Financial Controller

Publicis Groupe; London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Publicis Groupe is seeking an experienced Financial Controller to lead a team of accountants in London. The role focuses on delivering financial information that supports business objectives, driving profitability and fostering a high-performance team culture with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant with post-qualification experience.
• Background in media, digital, or advertising is advantageous.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret and manipulate data.

Responsibilities

• Deliver accurate management reporting in line with Groupe policies and Accounting Standards.
• Drive profitability by tracking performance against KPIs.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives and foster a high-performance team culture.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Education

ACCA, CIMA, ACA qualification

Job description

Company Description

Overview

The Publicis Groupe, founded in 1926, has become the third largest communications group in the world with a strong presence in over 100 countries. Through a powerful alchemy of creativity and technology, we drive business transformation across the entire value chain. Our innovative solutions seamlessly integrate data, creativity, and technology to help clients navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of consumer behavior.

At the heart of our mission is the belief in placing our clients' customers at the center of everything we do, delivering business transformation for our clients.

Publicis Groupe UK is a marketing and digital transformation business made up of over 5,000 talented and passionate professionals with expertise in media, creative, influence, health, production and data, working across 25 agencies.

Publicis Groupe UK creative agencies include Saatchi & Saatchi, BBH, Leo Burnett, Digitas, Publicis.Poke, Turner Duckworth and Octopus Groupe. Our PR agencies are MSL, Taylor Herring and the sustainability consultancy Salterbaxter. Publicis Media is home to Zenith, Starcom and Spark Foundry, as well as specialist practices including PMX and Performics. Langland, Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness and Digitas Health serve our clients across health and wellness, science and medicine. Prodigious is our agency-agnostic production platform delivering marketing content across all channels and help brands win in the platform world.

We are fortunate to work with a roster of leading global and local companies including BTEE, Disney, John Lewis, McDonalds, Asda, P&G, Samsung, Subway and Tesco to name but a few.

At Publicis Groupe, we believe that diversity and inclusion are the key to success. Our team in UK includes professionals from various backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, creating a rich and dynamic workplace that fosters creativity, collaboration, and growth. We are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their full selves to work.

Job Description

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Financial Controller.

You will lead a team of accountants providing financial information to support 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

• Deliver accurate management reporting in line with Groupe policies, timelines, and Accounting Standards, owning both P&L and Balance Sheet.

• Provide insightful commentary and variance analysis to support Media brand's financials, focusing on risks, opportunities, revenue, and operating income growth.

• Drive profitability by tracking performance against KPIs, internal targets, and external benchmarks and through effective currency risk management.

• Collaborate with Commercial, Media Finance Ops, and SSC teams to ensure seamless financial processes and reporting cycles.

• Partner strategically with leadership (Controllership, Finance BPs, Media CFO) to deliver clear, actionable financials.

• Oversee budget holder communications, internal control adherence, and preparation for internal/external audits.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, including systems review, standardization, and alignment with Groupe and EMEA/Global teams.

• Foster a high-performance, inclusive team culture with strong talent development, collaboration, and professional integrity.

Experience Required

• Fully qualified accountant (e.g. ACCA, CIMA, ACA) with post-qualification experience

• Background in media, digital, or advertising is advantageous

• Experience with multi-currency financial management; knowledge of hedging techniques is a plus

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret and manipulate data logically

• Proven problem-solving skills and experience in driving process efficiencies

• Strong communication skills- Able to clearly explain financial controls and processes to non-finance stakeholders

Additional Information

Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern with full time employees being office-based three days during the working week.We are supportive of all candidates and are committed to providing a fair assessment process. If you have any circumstances (such as neurodiversity, physical or mental impairments or a medical condition) that may affect your assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss possible adjustments to ensure fairness. Rest assured, disclosing this information will not impact your treatment in our process.

Please make sure you check out the Publicis Career Pagewhich showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups).

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