MKTG Sports + Entertainment is a global integrated agency that harnesses the power of sports and entertainment to impact human behavior through meaningful marketing solutions and experiences. Our key differentiator is “knowing people better than anyone else”, and using deep consumer insights to establish powerful connections between sports properties and brands.

Across strategy, measurement, content, hospitality, and events, we connect the sports and entertainment industry and companies around the world to deliver meaningful marketing solutions and experiences that are truly differentiated. The experiences that we create engage customers, build memorable brands, and deliver value.

The Client Finance Lead has responsibilities across three key areas:

• Functional leadership & transformation of the client finance team, including managing direct report(s) in the team;
• Partnering with business on key clients and new business pitches, including providing client-focused management information and analysis to business leadership;
• Ownership of client-related financials, and associated reporting and compliance

You will have a direct reporting line into the MKTG S&E Global CFO, and will work closely with the MKTG FP&A and controllership staff as well as centralized Dentsu International finance teams in the US and offshore.  This is a high visibility role which directly supports the business leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Functional Leadership & Transformation

• Partner with CFO and business leadership team to transform the client finance team from a compliance necessity to a value-add function in the eyes of the business
• Specifically, identify and drive operational improvement through analysis & simplification of finance processes and management of other client finance staff
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with account team members, service line leads and business leadership, identifying opportunities to improve communication with, and perception of, the client finance team
• Manage other client finance team member(s), identifying each individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and support needs.
• Take responsibility for recruiting, retaining, training, and developing team members as needed over time, working with HR and other functions as appropriate
• Work with counterparts in other markets to standardize client finance reporting across MKTG Sports globally
• Act as finance lead on projects to software transformation projects over time, in conjunction with key stakeholders from account teams, business and dentsu international
• Support account teams to drive compliance across the business with new time reporting tool (Workfront)
• Work with legal to create & maintain summaries of key contractual terms for all clients, and build a secure archive of all client MSAs/SOWs etc.
• Ensure auditable contract compliance by building strong processes for all finance or reporting activities undertaken for clients, and improving existing processes and controls where appropriate

Business Partnering

• Maintain revenue forecasting document (including updating for new client wins, and monthly actuals), and monitor timeliness of completion and accuracy of forecasting by account teams.
• Review and stress-test revenue forecasting assumptions with account teams
• Monitor revenue booking status vs targets throughout month, and review actuals with account teams at month end before reporting to CFO
• Partner with account leads, service line leaders and CFO to understand short, medium, and long-term revenue projections and resourcing implications to drive forecasts and budgets
• Work with new business team to monitor pipeline opportunities and timing, to ensure appropriate forecasting
• Partner with pitch teams and CFO to price proposals to new business prospects, including providing guidance on appropriate pricing methods and margins
• Support client teams during contract renewals (and throughout the year) to drive increased margin on existing business
• Collate & review client financials for overseas markets, to build global view of performance and benchmarks for top clients/multi-market clients
• Work with CFO to evaluate revenue growth & synergy opportunities linked to M&A opportunities

Ownership of client financials

• Monitor balance sheet accounts relating to client activity, and work with account teams to avoid or resolve aged client or vendor balances (e.g., unbilled items, unpaid invoices, unspent funds etc.)
• Partner with offshore AR team to ensure client payments appropriately allocated in a timely fashion
• Complete monthly, quarterly & year-end financial reporting. Includes:
• Analysis & aging of WIP & prepaid cost balances by client, and posting appropriate netting adjustments to balance sheet
• Reconciliation of inter- and intra-company billing for client projects, and ownership of intercompany reporting in Bellin/Coupa systems for client activities
• Partner with business leadership to complete client commentary in monthly CEO report (analysis of key drivers for revenue variances, outlook for future months, any aged client balance sheet items etc.)
• Weekly reporting of AR exposure and credit insurance coverage, and submission of new client & existing client change requests to insurer
• Provide key inputs to FP&A team on expected cash inflows & outflows, to facilitate cashflow forecasting and drive positive cashflow
• Deal with audit requests relating to client projects, revenue recognition, billing, and associated costs

Other ad hoc duties as required

• Excellent attention to detail
• Experience directly managing staff
• Entrepreneurial mindset combined with focus on financial integrity & compliance
• Minimum bachelors-degree education
• 7+ years’ experience in finance roles
• Agency finance team experience preferred
• Knowledge of dentsu/Dentsu International systems and processes is a plus
• This position is responsible for handling highly confidential information, requiring an ability to maintain and display high ethical standards including confidentiality, discretion, and exemplary judgment with respect to such information

Part of dentsu, dentsu international helps clients to win, keep and grow their best customers and achieve meaningful progress for their businesses. With best-in-class services and solutions in media, CXM, and creative, dentsu international operates in over 145 markets worldwide with more than 46,000 dedicated specialists. Follow us on social @dentsuUSA. Applicants from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds encouraged to apply.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $78,000-$121,500. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, knowledge, skills, other job-related qualifications, and geography. A range of medical, dental, vision, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and/or other benefits also are available. For more information regarding dentsu benefits, please visit dentsubenefitsplus.com

Employees from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds encouraged to apply.
Dentsu (the "Company") is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee of the Company, on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other legally-recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done that will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing an undue hardship on the Company. Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process or to request or discuss an accommodation in connection with a job at the Company to which you are applying.

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