At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage client job lifecycles and ensure timely billing in a dynamic finance team.
- Company: Join Ogilvy, a top UK agency known for creativity and impactful ideas across 132 offices worldwide.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, 25 days leave, wellness perks, and a supportive team culture.
- Other info: This is a 12-month fixed-term role with opportunities for process improvement and career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while collaborating with diverse teams in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in media or service industries, strong Excel skills, and a proactive mindset are essential.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
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Department: Finance
Location: London - hybrid working
Contract Type: Fixed-Term (12 months)
Full Time/Part Time: Full Time 35 hours per week
About Ogilvy
Our vision is to inspire brands and people to impact the world. To create big ideas that make a significant contribution to the planet, society, and the bottom line. We believe in today’s world this is the best way for our clients to achieve sustainable growth. We achieve this by breaking down the barriers that restrict talent and ideas.
Which is why our teams work fluidly across 5 capabilities: Advertising, Consulting, Experience, PR & Influencer, and Health. This allows us to not only operate but innovate at the intersection of capabilities and talent. We believe impact and magic lies at this intersection. Ogilvy scales this by seamlessly connecting and accessing the deep cultural expertise of 132 offices in 83 countries.
The result is multifaceted ideas for our clients that drive impact and are born from the intersection of platform x culture x technology. We call this Borderless Creativity.
Ogilvy was ranked the number one UK agency at D&AD and was the only UK agency to win a Glass Lions at Cannes. Ogilvy was also nominated network of the year in Cannes Lions, Campaign, Effie Awards EMEA, London International Awards, The One Show and WARC Rankings.
About The Role
Are you our next Commercial WIP Manager? This isn't just a billing role; it's a dynamic position at the heart of our Commercial Finance team, where you'll act as the gatekeeper of our client jobs from inception to closure. You'll be instrumental in ensuring best commercial practice across a diverse portfolio of clients, ranging from large annual accounts (up to £1-2 million in value) to smaller, project-based work.
You'll join a close-knit, supportive Commercial Finance team that prides itself on looking out for each other, and tackling challenges collaboratively. We've recently transitioned to Workday, so you'll be joining peers who are on the same journey, actively contributing to process improvements and problem-solving in a fast-paced agency environment. This 12-month fixed-term contract offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact, refine processes, and build strong relationships across the business.
What You’ll Do
Responsibilities
As a Commercial WIP Manager, you will be responsible for the billing and Work In Progress (WIP) management for a portfolio of clients. Your typical day will involve:
- Job Lifecycle Management: Overseeing the entire job lifecycle, from opening and setup (ensuring adherence to Commercial Control guidelines and documentation) to timely closing.
- Client & Team Collaboration: Regularly meeting with client teams to review open jobs, explaining financial processes, and ensuring timely billing in line with client and internal procedures. You'll be a key liaison, not just a back-office function.
- Financial Control & Reporting: Preparing reports on time value vs. fee invoiced, reviewing open Purchase Orders, managing Credit Notes, and advising Senior Commercial Accountants on process adherence.
- Net Working Capital (NWC) Management: Proactively reviewing WIP to resolve issues and escalate concerns, helping to avoid NWC provisions and liaising with Debtors to resolve issues.
- Compliance & Audit: Ensuring compliance with ICFR regulations, assisting with internal and client audits, and adhering to all internal procedures and policies, including the Purchase Order policy.
- System Utilisation: Utilising Workday for client setup, master data management, WIP allocation, and running ad-hoc reports for brand teams. You'll also play a role in ensuring best practice use of Workday and potentially assisting in training new client team joiners.
- Problem Solving: Actively getting stuck in to solve challenges and bottlenecks, contributing to a more efficient and effective finance operation.
- Experience: Preferred experience in a media or service-oriented business with a strong commercial focus. Familiarity with Billing, WIP, and Net Working Capital management is essential.
- System Proficiency: Experience with Workday is highly desirable. Strong Excel skills (sumifs, vlookups, etc.) are a must.
- Mindset: You'll be an agile, fast learner who is proactive, self-motivated, open-minded, and ready to roll up your sleeves and learn. A desire to identify and improve processes is key.
- Communication & Collaboration: Confident and enthusiastic communicator (written and verbal) with proven stakeholder management skills. You'll thrive on building close working relationships with SCAs, CAs, other WIP Managers, and agency client teams.
- Organisation: Excellent organisation and attention to detail, with strong time management skills to handle multiple deadlines and priorities.
- Problem-Solving: A natural inclination to identify and solve challenges, contributing to a dynamic and evolving environment.
- 25 days annual leave + 1 Volunteer Day, plus, the option to purchase up to 5 additional days leave each year
- Bupa Healthcare
- Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Leave
- We have a Flexible Working Model with core working hours: 10am – 4pm
- A 1.5:1 Matching Pension Structure
- Wellbeing and Health: Up to £25.00 per month towards physical or online exercise class membership, Unmind membership, LifeWorks tool and annual eye tests and development budgets and Wellbeing incentives and activities throughout the year
- Season Ticket Loan and Cycle to Work Scheme
- Life Assurance
We are an equal opportunity employer and we’re committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for everyone who wants to work at Ogilvy. For us, diversity, equity and inclusion is integrated into everything that we do. We believe that for creativity to flourish, everything about how we work must have diversity at its core. Your race, colour, ethnic, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, have no bearing on our hiring decisions, but we encourage everyone to feel free to express their true selves in an environment we are consistently striving to make as inclusive as possible.
We aim to facilitate an accessible and positive application experience for all candidates. If you require any adjustments from us to support you through the process or expect to require any adjustments to working conditions to be able to best perform in the role, please let us know. We are happy to consider all reasonable adjustments.
If you live with a disability and you would like to take advantage of our offer of a guaranteed interview under the Disability Confident Scheme, please ensure you fill out our voluntary Equal Opportunities Questionnaire when applying.
Seniority level
Seniority level
Not Applicable
Employment type
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Industries
Software Development
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#J-18808-LjbffrCommercial WIP Manager in London employer: Ogilvy UK
Ogilvy is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture, where employees are encouraged to grow and innovate. With a flexible working model, generous leave policies, and a commitment to employee wellbeing, Ogilvy provides a supportive environment for the Commercial WIP Manager role in London. The opportunity to work with a diverse portfolio of clients and contribute to impactful projects makes this position not just a job, but a meaningful career path.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial WIP Manager in London
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Workday, as it's a key system used in this role. If you haven't used it before, consider watching tutorial videos or reading up on its functionalities to demonstrate your proactive approach during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of Ogilvy, especially those in finance roles. They can provide insights into the company culture and expectations, which can help you tailor your approach when discussing your fit for the team.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on your Excel skills, particularly functions like SUMIFs and VLOOKUPs. Being able to showcase your proficiency in these areas can set you apart, as strong Excel skills are essential for managing financial data effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed client relationships or resolved financial issues in previous roles. This will help you illustrate your problem-solving abilities and collaborative mindset, both of which are crucial for the Commercial WIP Manager position.
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial WIP Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in billing, WIP management, and financial control. Use specific examples that demonstrate your skills in these areas, particularly any experience with Workday or similar systems.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, express your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Mention how your proactive mindset and problem-solving abilities align with Ogilvy's values and the responsibilities of the Commercial WIP Manager position.
Highlight Relevant Skills:Emphasise your strong Excel skills and any experience you have with financial reporting and compliance. Be sure to mention your ability to manage multiple deadlines and your attention to detail, as these are crucial for the role.
Showcase Communication Abilities:Since the role involves collaboration with various teams, highlight your communication skills. Provide examples of how you've successfully managed stakeholder relationships in previous roles, showcasing your ability to explain complex financial processes clearly.
How to prepare for a job interview at Ogilvy UK
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you have a clear understanding of the responsibilities of a Commercial WIP Manager. Familiarise yourself with job lifecycle management, client collaboration, and financial reporting. This will help you articulate how your experience aligns with the role.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be prepared to discuss specific examples where you've identified and resolved challenges in previous roles. Highlight your proactive approach and how it contributed to improving processes or outcomes.
✨Demonstrate System Proficiency
Since experience with Workday is highly desirable, be ready to talk about your familiarity with this system or similar tools. If you have strong Excel skills, mention specific functions you've used, like sumifs and vlookups, to showcase your technical abilities.
✨Emphasise Communication and Collaboration
As a key liaison between teams, it's crucial to demonstrate your communication skills. Prepare to share examples of how you've built strong relationships with stakeholders and facilitated effective collaboration in past roles.
