Sr. Vice President, Commercial Finance

Company Description

A division of Publicis Groupe, Publicis Digital Experience is a network of top-tier agencies designed to develop capabilities and solutions to enable growth and provide scaled access to the digital capabilities of Publicis Groupe in service of our clients. Together, the Publicis Digital Experience portfolio endeavors to create value at the intersection of technology and experiences to connect brands and people.

Our model to transform every brand experience will help clients navigate, develop, and activate commerce in a way that will provide them with a future-proof model for modern marketing. With our unique expertise in consumer engagement, CRM, and commerce, Publicis Digital Experience powers brands and empowers people in a new era of creativity. An ever-changing landscape and the need for fluid thinking is just part of our problem-solving nature. Which means we're untethered from any specific medium or method—we go where ideas will work best.

We are an expanding network with more than 5,000 employees, with agency brands throughout our global offices. Publicis Digital Experience brands include Razorfish, Digitas, Arc Worldwide, Saatchi Saatchi X, Plowshare, 3Share, and the Publicis Commerce Exchange.

Job Description

Publicis Digital Experience is looking for a Senior Vice President who can provide financial oversight and management, assist with strategies to grow the business, minimize exposure to negative profitability and cash flow, and be involved in critical process improvement projects.

You will serve as the overall financial lead for PDX and will also provide support to some of PDX largest clients and other Power of One clients that engage across multiple agencies. You will be accountable for the direction, motivation, and financial impact of the team as well as the general financial health of the agency. You will network with pillar agency brands and other pillars within Groupe as well as all company disciplines and departments and engage leadership on key initiatives and opportunities.

You should have a holistic understanding of how different departments and capabilities work in the agency environment and understand how decisions at a client level impact the entire organization. You will need to have impeccable leadership abilities and be comfortable influencing and communicating with others across departments and job titles.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop and manage reliable and compliant financial reporting, financial projections, and other financial information relevant on behalf of PDX and in partnership with client finance teams.
• Provide financial counsel to PDX stakeholders and client finance teams regarding risks/benefit analysis and assessment.
• Maintain a strong internal control environment across all financial operations for the pillar.
• Support, advise, lead, and review pricing and negotiation of client contracts and identify business development opportunities within existing clients and across business units.
• Lead and support efforts to maximize margins and profitability in support of agency financial objectives; lead cost/benefit assessments for agency client portfolio.
• Lead annual resourcing and fee negotiations.
• Supervise monthly close processes.
• Build connection points between the PDX finance function and finance teams/executive leadership teams at other brands within the pillar and out into the broader Publicis Groupe.
• Manage cash flow projections, account billing and receivables.
• Participate in client and internal audits as necessary.
• Develop pricing and staffing plans in line with client team strategy and scope of work.
• Ensure the timeliness, accuracy and reliability of financial reporting to client as well as internally.
• Lead annual budget process along with monthly forecasts.
• Provide insight to management on a variety of KPIs including revenue, comp ratios, staff utilization and client profitability metrics.
• Manage employee utilization in partnership with Resource Management in order to ensure maximum staff efficiencies across the agency.
• Resolve issues with areas of potential negative financial exposure.
• Partner with business leads and provide sound financial advice to solve business issues.
• Assist in the overall management of TWC targets.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressively-responsible blended professional experience across corporate and client-based finance, analysis, reporting, and accounting. Experience working within a large, complex advertising agency or consultancy is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in accountancy or finance; MBA or CPA preferred.
• Highly intuitive with a natural ability to create high-level efficiencies that benefit the agency and its clients.
• Strong financial analysis back