Sr. Vice President, Commercial Finance - PDX

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.

Publicis Digital Experience is looking for a Senior Vice President who can provide financial oversight and management, help to lead commercial pricing and pricing strategies, 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 help to oversee commercial pricing practices, strategies, and market dynamics by supporting of some of the pillar's largest commercial pricing deals. You will help drive the overall direction, motivation, and financial impact of the commercial function. 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.

PLEASE NOTE: While the preference is for this person to be local to the New York City market, candidates located elsewhere within the Eastern and Central time zones will also be considered. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Support, advise, lead, and review structure, pricing, and negotiation of client contracts.
• Lead and support efforts to maximize revenue, margins, and profitability in support of agency financial objectives; lead cost/benefit assessments for agency client portfolio.
• Lead annual resourcing and fee negotiations.
• 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.
• Help identify business development opportunities within existing clients and across business units.
• 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.
• 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.

• 15+ years of progressively-responsible blended professional experience across corporate and client-based finance, analysis, pricing, reporting, and accounting. Experience working within a large, complex advertising agency, media organization, 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 background.
• Outstanding project management skills.
• Experience working alongside media teams and an understanding of how media fits into the overall budget and business for client accounts.
• An understanding of how the financial function integrates into the larger business goals of a complex, matrixed organization.
• Assertive, confident communication skills with an ability to tactfully navigate sensitive, executive-level conversations and influence key stakeholders.
• Natural curiosity and problem-solving capability with an ability to parse, interpret, understand, and resolve complex accounting and finance-related issues.
• Deep understanding of GAAP, revenue recognition, classic accounting flows, checks and balances, control points, and corporate accounting best practices, processes, and procedures.
• Prior experience working directly with clients and stakeholders to explain, troubleshoot, and resolve finance-related issues.
• Understanding of current trends within the advertising industry and the impact they have on the business and financial health of an organization.
• Strong technical acumen including experience within specialized ERPs and financial tracking systems.
• A sense of urgency with an ability to work quickly, efficiently, and accurately against tight recurring deadlines.
• A highly collaborative work style with an ability to develop relationships and build rapport.
• Incredible attention to detail.
• Ability to explain and translate financial reports to business leads.
• Flexible and adaptable with an ability to manage and prioritize multiple concurrent projects with constantly shifting parameters and targets.
• Extensive experience leading the financial discipline within a company and supporting and implementing company strategy.
• Experience setting the direction and financial goals for their team and ensuring that they are aligned with company goals.
• An ability to implement their team’s vision and ensure actions align with and support the company strategy.
• Expert understanding of agency P&Ls and how client P&Ls relate and how client finance decisions impact and support the financial goals of the team, discipline, and agency.

The Power of One starts with our people! To do powerful things, we offer powerful resources. Our wellness and benefits offerings include:

• Paid Family Care for parents and caregivers for 12 weeks or more
• Monetary assistance and support for Adoption, Surrogacy and Fertility
• Monetary assistance and support for pet adoption
• Employee Assistance Programs and Health/Wellness/Comfort reimbursements to help you invest in your future and work/life balance
• Tuition Assistance
• Paid time off that includes Flexible Time off Vacation, Annual Sick Days, Volunteer Days, Holiday and Identity days, and more
• Matching Gifts programs
• Flexible working arrangements
• 'Work Your World' Program encouraging employees to work from anywhere Publicis Groupe has an office for up to 6 weeks a year (based upon eligibility)
• Business Resource Groups that support multiple affinities and alliances

The benefits offerings listed are available to eligible U.S. Based employees, are reviewed on an annual basis, and are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents

Publicis Digital Experience is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our employment decisions are made without regard to actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, medical condition as defined by applicable state law, genetic information, marital status, military service and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact hrcompliance_usms@publicis.com.

All of your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Compensation Range: $167,000 - $243,500 annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. For this role, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 09/13/2024.

REF 24-8788

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