Fractional Accountant

ERG Media is a luxury publishing house and creative agency operating at the intersection of automotive culture, design, and global brand storytelling. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Milan, we produce collectible coffee-table books, creative campaigns, and merchandise for clients including Porsche, Acqua di Parma, General Motors, Pirelli, and Bentley. Our retail platform, Type 7, extends this ethos into physical products and prints.

We are a multi-entity group: ERG Media S.r.l. (Milan, creative HQ), ERG Media B.V. (Amsterdam, administration and ecommerce), ERG Media Japan G.K. (Tokyo), and ERG Media USA LLC (Delaware). Consolidated revenues are forecast at c. €4.6M for 2026 across publishing retainers, B2B custom projects, and wholesale retail.

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on fractional accountant to join us in Milan 2-3 days per week. You will own the day-to-day financial operations of our group and serve as the primary bridge between our leadership team and external tax/compliance advisors in the Netherlands and Italy.

This is not a junior bookkeeping position. We need someone who can manage the complexity of a multinational, multi-currency, inventory-heavy structure with minimal supervision, keep our books clean and current, and provide Alex (COO) and Ted (Founder) with reliable numbers to run the business.

What you will do

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date ledgers for ERG Media B.V. (Dutch GAAP), ERG Media S.r.l. (Italian GAAP), and coordinate with local advisors for Japan and US entities.
• Process accounts payable and receivable across all entities, in EUR, USD, JPY, and GBP.
• Manage bank reconciliations for ING (NL), Italian business accounts, Wise, and Shopify payouts.
• Ensure VAT compliance, intrastat reporting, and intercompany recharges are recorded correctly and on time.
• Track inventory valuation and cost of goods sold for book print runs (2,000-5,000 units) and retail merchandise.
• Allocate project costs accurately for creative agency engagements (production, travel, freelance fees) so we can report profitability by project.
• Reconcile 3PL logistics costs and wholesale shipments against invoices and sales.
• Maintain our chart of accounts and cost-center logic across entities.
• Oversee expense tracking, corporate card reconciliation, and month-end close routines.
• Support cash-flow forecasting by providing weekly visibility on receivables, payables, and liquidity.
• Flag anomalies, margin drift, or cash-conversion issues before they become problems.
• Serve as the first point of contact for our external accountants (currently Van Graven Finance & Advice B.V. in the Netherlands) and Italian commercialisti.
• Prepare clean monthly or quarterly packs for external advisors to file VAT, annual accounts, and tax returns.
• Liaise with banks, insurers, and auditors as needed.
• Assist with personal tax coordination and cross-border filings for the founder (US/UK/IT/NL nexus).
• Support ad-hoc financial analysis, credit facility documentation, and investor-grade reporting.

How to apply

Send your CV and a brief note explaining:

1. The most complex multi-entity accounting environment you have managed.
2. How you would structure month-end close for a group with Dutch, Italian, and Japanese entities.

Applications without a cover note will not be reviewed.

Requirements

• 5+ years of bookkeeping or accounting experience, including at least 2 years in a multi-entity or multinational environment.
• Fluency in Italian and English (reading, writing, and verbal); Dutch is a strong plus.
• Deep familiarity with either Italian GAAP or Dutch GAAP; experience with both is ideal.
• Proven track record managing inventory and COGS for physical goods (publishing, fashion, FMCG, or similar).
• Advanced Excel / Google Sheets skills; experience with accounting software (we currently use external advisors' systems but are evaluating tools such as Xero, QuickBooks, or Netsuite).
• Comfort with multi-currency transactions, intercompany reconciliations, and consolidation basics.
• Discretion and judgment: you will handle sensitive financial and personal data.
• Based in or willing to commute to Milan; available to work from our Via Bernardino Luini office 2-3 days per week.

Nice to have

• Partita IVA / independent consultant structure (we are open to either a B2B freelance arrangement or payroll, depending on the candidate).
• Experience with ecommerce platforms (Shopify) and payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Wise).
• Exposure to creative agencies, publishing, or luxury goods.
• Familiarity with US LLC or Japanese GK reporting requirements.

Benefits

• Structure: Fractional / part-time (2-3 days per week, c. 60-80 hours per month). Open to retainer or hourly models.
• Location: Hybrid, Milan. Office in Via Bernardino Luini 12, 20123 Milano.
• Start date: October / November 2026 (flexible for the right candidate).
• Compensation: Competitive monthly fee; scale depending on experience and scope. We are targeting a step-change in quality and speed versus our current external-only setup.
• Direct access to leadership and real ownership over the finance function of a growing, creative multinational.
• Exposure to high-profile brand partnerships and the operational mechanics of a premium publishing business.