Financial Controller

Publicis Groupe ANZ; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wholeself program

Publicis Liberté flexibility

Marcel AI Platform access

Extensive Learning & Development

Career Conversations program

Diversity & Inclusion programs

Work Your World

Flexible leave options

Job summary

Publicis Groupe in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a commercially minded Financial Controller to support finance operations across Publicis Media agencies in New Zealand. This hands-on leadership role reports to the Group Finance Director and partners with agency leaders to deliver accurate reporting, controls and high-quality financial support.

You'll own month-end reporting, budgeting and forecasting, drive process improvements and provide insights to support strategic decisions.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Financial Controller or Finance Manager in a leadership role.
• Strong experience in financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting.
• Experience leading and developing a finance team.

Responsibilities

• Owning month-end reporting, budgeting, forecasting and financial submissions.
• Ensuring strong financial controls, compliance and audit readiness.
• Managing the day-to-day activities of the finance team and supporting their development.
• Providing financial reporting, analysis and practical support to agency leadership.
• Supporting client teams with financial oversight, profitability analysis and contract compliance.
• Driving process improvements and operational efficiencies.
• Managing financial risk and supporting sustainable business performance.

Skills

Financial leadership

Financial reporting

People leadership

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Excel skills

Job description

Publicis Groupe is one of the world's largest communications groups, bringing together leading agency brands and specialist capabilities. We're looking for a commercially minded Financial Controller to support the delivery of finance operations across our Publicis Media agencies in New Zealand.

This is more than a traditional financial reporting role. Reporting to the Group Finance Director, you'll work closely with agency leaders and the wider finance team, providing financial insight, analysis and support to help the business operate effectively.

The role

As Financial Controller, you'll play a key role in the delivery of finance operations across Publicis Media New Zealand. This is a hands‑on role where you'll work closely with the Group Finance Director and finance team to ensure accurate reporting, strong financial controls and high‑quality financial support to the business.

You'll be involved in all aspects of finance operations, from reporting, forecasting and compliance through to team leadership, problem‑solving and supporting the wider business. You'll be comfortable rolling up your sleeves when required, providing guidance to the team while also stepping in to support workload peaks, leave cover and operational priorities.

Key areas of focus include:

• Owning month‑end reporting, budgeting, forecasting and financial submissions.
• Ensuring strong financial controls, compliance and audit readiness.
• Managing the day‑to‑day activities of the finance team and supporting their development.
• Providing financial reporting, analysis and practical support to agency leadership.
• Supporting client teams with financial oversight, profitability analysis and contract compliance.
• Driving process improvements and operational efficiencies.
• Managing financial risk and supporting sustainable business performance.

About you

You're an experienced finance leader who enjoys being part of the detail while keeping an eye on the bigger picture. You're comfortable managing a team, building strong relationships across the business and taking ownership of getting things done.

You're equally happy reviewing reports, resolving day‑to‑day issues, supporting your team and stepping in when additional hands‑on support is needed.

You’ll likely bring:

• Proven experience as a Financial Controller, Finance Manager or similar finance leadership role.
• Strong financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting experience.
• Previous people leadership experience with a passion for coaching and developing teams.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent organisational and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience using financial systems and reporting tools, with strong Excel skills highly regarded.

Why Publicis Groupe?

At Publicis Groupe, you'll be part of a collaborative finance team supporting some of New Zealand's leading media agencies. You'll gain broad exposure across multiple businesses while working closely with experienced leaders and finance professionals.

Interested?

If you're looking for a hands‑on leadership role where you can combine team leadership, financial expertise and business support in a fast‑paced environment, we'd love to hear from you.

Additional information

Be a part of the Publicis Groupe network, one of the world’s most progressive and dynamic modern communications businesses, enjoying all the perks that come with our network offering:

• A comprehensive Wholeself program supporting Physical, Mindful and Financial wellbeing
• A creative, fun and rewarding office environment backed up by our Publicis Liberté flexibility approach “working your way, with us!”
• Access to our Global AI Platform, Marcel, connecting Publicis Groupe employees with opportunities for career mobility and collaboration across our global network
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities, including more than 15,000 learning programs via our online learning platform Marcel Classes
• A culture of open feedback and support to reach your goals through our Career Conversations program
• A committed Diversity, Equality and Inclusion strategy driven through our Viva! Women, Égalité, enABLE and Embrace (reconciliation action plan) programs
• Work Your World program enabling employees the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world for up to 6 weeks per year
• A workplace that stands together to provide a more open, supportive, and recovery-forward culture for all employees with life‑threatening illnesses. Read more about our Working With Cancer Pledge - Homepage - Working with Cancer Pledge
• Inclusive leave policies such as Fertility Treatment, Menopause, Flexible Public Holidays, Gender Affiliation and Parental leave with up to 18 weeks paid primary carer leave and generous secondary carer benefits
• Access to counsellors, psychologists, and professionals through Sonder - an all-in-on digital wellbeing technology platform designed to support psychological, medical & safety needs

If you don’t tick every box in this ad, please don’t rule yourself out. Research suggests that women and other people in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they meet every requirement. We focus on hiring people who share our values of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, fearlessness, and integrity, rather than ticking boxes – so if this role resonates with you, please apply.

Diversity. Inclusion. Equity. More than just words, these are part of our DNA. At Publicis Groupe we are committed to the inclusion and recognition of all people; regardless of race, age, culture, ability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status and religious affiliation. We believe that to deliver the best solutions to our clients, our people need to reflect the diverse communities in which our clients operate in. We value diversity and the skills, knowledge and experience that difference brings to our culture and solutions. Uniqueness is powerful; without it we wouldn’t be where we are today. So be you – we like it that way.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for people with disability or those that require additional support throughout the application process. If you need any assistance or adjustments, please contact us via [e-mail] - your personal information will be kept confidential.