Finance Manager

BRAND: Publicis Groupe
Job Function: Finance
Location: London, United Kingdom
Experience Level: Intermediate
Workplace Type: Hybrid

Company description

OVERVIEW
Publicis Groupe is one of the world's largest communications holding companies, present in over 110 countries and employing about 100,000 professionals.. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation.

HELPING OUR CLIENTS UNLOCK GROWTH IN THE PLATFORM WORLD
Our clients compete in the platform world, a horizontal marketplace between creators and consumers, between speakers and listeners, between buyers and sellers. To thrive in the platform world, companies must continue to innovate their products and business models. Four imperatives (1. Real Identity, 2. Dynamic, Diverse and Disruptive Creativity 3., Smart Media and 4. Direct Relationships) via our suite of world-class agencies, are necessary for modern brands to win in the platform world. At Publicis Groupe, we've invested in capabilities across these four imperatives our clients need to unlock growth. As the only one who can architect, build and orchestrate end to end solutions, not only do we have a proven record of building bespoke models for clients and leading expertise across all major industry categories, we are able to offer our talents more opportunities to grow and benefit from a richer learning experience. We call this Power of One. Powered by a 100,000-strong network via Marcel, our AI-based platform, we are also able to provide our clients and talents instant access to resource, knowledge for any need, any time, in any market.

THE SPIRIT OF VIVA LA DIFFERENCE
Viva La Difference is deeply rooted in everything we do. It has always been in our DNA. From the birth of Publicis, 94 years ago, when Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet, our founder, invented French advertising. Viva La Difference expresses how we value and respect each individual and recognize what makes us distinctive. This is the charge that inspires our teams to celebrate the differences in identity, background, culture, and experience of all of us. It is how we behave with each other and our clients, and it is deeply rooted throughout our work, to elevate and bring to life our differences throughout the platform world.

Overview

Job Role:

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Finance Manager.

Work closely with the Financial Controller to provide financial information to support the delivery of business objectives while ensuring adherence to Groupe's policies and internal controls framework. You will be collaborative and proactive with a growth mindset, focused on process improvement and standardization.

Key responsibilities

Month End Reporting and Tasks

• Preparation of accurate management reporting in line with Groupe policies and timelines as well as relevant Accounting Standards of both P&L and Balance Sheet
• Ensure value-add commentary and variance analysis are provided to support financials across all brands with a focus on risks and opportunities, revenue, and operating income growth
• Prepare monthly accruals, prepayments, and other journals, collating appropriate support with accurate and timely journal posting
• Approving and managing workflow in conjunction with POs, Billings, Journals, Clients, Expenses & Jobs.
• Responsible for the preparation and review of accounting documentation, including PSA, Gift register, National Statistics, and other reporting requirements
• Ensure accurate balance sheet maintenance, investigate discrepancies, and present to the Financial Controller with the help of the Management Accountant.
• Capital Management and view with the support of the Management accountant.

Process & Controls

• Support recharge processes and intercompany reconciliations, including intercompany billing in line with internal deadlines
• Assist in the preparation of internal and external audits, maintaining all support and documents within Blackline.
• Review and enhance financial controls in line with audit requirements and internal controls
• Collaboration with Commercial, Finance Ops, PGD and SSC teams to ensure seamless handoffs of financial processes and reporting cycles
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives
• Adherence to internal control policies and procedures. All activities are to be managed within a strong control environment, and deficiencies are to be remediated swiftly
• Challenge the status quo and drive best practice review. Aim to implement standardization and consistency. Approaching solutions with a 'Power of One' mindset and a UK centric lens, in collaboration with EMEA, Global and Groupe finance team

Adhoc Tasks

• Support and Management of team members, including the Management Accountant and PGD Resources.
• Point of escalation of day-to-day queries and relation to AP/AR payments and other finance related questions for the production team.
• Ability to manage high volume & quick turnaround of production shoots on a daily basis
• Ad hoc requests as required

Essential Experience:

• Fully qualified accountant (e.g. ACCA, CIMA, ACA) with significant post-qualification experience
• Production background as an advantage
• Ability to interpret and manipulate data in a logical manner
• Demonstrable experience in problem-solving and creating efficiencies
• Ability to understand the impact of financial transactions and processes
• Ability to explain financial controls and management to non-finance colleagues
• Excellent communication skills
• Resilience and ability to work under time pressure in a fast-moving, matrix environment
• Team leader and team player
• Familiarity with intercompany processes and recharge management

#LI-CR1

Additional information

Publicis Groupe offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Full details are shared when you join, but highlights include core benefits such as Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies like Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You'll also have access to a range of additional initiatives, including:

Please check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG's (Employee Action Groups).

Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week.

At Publicis Groupe , we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.

We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We'll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application.

Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.