Group Fp&A Senior Analyst

M&C Saatchi Group; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 400,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dynamic Group Senior Analyst/Assistant Manager to join their vibrant finance team. This exciting role involves driving group analysis and reporting, optimizing workflows, and collaborating with key stakeholders across the globe. You'll play a crucial part in enhancing financial insights and business performance within a creative and diverse environment. If you're a qualified accountant with a passion for problem-solving and a knack for communication, this is the perfect opportunity to make a significant impact in a forward-thinking company. Join a team that values diversity and fosters an inclusive culture while navigating meaningful change.

Benefits

20 days holiday

Discovery Medical Aid contribution

EAP

Pension contributions

Company swag

Social events

Qualifications

• Strong background in accounting with FP&A experience or Big 4 firm experience.
• Proactive, self-driven with excellent communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Optimize workflows for month-end analysis and reporting processes.
• Conduct in-depth P&L, cash flow, CAPEX, and working capital analysis.

Skills

Accounting

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Problem-Solving

Self-Motivation

Team Collaboration

Education

Qualified Accountant

Tools

Excel

NetSuite

Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting Systems

Power BI

Job description

M+C Saatchi Group are looking for a talented, high-energy Group Senior Analyst/Assistant Manager to drive Group analysis and reporting. This role will report into the Group Commercial Finance Manager as part of the Group Finance team and will play an essential part of the M&C Saatchi Group strategy to drive high-margin growth. This role will have two direct reports and is based in Cape Town on a hybrid working basis.

About the Role

The Group FP&A Senior Analyst/Assistant Manager is a key role in the commercial arm of the Group Finance team. Depending on experience, this role can either be Assistant Manager with 2 FP&A Analysts reporting to this role or senior analyst reporting to the Group Commercial Finance Manager. This role will support the Senior Group FP&A Manager and Commercial FD to manage, control and develop the Group reporting cycles and work on commercial analysis.

Key stakeholders are the Senior Management as well as the regional and divisional heads in the UK, Asia, Europe, MEA, Australia, and the Americas. This role will be responsible for conducting in-depth analysis during the month-end process, covering P&L, cash flow, CAPEX, and working capital, while working closely with two FP&A analysts.

What you'll do:

• Optimizing workflows, establishing a systematic approach to streamline the month-end analytical process, executive reporting and Board deck preparation alongside with 2 FP&A Analysts.
• Proactively identifying and resolving issues, collaborating with key stakeholders, including the systems team, agencies and group finance team.
• Supporting reporting related inquiries from agencies and ensuring smooth group reporting process across finance functions in the Group.
• Developing and implementing the new process of cash flow forecast, CAPEX and working capital management with the support of Senior FP&A Manager.
• Supporting the Group information requests from different stakeholders, including investor relations.

More specifically, this role will focus on the following key activities:

All activities below will be supported by this role along with two FP&A Analysts:

Group Management Reporting & Analysis (85%):

• Month End/Budgeting/Forecasting Activities including:
  • P&L Analysis for agencies and commenting on major movements vs Budget/Forecast/Prior Year.
  • Revenue Analysis including analysis by client/agency/specialism.
  • Headcount Analysis, including liaising with agencies to make sure it is submitted within deadlines.
  • Cash flow Forecast, CAPEX and working capital Analysis.
  • Review month end figure and liaise within the Group Finance teams to ensure month end carried out properly.
  • Liaise with the system teams to maintain hierarchies and maintain planning system structure.
  • Developing reporting KPI to enhance the monthly reporting process.
  • Maintenance and rolling forward files for month end.
• Board Paper preparation including populating with system data presentation and commentary.
• Preparing and enhancing Monthly/Quarterly Business Review packs.
• Ad-hoc analysis and requests from different stakeholders, including investor relations.

Commercial Support (15%):

• Pipeline Analysis - business partnering with the agencies, preparing/maintaining, and improving process and templates.
• Profitability and Utilisation reporting and Analysis - Support the development of utilization and rate card models which will include information from the agencies, helping to prepare and maintain the models, and conducting internal and external benchmarking analysis.
• Ad-hoc analysis and requests from different stakeholders, including investor relations.

Specific projects and deliverables in 2025:

• Roll-out new process to create cash flow, CAPEX and working capital analysis.
• Roll-out of profitability and utilisation reporting for identified Netsuite entities.

About You

This role is a fantastic opportunity for a qualified accountant/FP&A Senior Analyst/Assistant Manager, who will bring energy and technical expertise to this dynamic, diverse, and highly creative company and to our Group Finance team. Given the impact this role will have, we’re looking for someone with a stellar mix of relevant experience and skills.

What you'll bring:

• Strong background in accounting, preferably with experience in FP&A or experience with a Big 4 firm.
• Proactive and self-driven, with the ability to anticipate tasks, work independently, and engage confidently with senior executives while handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Excellent Communicator – great written and verbal communication skill, with a strong ability to collaborate, manage stakeholders, and build relationships effectively.
• Problem-solving mindset, with a passion for identifying challenges and delivering effective solutions.
• Driven by progress and improvement, demonstrating curiosity, resilience, and self-motivation to enhance financial insights and business performance.
• Strong analytical skills, expert in Excel and commercial analysis, with experience managing large data sets, identifying trends, and making data-driven recommendations. Open to learning Power BI or other BI tools.
• Great team player but independent, able to collaborate effectively while also taking initiative and working autonomously.
• Fluent English language skills.
• Experience using NetSuite an advantage.
• Experience using Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting systems an advantage.
• Knowledge of the Media or Digital sectors an advantage, but not a requirement.

WHAT WE OFFER

For the right candidate we will offer a competitive salary, 20 days holiday and a selection of benefits that include Discovery Medical Aid contribution and EAP, Pension contributions and Risk, company swag, socials and more.

ABOUT M+C SAATCHI GROUP

M+C Saatchi Group is a creative company that connects specialist expertise, fuelled by data, technology, and culture, to help clients navigate, create, and lead meaningful change. The Group operates across five core divisions: Connected Creativity; Passion Marketing; Global & Social Issues; Brand, Experience & Innovation; and Performance Media. Headquartered in London, operations span 23 countries with major hubs in the UK, Europe, US, Middle East & Africa, Asia and Australia. M&C Saatchi Group’s two principles, Diversity of Thought and Brutal Simplicity of Thought, guide how they build teams and solve problems.

M+C Saatchi Group UK has pledged its commitment to create a company that values difference, with an inclusive culture brought to life through equity. As part of this M+C Saatchi Group continues to be an Equal Opportunity Employer which does not and shall not discriminate, celebrates diversity and bases all hiring and promotion decisions solely on merit, without regard for any personal characteristics.

All employee information is kept confidential according to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

#LI-BM1