Financial Controller

Financial Controller New York Hybrid Flexible 2-3 days

Overall Objective

The successful candidate will have the ability and willingness to be the sole finance figure in a satellite office, with support from the UK Finance team. This is a hands-on role that provides exposure to a wide array of finance tasks, including business partnering, client/supplier management, management accounts preparation, and employer tax filings.

Job Purpose

• Manage the day-to-day activities of the finance department and ensure that appropriate systems and internal controls are in place to maintain the financial health of the entity.
• Partner with the Americas MD to provide timely and clear insights into portfolio financial performance, assisting in making informed, financially sound decisions to enhance business performance.
• Build financial awareness across Account Management teams, ensuring that financial literacy becomes a core skill within the business unit.

Experience, Qualifications, and Core Skills

• CPA/CFP/ACCA qualification (or international equivalent).
• Proven expertise in a similar working environment.
• Fluent in both written and spoken English.
• Strong understanding of financial accounting and commercial business operations.
• Prior experience in US payroll and employer filings.
• Familiarity with financial and operational systems.
• Proficient in all components of Microsoft Office.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and proactive in all aspects of work.

Additional Key Qualities

Essential

• Excellent communication skills for effective engagement with both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Strong sense of responsibility toward the organization’s reputation.
• Ability to work independently and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Highly organized, with the ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
• Strong sense of pride in delivering high-quality work.
• Industry experience of 5 years preferred.
• Ambitious and career-focused.

Specific Responsibilities

• Business Partnering:
• Collaborate with the MD to optimize finance and business decisions that improve financial performance.
• Prepare monthly management reports and ensure the MD has a comprehensive understanding of the figures and KPIs, enabling them to present confidently to the CEO.
• Assist in preparing rolling forward-look forecasts to ensure robust visibility of future performance.
• Track time utilization and work with MD/BDs to rectify any deviations from targets.
• Project Finance Management:
• Partner with project leads to manage project budgets, ensuring margins and third-party expenses are aligned with forecasts.
• Ensure the MD remains informed of the financial health of projects in their portfolio.
• Cost and Revenue Forecasting:
• Own the cost forecasting process for staffing and overheads, ensuring budget adherence and communicating any variances to the MD/HoF.
• Oversee revenue forecasting and reporting.
• Payments and Expenses:
• Oversee US Inc payment runs, ensuring supplier onboarding processes are followed and payments are made according to terms.
• Review and approve employee expenses and supplier invoices, ensuring accurate coding of costs.
• Payroll and Tax Compliance:
• Review payroll, perform monthly payroll reconciliations, and ensure employer tax filings are completed.
• Support the Ops/HR team with payroll-related queries.
• Cash Flow Management:
• Actively manage the cash flow of the business to ensure liquidity.
• Conduct the first review of supplier contracts.
• Client Billing and Accounts Receivable:
• Ensure timely client billing and that payments are received according to agreed terms.
• Tax and Regulatory Compliance:
• Oversee all employer tax matters and corporate filing requirements, in collaboration with the Tax Team.
• RFP and Pricing Support:
• Assist project leads with RFPs for existing clients.
• Help define rate cards and develop commercial pricing for new tenders.
• Ad Hoc Projects and Audit Support:
• Work on special projects and provide analysis to the HoF and FD.
• Assist with the annual audit process.
• Process Improvement and Training:
• Develop and document robust processes, ensuring they are effectively communicated across the agency.
• Lead value-adding initiatives, including system enhancements, agency training, and KPI development.