APAC Finance Controller

Company description

Publicis Groupe is not just a company you work for; it’s a platform for you to take your talent to the world.

If you want to help change the world, ideas alone are not enough. Real impact can only come from having meaningful access to a world of knowledge, people and resources. At Publicis Groupe, you are connected to our global network, intelligence, tools, clients, brands and 80,000 brilliant minds with expertise in data, technology, media, strategy, creativity and business transformation, all literally at your fingertips.

Go ahead, the world is waiting.

Publicis Groupe is the third largest communications group in the world. Founded in Paris in 1926, we are present in more than 100 countries as leaders in marketing, communication, and digital business transformation. Two of its biggest solution hubs in Singapore - Publicis Communications and Publicis Media & Digital.

Publicis Communications, the creative communications hub of the Publicis Groupe, is a collective of the most passionate, purposeful, and progressive creative agencies in Singapore. They are Publicis Worldwide, Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Prodigious, and MSL.

Publicis Media & Digital, which is comprised of global media agency brands Starcom, Zenith, Spark Foundry, and Performics, is powered by digital-first, data-driven global practices that together, help our clients navigate the modern media landscape.

Our two other solution hubs, Publicis Sapient and Publicis Commerce, empower businesses to embrace digital transformation and equip them with a total commerce experience.

Overview

The Finance Controller role is based in Singapore and reporting to the APAC Finance Director – Media & PMX, functions as a strategic business partner to the PMX regional leadership team, leading finance initiatives with a strong focus on growth.

The role is accountable for end-to-end financial performance, including revenue management, fee negotiations, new business support, cash flow, and vendor management. Key responsibilities include overseeing billing and payment processes, client commercial governance, forecasting and annual planning, performance analysis, and budget tracking, while driving process optimisation.

Working closely with FP&A, accounting, and operations teams, the Finance Controller ensures accurate financial processes, supports month-end close and transaction activities, and strengthens controls, compliance, and best practices across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Client Finance

• Handles revenue growth discussions with PMX regional leadership team, local markets’ stakeholders, client leaders on development of revenue growth plans.
• Develops and oversees new business pricing strategy for pitches.

Forecast/Planning

• In partnership with business unit leadership, develops an annual plan in alignment with organizational strategy and targets.
• Acts as a strategic advisor to the leadership team to ensure that committed growth is achieved.
• Partners with FP&A on monthly forecasting process to ensure the forecast reflects the most accurate projection of full year performance.
• Actively participates in the preparation of management reporting presentations and provides strategic inputs.

Finance Operations

• Oversees finance operations and ensures consistency in timely and correct billings.
• Clearly understands programmatic commercials with all details of cost components and approves calculators across platforms, Clients’ billing requirement, etc. and provides advice to the implementation and billing teams across the region.
• Reviews Client commercials on a monthly basis and updates dashboard with required level of details.
• Regular review of cash flow to anticipate any impact expected in the coming months. Come up with mitigation plan, implements and monitors.
• Timely payment to key partners thus ensuring no suspension across the APAC region.
• Monthly review of Balance Sheet items and come up with resolutions, implement and review.

Staff Development

• Supervise a team based in Singapore and Philippines
• Responsible for supervising 2 direct reports who in turn have fairly big teams in Philippines to handle daily finance operations: planning of team priorities, mentoring, setting performance expectations/goals, providing feedback and appraising performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting, and MBA in Finance preferred
• Great attention to detail with strong analytical mindset and business acumen.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in the media industry with experience of working with programmatic digital media, vendor platforms, developing calculators, and takes initiative to continuously learn about new developments.
• Independent individual with sound organizational and communication skills, capable of managing an array of initiatives.
• Persistent and diligent in following through tasks on hand.
• An individual who can bring freshness in approach, who is able to think laterally and provide innovative solutions.
• A proactive individual with abundant energy and drive, and a strong desire to succeed, who will commit to the company’s value system.
• Willing to adapt changes and take up new responsibilities.