Financial Controller

 

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Financial Controller to join our world-leading advertising and marketing agency, Ogilvy, based at Sea Containers, London. Reporting directly to the Group Finance Director, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the efficient functioning of our finance department, overseeing all financial reporting activities for Ogilvy EMEA and WPP. This is a critical leadership position, managing a team of nine (with four direct reports), where you will be instrumental in developing best practices, driving consistency, efficiency, and ensuring robust compliance across all financial operations.

What You'll Do

As our Financial Controller, you'll step into a pivotal leadership role at the heart of Ogilvy's finance department. You'll be instrumental in shaping our financial narrative, driving operational excellence, and ensuring robust compliance across all financial operations for Ogilvy EMEA and WPP. This role offers the chance to make a significant impact, working closely with senior leadership and managing a dedicated team.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and developing a team of nine (with four direct reports), fostering best practices and driving consistency and efficiency within the finance department.
• Overseeing all core financial reporting activities, from month-end P&L (Flash and Actuals) and Balance Sheet, to strategic Budget and Re-forecast submissions, providing crucial data for WPP and Ogilvy EMEA.
• Ensuring rigorous financial compliance and control, acting as a key owner for WPP control reviews, maintaining ICFR adherence, and serving as the primary contact for all auditors.
• Driving continuous process improvement across financial systems, including vendor set-up, POs, invoice approvals, and payment processes, to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

You'll also play a vital role in assisting with insightful financial presentations for CEO and CFO review meetings, providing commentary on variances, and managing all essential regulatory reporting required under UK law.

 

What You'll Need

We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated individual with:

• Qualifications & Experience:
• Qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) or qualified by extensive experience.
• 6+ years of progressive experience within a finance team.
• Proven experience in managing a team, including staff hiring and development.
• Experience with month-end reporting and comprehensive financial analysis.
• Experience with vendor management and accounts payable processes.
• Skills & Attributes:
• Strong analytical and financial skills with meticulous attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, enabling effective collaboration across all levels.
• Strong Excel proficiency is essential.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines, both independently and for your team.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work effectively independently and as part of a dynamic team.
• Experience of compliance frameworks (WPP experience would be advantageous).
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of staff cost reporting and analysis (advantageous).
• Workday experience (advantageous).

 

Benefits 

We believe in supporting our people to do their best work and live their best lives.

•  25 days annual leave plus the option to buy up to 5 extra days leave + 1 volunteer day
• Bupa Healthcare
• Enhanced family friendly policies, including, adoption and shared parental leave
• Menopause support
• We have a Flexible Working Model with core working hours: 10am – 4pm
• A generous pension scheme - you pay in 4% we pay 6%, following probation contributions are matched up to 10.5% (17.5% in total
• A fantastic Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provided by Telus which offers brilliant support, expert advice and specialist counselling
• Help @ Hand - quick free access to a remote GP, mental health support, physio or a medical 2nd opinion