquarters cost structures.
  • Proven experience contributing to finance transformation or tool implementation projects.
  • Proficiency in German and/or French.

About the company

Bertelsmann is a global media, services, and education group made up of eight autonomous divisions, including RTL Group, Penguin Random House, BMG, and Arvato. It operates across B2B and B2C markets, with activities in broadcasting, book publishing, music rights management, and business process outsourcing. Its products range from streaming subscriptions and printed books to logistics, CRM services, and AI-powered content and rights-management tools. The company differentiates itself through a decentralized, entrepreneur-led structure that reinvests profits into content and digital infrastructure via its Boost program, backed by private foundations and the Mohn family. It aims to grow organically and through selective acquisitions while leveraging large-scale data and cross-divisional synergies to deliver personalized content and service experiences at a global scale.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$1.4B

Headquarters

Gütersloh, Germany

Founded

1835

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • H1 2026 organic revenue rose 5.1 percent, Bertelsmann’s strongest non-pandemic pace in 20 years.
  • RTL streaming paid subscriptions reached 8.7 million, and streaming EBITA turned profitable.
  • Arvato opened Dreieich and will add Illescas, Zgierz, and Poznań in 2026.

What critics are saying

  • TV advertising fell 4.0 percent in H1 2026, pressuring RTL’s legacy cash engine.
  • Fremantle revenue dropped 7.7 percent in H1 2026, exposing content volatility.
  • By 2027, linear TV erosion and streaming competition hollow out RTL’s cash engine.

What makes Bertelsmann unique

  • Bertelsmann’s decentralized model empowers RTL, Penguin Random House, BMG, and Arvato autonomy.
  • On 1 June 2026, RTL Deutschland closed Sky Deutschland, deepening DACH scale.
  • On 1 September 2026, BMG and Concord combined, creating a $2.2 billion platform.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Flexible Work Hours

Remote Work Options

Wellness Program

Training Programs

Employee Discounts

Company News

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Entrackr
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Exclusive: Nat Habit to kick off $15 mn funding round led by Trident Growth Partners.

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EuropaWire
Sep 28th, 2026
Bertelsmann brings UFA Film Night to Luxembourg with sold-out screening of restored Ernst Lubitsch classic "carmen"

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