Commercial Director (UK & International Creative)

Publicis Groupe; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Life Assurance

Private Medical cover

Reflection Days

Shared Parental Leave

Job summary

Publicis Groupe UK is seeking a Commercial Director to shape the commercial future of its Creative practice. You will lead the agency finance function, influence pricing and profitability, and partner with senior leaders to drive sustainable growth.

In this influential role you will use data, AI and automation to free time for strategic thinking while ensuring robust governance, risk management and cross-team collaboration across the wider business.

Qualifications

• ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent accounting qualification.
• Experience budgeting, forecasting and financial planning.
• Strong commercial judgement connecting finance with client needs and strategy.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior agency leadership to shape growth plans using financial insight.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning with clear recommendations.
• Own the commercial approach to client contracting, pricing and scope.
• Strengthen client and project performance through revenue recognition, resource planning and controls.
• Support new business opportunities with financial modelling and pricing strategies.
• Lead and develop the finance team and improve reporting and governance.
• Shape the Finance AI and automation roadmap with cross-functional governance.

Skills

ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualification

Commercial judgement

Budgeting & forecasting

Education

Professional accounting qualification

Job description

Company description

Publicis Groupe is a global leader in communication, operating in over 100 countries with 114,000 people globally. We help the world’s leading brands drive growth by combining creativity, media, data, technology and consulting.

We are designed to help our clients thrive, with the capabilities, the experience and the understanding needed to help our clients unlock growth in a platform world. Through our Power of One approach, we bring together the right expertise from across our agencies to deliver joined up, end to end solutions.

“Viva la Différence” sits at the heart of our culture. We value individuality, encourage different perspectives and believe our differences make us stronger. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can learn, grow and do the best work of their career.

Overview

We are hiring a Commercial Director to help shape the commercial future of Publicis Groupe UK’s Creative practice. This is an influential leadership role at the intersection of creativity, finance and growth, partnering with senior agency leaders to turn commercial insight into better decisions and stronger client partnerships. You’ll lead the agency finance function while bringing clarity to pricing, profitability, investment and performance. You’ll also help evolve how finance works, using data, AI and automation to create more time for strategic thinking and meaningful business partnership.

What you'll be doing:

• Partner with senior agency leadership to shape growth plans, bringing financial insight and commercial perspective to key decisions.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning, translating performance data into clear recommendations and actions.
• Own the commercial approach to client contracting, pricing and scope, balancing client value, sustainable profitability and financial risk.
• Strengthen client and project performance through robust revenue recognition, resource planning, margin management and financial controls.
• Support new business opportunities with financial modelling, pricing strategies and commercial negotiations that enable ambitious, sustainable growth.
• Lead and develop the finance team while continuously improving reporting, processes, controls, cash management and collaboration across the wider business.
• Help shape the Finance AI and automation roadmap, identifying valuable use cases and evolving commercial models while working with Legal, Information Security and Operations to maintain appropriate governance and data protection.

Skills we're looking for:

• A recognised accountancy qualification such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA, combined with relevant experience operating at a senior finance or commercial level.
• Strong commercial judgement, with the ability to connect financial performance, client needs and business strategy.
• Experience of budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and interpreting revenue, margin, profitability and cost drivers.
• Confidence working with senior stakeholders and turning complex financial information into clear, practical recommendations.
• Experience of client commercial matters such as pricing, contracting, scope management or commercial negotiations.
• A collaborative and adaptable approach, with the ability to lead across teams and manage several priorities effectively.
• Curiosity about how data, AI and automation can strengthen finance, alongside sound judgement around governance, confidentiality and control.

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Additional information

Publicis Groupeoffers 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.