Finance Analyst

Publicis Media is one of the four solutions hubs of Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40], alongside Publicis Communications, Publicis.Sapient and Publicis Healthcare. Led by Steve King, CEO, Publicis Media is comprised of five global brands, Starcom, Zenith, Spark Foundry, Blue 449 and Performics, powered by digital first, data driven global practices that together deliver client value and business transformation. Publicis Media is committed to helping its clients navigate the modern media landscape and is present in more than 100 countries with over 17,500 employees worldwide.

We are built on the foundation of Trust, Talent, Transformation:

TRUST
Trust is the cornerstone upon which we build our relationships. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of how a partner should behave.
We treat our people and our clients with respect, transparency and honesty.

TALENT
This is first and foremost a people business. We are committed to ensuring Publicis Media a destination for the best talent in our industry. We value people as individuals, growing ourselves as we grow our client’s business.

TRANSFORMATION
True transformation comes when we stop managing change, and instead initiate change. We believe in our purpose to be the admired force for business transformation. We believe that focusing on performance and results has the power to transform client business.

Position Summary

Position suitable for a highly motivated, precise, detail-oriented, service-focused individual who will monitor financial health on multiple clients.  

The Financial Analyst position supports client teams by managing a long sheet, which tracks budget, spend, run rate, recognized revenue and forecast. Also responsible for the execution of billing and receivables as well as to highlight key issues and exposure items that may impact profitability. The Financial Analyst will also prepare journal entries, and prep and present client-specific reporting, be involved in process improvement projects and ad hoc reporting in support of business needs. 

The Financial analyst should be a self-starter, with strong written and personal communication skills. This position also requires the ability to sift through and present data in a clear and compelling way. 

Detailed Description 

·       Responsible for managing client long sheets (budget, spend, run rate, revenue), and develop and understanding of project lifecycle and project types in relation and their effects on budgets and spend

·       Responsible for maintenance of client rate cards 

·       Review key financial metrics and proactively resolve issues (unpaid invoices, inactive activities, persuasive evidence, unbilled, A/R, Gross Margin, Contribution margin) 

·       Initiate routine and non-routine journal entries to ensure an accurate categorization of reserves/absorptions, allocations and appropriate WIP maintenance 

·       Responsible for timely and accurate client billing, and the collection of support documentation as needed

·       Coordinate with a billing coordinator, in some cases

·       Calculate run rates to monitor and manage financial progress against budgets

·       Run percent complete meetings and accurately track revenue recognition

·       Ability to manipulate large data sets and transform for analytical use

·       Generate and distribute system reports. Analyze data and provide commentary as appropriate. 

·       Highlight potential issues and recommend possible solutions

·       Understand requests, question or suggest alternatives when appropriate

·       Ability to explain and translate finance reports/documents to client teams/regional staff

·       Show judgment on when to elevate issues/requests and when to resolve independently

·       Suggest process improvements to benefit Capability

·       Initiative, responsibility and follow through for “owned” work a must

·       Leverage Capability resources to resolve issues

·       Prioritize and streamline tasks to ensure accuracy and efficiencies 

·       Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office

·       Proficiency with Excel (including Pivot Tables)

·       Familiarity using financial reporting systems (PeopleSoft, SAP)

·       Understanding of accounting concepts (debits/credits, revenue recognition, reserves/absorptions)

·       Interpersonal skills necessary to build strong partnerships and communicate with diverse groups agency-wide

·       Strong attention to detail with the ability to multitask

·       Accountability and flexibility a must

·       Ability to work in a fast paced environment

·       Strong organization and communication skills  

·       Positive team player attitude  

·       Minimum of one - two years of professional experience in a Finance or Accounting position

·       Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business

https://www.starcomww.com/