Finance Manager, Global Revenue Recognition

Publicis Sapient is a digital transformation partner helping established organisations get to their future, digitally-enabled state, both in the way they work and the way they serve their customers. We help unlock value through a start-up mindset and modern methods, fusing strategy, consulting and customer experience with agile engineering and problem-solving creativity. United by our core values and our purpose of helping people thrive in the brave pursuit of next, our 20,000+ people in 53 offices around the world combine experience across technology, data sciences, consulting and customer obsession to accelerate our clients’ businesses through designing the products and services their customers truly value.

As a Finance Manager specialising in revenue, you will be a member of the Global Revenue Operations Team and specialising on assigned Team Verticals in Publicis Sapient International. You will help drive and ensure accurate revenue recognition through review and analysis of client contracts, supporting analysis of monthly revenue, review of reconciliations relating to revenue related accounts with some initial preparation responsibilities, monthly financial reporting, and involvement with both external and internal audits.

You will be collaborating and working closely not only with people in your team which span the globe, but also with the Client Finance and Business Operation Teams in London and overseas. You will work to understand issues and research problems, find solutions, perform analyses to understand our results, and help uphold our policies and procedures. You display intellectual curiosity, have a desire to understand how things work, and are excited by change and learning.

Job Summary: Manage Revenue Assurance, responsible for revenue recognition with a focus on the Revenue Close and Controls.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Manage the daily activities and processes related to the Contract to Cash function for the EMEA region of PS International, and ensure compliance with both IFRS and Publicis Groupe’s policies and procedures.
• Act as a technical accounting resource and partner with various teams in the organization (e.g. Delivery, Client Finance, and Legal) to identify and address potential risks relating to revenue recognition during contract negotiations.
• Practical application of IFRS 15/ASC 606 for moderate to complex revenue-related accounting issues to the review and analysis of larger value contracts, or other forms of persuasive evidence, to ensure proper revenue recognition.
• Hands-on involvement for new team vertical associated with a newly migrated entity focused on the Public Sector, which will include with Forecast vs Actual and ensuring correct revenue recognition and adjustments made at month-end.
• Analyse and understand risks associated with revenue-related balance sheet accounts including unbilled revenue, aged accounts receivable, and work-in-process, while assessing certain potential reserve and provision requirements.
• Manage and direct the work of both direct and indirect reports during the month and month-end close process, while reviewing working papers/deliverables to ensure good work quality and compliance with internal controls and policies.
• Take ownership of liaising with external and internal auditors, and work with the GRO team to prepare support, address queries, justify revenue positions, and understand root causes of deficiencies to escalate within GRO.
• Drive process improvement by proactively identifying issues, setting operational goals, communicating to appropriate stakeholders, and taking ownership until resolved and/or put into production.
• Responsible for direct reports and managing their growth through career development and training/mentoring (e.g. setting goals and expectations, providing constructive and positive feedback, monitoring progress).
• Other ad hoc projects and analyses as required.

Experience Guidelines:

• Established revenue professional with 5+ years of US GAAP/IFRS experience in the Technology or Advertising sectors who is familiar with a variety of revenue concepts, practices, and procedures and applying this experience.
• Ability to work independently, be self-motivated, and prioritise competing obligations, manage various tasks and ensure timely completion working a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines throughout the month.
• Ability to gather facts, solve problems, draw conclusions and make decisions while considering various perspectives and understanding downstream impacts.
• Demonstrated communication skills, which includes the ability to write reports, business correspondence, or other analyses using clear, concise and appropriate language for stakeholders ranging from junior members to executive level.
• Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, vendors, and others both inside and outside the organisation.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to establish credibility, influence, motivate and lead colleagues and team members, and forge relationships across departments.
• Strong Excel spreadsheet and PowerPoint skills desired.
• Experience with Oracle, SAP, or other ERP system required.
• Strong time management, organisation, and program management skills.

Education:

• BS/BA degree in Accounting or Finance with 5+ years of public and/or private accounting experience
• CPA or Chartered Accountant, a big plus.