Finance Business Partner

Publicis Groupe Holdings B.V; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading communications agency in the City Of London is seeking a Finance Manager on a 12-month fixed-term contract. You will oversee financial reporting, manage budgeting cycles, and support agency teams. The ideal candidate has a strong accounting qualification and experience in business partnering. This role offers a hybrid working model, requiring office presence three days per week.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with strong commercial acumen.
• Experience in business partnering, ideally within media or advertising.
• Comfortable in a dynamic, fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

• Review business cases and identify risks.
• Manage financial reporting and budgeting processes.
• Build partnerships with agency teams for increased collaboration.

Skills

Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA)

Strong commercial acumen

Good understanding of P&L and Balance Sheet

Experience in business partnering

Excellent communicator

Skilled at managing multiple projects

Job description

Company Overview

Publicis Groupe is the world's largest communications holding company, present in over 110 countries and employing about 108,000 professionals. The Groupe positions itself at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation.

Publicis Groupe supports clients in the platform world, where companies must continuously innovate products and business models. The Group’s four imperatives—Real Identity, Dynamic Dependent Creativity, Smart Media, and Direct Relationships—are essential for modern brands to succeed.

Role – Finance Manager (12 month FTC)

This role reports to the Finance Director Publicis London and works across both Publicis London and Commerce.

Client Finance Responsibilities

• Review business cases and scopes of work for Client accounts and identify any associated risk or issues.
• Understand the agency’s clients.
• Manage budgeting and short‑term forecast cycles, identifying risks and opportunities.
• Improve client account profitability, proactively seeking ways to grow business or improve profitability in collaboration with client teams.
• Identify and communicate risks and opportunities.
• Manage financial reporting.

Business Partnering

• Build trusted partnerships with agency teams, providing tools, direction and information to increase commercial mindset.
• Lead change initiatives and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proactively champion collaboration and growth of the business.

Financial Reporting

• Coordinate timely actuals reporting to agency management and Groupe.
• Consolidate and review actuals, prepare monthly analysis for Country Finance.
• Consolidate ad hoc requests for submission to Country Finance.
• revenue recognition, accruals and deferrals comply with Publicis Groupe policies.
• Lead budgeting and forecasting for Management and Paris.
• Oversee balance sheet meetings with reResources and FM/MA team.

Compliance

• Maintain compliance with Publicis Groupe operational and financial policies.
• Champion internal control enforcement.
• Manage internal, FMC and external audits for completeness and compliance.

Business Optimisation

• Identify revenue growth opportunities while controlling costs.
• Manage FX exposure risk, working with Treasury on hedging.
• Reduce costs through efficiencies and resource leverage.
• Translate cost‑reduction strategies into action.
• Oversee monthly cost reports to assess strategy success.

People and Culture

• Support building and nurturing talent, uphold diversity and team success.
• Manage and coach a small team.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA) with strong commercial acumen.
• Good understanding of P&L and Balance Sheet.
• Experience in business partnering, ideally within media, advertising or digital industries.
• Comfortable in a dynamic, fast‑moving, creative environment.
• Excellent communicator with strong stakeholder relationships.
• Skilled at managing multiple projects and priorities.
• Experience managing and coaching a small team.

Additional Information

Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern; full‑time employees are office‑based three days a week.

We are supportive of all candidates and committed to a fair assessment process. If you have circumstances that may affect assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss adjustments to ensure fairness. Disclosing this information will not impact your treatment.

Check out the Publicis Career Page for Inclusive Benefits and Employee Action Groups.