Vice President, Finance

About the role

GCI Health, part of WPP, is the leading global health impact agency built to realize the future of health. We turn client innovation into health impact through engagements that transcend traditional communications. From molecules to the masses, we embrace the entire healthcare spectrum in every corner of the world, spanning North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Our services include pipeline and product communications, brand marketing, corporate and enterprise communications, medical affairs and clinical trial marketing. GCI Health is a celebrated, highly respected healthcare agency with industry honors that include PRWeek Best Place to Work, PRWeek Global International Agency of the Year, MM+M PR Agency of the Year, PRovoke Media Global Healthcare PR Agency of the Year and PRovoke Media Agency of the Decade. WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP) is the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company - powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com . More about the role: The VP of Finance will play a critical role in managing the agency's day-to-day financial health, operational FP&A, and commercial client finance operations. Reporting directly to the Finance Director, this role will act as a key commercial partner to agency leadership and account teams, driving budgeting, forecasting, and working capital management. The ideal candidate possesses strong analytical capabilities, extensive agency or professional services experience, and the leadership skills necessary to manage a client portfolio while supporting the Finance Director on broader strategic initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Operational FP&A and Strategic Support:
• Budgeting & Reforecasting: Assist the Finance Director in building, maintaining, and consolidating annual budgets and quarterly reforecasts.
• Variance Analysis: Track actual performance against budgets and forecasts,
• Process Optimization: Support the Finance Director in driving process improvements, including automating month-end close processes and implementing standardized budgeting tools.
• Client Finance & Commercial Management:
• Portfolio Management: Oversee financial management, revenue recognition, and revenue reporting for an assigned book of client business.
• Client Profitability: Develop, manage, and analyze monthly client profitability reports, tracking staff time allocations and investment reserves.
• Commercial Partnering: Lead commercial alignment meetings with account teams and assist in client SOW (Statement of Work) development.
• Contract Compliance: Develop deep expertise in assigned client contracts, ensuring commercial compliance and educating non-finance agency personnel on contract terms.
• Operational Accounting & Working Capital Control:
• Working Capital Management: Collaborate with the billing, shared services, and account teams to meet working capital targets, specifically managing unbilled WIP and Accounts Receivable (AR).
• Accounting Close Support: Play an active role in the monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting close processes to ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Vendor and Contract Support: Coordinate the legal review of vendor contracts and manage related third-party financial schedules.
• Policy Compliance: Assist the Finance Director in enforcing accounting policies, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) guidelines, and internal holding company audit procedures.
• Leadership & Stakeholder Collaboration:
• Team Leadership: Support, mentor, and assist in training junior finance team members, championing a highly collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Cross-Functional Liaison: Serve as a trusted financial resource for account leads, client teams, and external business stakeholders.
• Ad Hoc Initiatives: Execute ad-hoc financial analysis and reporting projects as directed by the Finance Director.
• Experience that contributes to success:
• 6+ years of progressive finance or accounting experience, with at least 4 years of client-facing commercial finance experience within an advertising, PR, or professional services agency (holding company experience is highly preferred).
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA or MBA is a plus.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word. Experience working with enterprise financial tools and agency time-tracking systems
• Strong client service orientation and a collaborative work style.
• Solid analytical skills with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to confidently explain complex financial data to non-finance stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure in a fast-paced envi

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