Assistant Finance Manager / Finance Lead

About the Role:

As a CBRE Assistant Finance Manager, you will lead sustainable financial growth by taking ownership of the financial operations, controls and management information.

You will provide insight and influence to impact performance and maintain competitive advantage alongside financial and contract support leadership and direction in the Business Unit. Act as point of liaison for Finance and Commercial issues for the Client and Contract teams.

This will involve personal attitude, use of skills and dissemination of knowledge. Use specialist skills and experience to provide insight and influence in order to impact performance standards. Implement improvements, drive change, raise standards through the direct and indirect management of the team. Act as a business partner to the Account Director to both advise and challenge on contract performance.

What You’ll Do:

Customer

• Developing high quality and effective Client relationships especially across the contracts.
• Build good working relationship with account management and key client’s members and be a business partner for both.
• Tightly manage contract governance, demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of the terms and conditions of the contract to ensure that all cost elements are appropriately accounted for.
• Assist with client team requests in a timely and accurate manner.
• Positively respond to both our internal and external customers (often in a matrix environment) through effective communication and personal accessibility/credibility.

Financial Reporting

• Monthly formal Contract and Business unit reviews. Ensure use of best practice, communication and understanding of key business messages through monthly site visits with focus on underperforming contracts.
• Support any GWS transformation and client initiatives, working closely with other functions to ensure full alignment of deliverables and results.
• Prepare accurate Business Unit reports in line with monthly company timetable including full Profit & Loss account with analysis and commentary, Balance Sheet extracts and reconciliations, review Project Profitability reporting, Profit & Loss forecasts and annual plans.
• Provide best in class Management Information to both Client and GWS management to include Actuals v Budget.
• Provide ad-hoc support and financial analysis as required.

Contract and Finance Management

• Continually review, maintain and improve cash-flow, margins and reporting. Develop targets and benchmarking processes to challenge the financial information.
• Drive high quality financial / commercial performance through understanding the contractual commitments on service lines and ensure is aligned and consistent with global contract management practices.
• Identify and help drive implementation of savings opportunities to ensure Client and GWS financial savings targets are maximized.
• Review Contract and Business Unit P&L results and challenge.
• Carry out regular Contract reviews and Project reviews.
• Active management of overheads for business whilst seeking out areas for efficiencies for savings.
• Build and develop high level relationships with business and account leaders, central finance teams, customers and external agencies (e.g. auditors).
• Constantly improve quality, service and efficiency.
• Communicate regularly with contract financial and contract support staff to ensure they are fully informed of operational objectives and achievements.
• Identify, analyse and resolve potential business risks, as well as opportunities and solutions to enhance business performance.

Finance Processes, Procedures and Reporting

• Ensure company policies and procedures are adhered to consistently throughout the Contract.
• Ensure full substantiation of all accruals, un-billed revenue, in line with GWS policy.
• Manage the integrity of data in Client reporting and GWS systems.
• Develop an understanding of how to best utilize GWS system-generated reporting capabilities.
• Continually develop systems to maximize efficiency benefits for client & GWS.
• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of accounting records and financial systems, identify opportunities to enhance system efficiencies
• Have thorough knowledge of procedures and processes and lead the delivery of these to the required standard.
• Manage compliance through the required procedures and processes.

Finance Planning

• Assisting in the preparation of annual bottom-up Plan for and monitoring the forecast through the year.

Financial Governance

• Ensure CBRE and statutory obligations are met for reporting and governance purposes.
• Ensure monthly balance sheet reconciliations are carried out and reviewed
• Driving and agreeing any financial policy requirements with Business Unit Finance Manager

People Management

• Recruit, induct, manage, target, motive and develop the Contract Support team.
• Review and advise on resourcing gaps.
• Carry out structured appraisals and ensure personal development plans are in place and include succession plans.
• Build, lead and motivate a diverse and effective team. Empower team members to take responsibility and accountability
• Supervise and review performance of individuals in the team.
• Convey messages and ideas clearly and openly. Involve people and influence decisions.

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor's Degree preferred with 5 years of relevant experience. In lieu of a degree, a combination of experience and education will be considered.
• Qualified Accountant and member of recognized accounting organization will have an added advantage.
• Proven commercial acumen and ability to contribute to decision-making.
• Previous experience of a service industry role using operating systems such as TM1, Peoplesoft.
• Dealt with GMP, Cost plus and Fixed price commercial models (good to have)
• Experience in the areas of staffing, selection, training, development, coaching, mentoring, measuring, appraising, and rewarding performance and retention preferred.
• Ability to guide the exchange of sensitive, complicated, and difficult information, convey performance expectations and handle problems.
• Keen interest on operational matters and ability to bring together operational, contractual & financial matters
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Ability to influence stakeholders
• Ability to solve problems - both independently and working as a team
• Ability to work in a Matrix organisation involving many stakeholders
• Leadership skills to motivate team impact on quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the job discipline and department.
• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Examples include Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Intermediate math skills. Ability to calculate complicated figures such as percentages, fractions, and other financial-related calculations.
• Solid understanding of modern Digital & Technology solutions, used to facilitate and enhance business performance (ERP, Reporting tools, Cloud based solutions, etc.)