European Finance Director

Axicom; Greater London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000

Job description

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We are an award-winning team of PR pros who are proud to be awarded Best Agency To Work For EMEA Network by Provoke in 2024 as well as shortlisted as Technology Agency of the Year in 2024 for the EMEA Sabre Awards. We are looking to welcome new talent into our team. We bring together a diverse group of people who share a passion for integrated communications and tech and want to tell the world amazing stories about the transformative power of technology.

Axicom delivers integrated communication campaigns for the world’s most innovative technology companies. From offices in Amsterdam, Austin, Los Angeles, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Stockholm and more recently Brazil and Mexico, Axicom designs, builds and delivers ground-breaking and thought-provoking campaigns. We offer our clients analyst and influencer relations, content, digital marketing, media relations, integrated communications, internal communications, and research and insights services.

At Axicom, we work Intelligently. Intelligent Working is our industry leading approach to flexible working. It is an adaptable framework that gives you more freedom every day and the flexibility you need to provide you with balance.

As a progressive workplace we welcome and support flexible working and believe that with high trust, we don’t need rules, just principles that we can all agree to.

About you

We look for three values when onboarding talent: Intelligence, Initiative, and Integrity.

The role

The European Finance Director (“FD”) plays a leading finance role supporting the continued growth of Axicom Europe by overseeing and managing a best-in-class finance, accounting and control’s function.

This role forms part of the wider European Finance team reporting directly to Axicom global CFO, based in San Francisco and has a direct link and partnership with all European Managing Directors.

The European FD plays a critical role in developing and implementing financial resources to maximize the commercial operations of Axicom. As a member of the senior leadership team, the FD will help develop and manage the strategic financial and operational objectives. They will be responsible for overseeing all fiscal and fiduciary responsibilities, helping drive commercial best practice to maximize revenues and drive cost efficiencies. They will also be responsible for ensuring compliance with WPP Internal Controls Framework and International Accounting Standards (“IAS”). They will be the lead finance executive supporting the rapidly transforming and evolving needs of the business and team.

As a Finance leader, you optimize client profitability and staffing/capacity. You provide strategic counsel using cutting-edge tools to deliver financial insights. With your executive presence, drive, and optimism, you embrace and drive change.

Specific responsibilities will include:

• Leads all financial planning and analysis, including forecasting, budgeting, and working capital management.
• Proactively identify opportunities to engage with agency and client leadership on anything related to client profitability or staffing and capacity.
• Provide strategic counsel to agency leadership on business decisions, anything from capacity management to new business proposals.
• Support the compensation modelling and planning.
• Responsible for the bi-annual salary review process; ensure that each company’s submission is reasonable based upon market conditions, wage inflation/staff turnover, operational performance, etc.
• Develop tools and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to the management team and make actionable recommendations on both strategy and operations.
• Oversees and reviews accounting tasks, including payroll, taxes, and compliance.
• Responsible for accurate reporting to Group HQ on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
• Responsible for the implementation of accounting policies and procedures, including Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), WPP Internal Controls Framework and annual financial audits.
• Collaborate with other members of the Axicom leadership team and WPP worldwide headquarters finance group.
• Manage and coach finance managers and analysts and support their growth and development.

Qualifications & Experience

• The FD will be a growth-oriented leader with 6-8 years of broad finance experience. The candidate must have acquired the skills and experience to be able to lead the financial function within a fast paced, rapid growth environment and be capable of making actionable recommendations to senior leadership.
• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in accounting/finance or ACCA/CIMA qualified.
• Basic Knowledge of German, Italian, French, Spanish and Dutch accounting principles.
• Experience in a consumer and/or professional service businesses that operates within a complex holding company environment.
• Strong and proven accounting / financial leadership.
• Excellent analytical and abstract reasoning skills, plus excellent organization skills.
• Smart and strategic with a client-first mentality and is service orientated.
• Ability to work under pressure in an environment with constantly changing priorities.
• An effective communicator with strong oral and written skills, and a willingness to share information.

Core Competencies

• The successful candidate will be a dynamic and transformational individual with the ability to lead, manage and mentor people. Specifically, the ideal candidate:
• Builds strong partnerships. Relates well to a wide variety of styles and types, both internally and externally; champions diversity; treats differences fairly and equitably.
• Has a hands-on mentality.
• Has excellent maturity and judgment. They can operate effectively in a large, complex, and global environment. Maintains composure under pressure and can balance competing priorities.
• Maintains executive presence. They can establish instant credibility and relate effectively with both internal and external stakeholders, as well as articulate a vision, establish a clear sense of direction and create accountability.
• Sustains intensity and optimism. They are skilled at influencing others and getting individuals, teams, and an entire organization to perform at a higher level; communicates a compelling vision and is committed to execution; voracious learner who is insightful and grows from personal mistakes.
• Embraces and drives change. Learns and adapts well to new plans, programs and priorities; inspires others to embrace change. The successful candidate will have superior intellect, with the ability to think creatively and make clear and well-reasoned decisions and will be driven by the desire to help the company as a whole be a success.

What We Offer

As well as exciting career growth opportunities we offer a generous remuneration package and employee benefits. You will also have access to Employee Assistance and LinkedIn Learning as well as other training and development opportunities.

Seniority level

• Director

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Finance
• Industries
• Public Relations and Communications Services