Director – Group Reporting

WPP; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 120,000

Job description

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 115,000 accomplished people in 110 countries. WPP has headquarters in New York, London and Singapore and a corporate presence in major markets worldwide.

We create transformative ideas and outcomes for our clients through an integrated offer of communications, experience, commerce, and technology.

WPP and our award-winning agencies work with most of the world's biggest companies and organisations – from Ford, Unilever and P&G to Google, HSBC, and the UN. Our clients include 61 of the FTSE 100, 307 of the Fortune Global 500, all 30 of the Dow Jones 30 and 62 of the NASDAQ 100. WPP are the leader in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index and 20th in the FTSE 100 rankings for Women on Boards.

Why we're hiring:

Key Driver of Change: Senior Finance Leader at WPP, London: Join WPP at a pivotal moment! We're investing in a significant transformation of our finance and accounting organisation to better support our global business, and we need a talented Senior Finance Professional to be a critical leader in London. In this highly visible role, you'll collaborate with stakeholders across the WPP group, ensuring the success of this vital initiative and playing a key role in shaping the future of our financial operations.

What you'll be doing:

Lead Global Financial Reporting at WPP

As the Director of Group Reporting, you'll be at the heart of WPP's financial narrative, shaping how we communicate our performance to the world. Reporting directly to the Head of Group Reporting, you'll oversee all aspects of our external and internal financial reporting cycles, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and compliance across our global operations in over 100 countries.

This is a high-impact role where you'll leverage your international experience and cultural understanding to thrive in our complex, dynamic organization. You'll lead and develop a talented multinational team, driving best-in-class processes and systems to elevate our reporting function to new heights.

Here's a glimpse of your key responsibilities:

1. Lead and Inspire: Build, manage, and mentor a team of high-performing professionals responsible for external reporting and consolidation for our dual (UK & US) listed business.
2. Shape Accounting Policy: Proactively identify, analyse, and manage the impact of accounting and financial reporting developments, ensuring accurate and timely reflection in our external financial reporting.
3. Champion Controls: Develop and maintain a robust SOX-compliant financial control environment, collaborating closely with the Risk and Controls team.
4. Influence Senior Management: Engage with senior leadership to ensure business issues are appropriately identified, accounted for, and disclosed in our financial statements.
5. Orchestrate Consolidation: Oversee the Group consolidation process, ensuring accuracy, control, and adherence to reporting deadlines across a vast network of companies and currencies.
6. Collaborate Across Functions: Partner with FP&A and the Group's Technical Accounting team on relevant accounting and reporting issues, ensuring alignment with budgets and forecasts.
7. Provide Expert Guidance: Advise the Group on complex technical accounting transactions, such as acquisitions and disposals.
8. Build Strong Relationships: Cultivate a close working relationship with external auditors to ensure smooth sign-off for group and local statutory reporting, minimizing surprises and maximizing efficiency.
9. Drive Continuous Improvement: Lead reporting changes and improvements across the broader controllership function, collaborating with local market teams and specialist teams (tax, legal, treasury, Group M&A, and SSC).
10. Inform and Advise: Prepare and present insightful briefing papers and analyses of accounting concepts for the Group Financial Controller, CFO, Audit Committee, and other senior financial leaders.

What you'll need:

Your Expertise and Leadership: We're looking for a finance leader with a proven track record of success in complex, multinational, listed organizations. You'll be a strategic thinker, a skilled communicator, and a passionate team builder, capable of driving excellence in financial reporting and leading a diverse, global team through a period of significant change.

Here's what we're looking for:

1. Deep Financial Reporting Expertise: Extensive experience in financial reporting for large, complex group consolidations, preferably with UK premium and/or US listed entities.
2. IFRS Mastery: A thorough understanding of IFRS accounting and reporting standards, financial reporting risks, and controls.
3. Regulatory Acumen: SEC regulatory knowledge and SOX experience.
4. Strong Academic Foundation: Big Four training and a full accounting qualification (ACA/CA).
5. Process Optimization Mindset: A clear perspective on best-in-class systems and processes.
6. Change Management Prowess: A proven track record of successfully managing teams through change and year-end close periods.
7. Systems Implementation Experience: Ideally, experience leading or participating in a new system implementation, from requirements gathering to testing and deployment.

Beyond Technical Skills: Your Leadership Qualities

We value individuals who are not only technically proficient but also possess the leadership qualities to inspire and drive their teams. We're looking for someone who:

1. Empowers and Develops: Has a strong track record of hiring, retaining, developing, and motivating top-tier functional talent.
2. Manages Globally: Can effectively lead and manage international teams, working across diverse cultures and geographic environments.
3. Drives Innovation: Has a track record of implementing process efficiencies using innovative ideas.
4. Acts with Urgency: Demonstrates pace and urgency in implementing new strategies, with a keen awareness of the impact on the business.
5. Collaborates Effectively: Works effectively with a range of business leaders and external advisors.
6. Demonstrates Growth: Has a demonstrable history of career progression.

Your Personal Attributes: The Key to Success

We're seeking a candidate who embodies the following personal characteristics:

1. Strategic Thinker: Able to see the big picture, anticipate challenges, and develop proactive solutions.
2. Results-Oriented: Strong execution skills and a sense of urgency to shape and deliver goals.
3. Team Player: Keen intellect and a pragmatic, agile approach to delivering results.
4. Exceptional Communicator: Exceptional communication, influencing, and decision-making skills.
5. Quick Learner: A quick study, demonstrating initiative and a determination to succeed.
6. Confident and Credible: High levels of personal confidence, credibility, professionalism, and integrity, with the resilience to lead and manage change.
7. Personable and Decisive: Highly personable, builds relationships, but is also not afraid of making tough decisions and giving feedback.
8. Dynamic and Agile: A dynamic and agile temperament.

Who you are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are accepting: of new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures for our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

What we'll give you:

Passionate, inspired people: We promote a culture of people that do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity: We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work: Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?

WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.