Director, Finance Operations

To bring greater professionalism and systematisation to the SSC finance operations functions by overseeing and directly managing all aspects of finance operations, PTP, T&E, OTC. A commercial, pro‑active, and experienced accounting and Senior Finance Leader with a proven track record to develop and grow a Finance Operations department. The individual is responsible for ensuring adherence to Group policies and procedures, aligned to a global target operating model.

Ability to streamline and deploy effective processes to drive efficiencies.

• Contribute, as a member of the SSC senior management team, to the development and delivery of the WPP global target operating model, mission and strategy.
• The Director, Finance Operations will have a key role to play in the development of our strategic plan to ensure the long‑term financial health and growth of the SSC.
• Regularly review all operational costs and recommend savings wherever possible, while maintaining the highest standards of service delivery to the OpCos.
• Ensure a high standard of customer experience is delivered to all stakeholders.
• Initiator of business & operation improvement analysis and projects aligned to the direction provided by the global head office team.
• Accountable for overall finance operations for the shared services organisation, lead the overall Finance Operations team & processes, ensuring automation, simplification in line with the global target operating model/WPP Group directive.
• Drive automation & transformation across the shared services systems and processes including better use of ERP’s, tools and applications.
• Plan system and process improvements, promoting end user confidence.
• Participate in all SSC system and process automations, simplification and transformation, aligned to global directive, ensuring all business user requirements are properly considered.
• Build and constantly train and maintain a best in class Finance Operations team who are able to effectively manage delivery and user support to all OpCos to an exceptionally high standard.
• Ensure that the Finance Operations heads of departments/management leads are regularly meeting with the OpCo CFO's, Heads of Departments, Business/Account Directors to provide status reviews and updates.
• Ensure the timely PTP reconciliation and payment to terms of all third party costs.
• Manage the OTC process, to ensure that timely and accurate Billing of Client revenue is adhered to in line with Client contractual commitments and any unbilled revenue is reported accurately to the applicable OpCos providing full explanations for delays or queries.
• Where applicable, ensure the timely Client Purchase Order reconciliations, COS reconciliations, and accuracy and quality of data is adhered to.
• Full preparation of required monthly, quarterly and annual reporting requirements.
• Responsible for ensuring the WPP Group Policies and Procedures, compliance (SOX and Internal Audit) are adhered to.

• Minimum twelve years of experience, with five years’ experience in a similar role.
• Established people manager with demonstrable coaching and leadership qualities - able to grow and develop a large team and influence effectively.
• Strong communication skills at all levels, whereby you can provide transparent, clear, and appropriate communication through multiple appropriate communication methods.
• Ability to build trusted and respected stakeholder relationships, both internally and externally and can manage these constructively.
• Agile and strategic thinking.
• Strong commercial and analytical approach with the ability to balance this with a pragmatic style.
• Solutions focused mind-set, and able to identify continuous areas for improvement and can implement change efficiently and effectively.

you're open:
We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

you're optimistic:
We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures for our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with…