Client Finance Manager

Job Title

Client Finance Manager

Job Description Summary

Cushman & Wakefield is a global leader in commercial real estate services, helping clients transform the way people work, shop, and live. The firm’s 53,000 employees in more than 70 countries provide deep local and global insights that create significant value for occupiers and investors around the world. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest commercial real estate services firms with revenues of $10.1 billion across core services of agency leasing, asset services, capital markets, facilities services (branded C&W Services), global occupier services, investment management (branded DTZ Investors), tenant representation, and valuations & advisory.
To deliver financial management and accounting for client managed spend budgets, incorporating the needs of the client, C&W and their affiliates, whilst maintaining strong relationships with all stakeholders. There is a joint responsibility to deliver financial management and accounting for C&W corporate reporting for respective client accounts.
To manage and develop existing client finance team, whilst supporting the wider client finance leadership team and initiatives. To ensure control of both C&W’s and client’s assets by implementing and enforcing C&W and client policies. To provide direction and ensure a smooth transition when taking over new accounts/locations.

Job Description

Core Responsibilities:

• Support and work closely with Account Director, Client Accounting Director and other CWFM personnel to ensure delivery of contract obligations.
• Support and work closely with Account Director, Client Accounting Director and other Global CWFM personnel to ensure timely and accurate mobilisation of new locations and/or suppliers.
• Management of client accounting team to perform transactional processing activity and control of purchase order and invoice processing together with vendor payment utilising property and asset management and accounting applications – (E1 360, Yardi 7 and WorkDay and Client internal systems).
• Management of client accounting team including 121s, goal setting, performance review and planned development, ensuring that all appropriate tasks are delegated and well managed.
• Ensure payments are made in accordance with supplier terms and conditions and to avoid disruption to client services.
• Deliver all of primary client key deliverables via preparation of monthly deliverables calendar and work with account management and client to define scope of global accounting services needed.
• Manage production of detailed EMEA Regional contract monthly accounts with variance analysis which will form part of client reporting, provide timely Budget Vs Actual Reporting and participate in client meetings to provide accurate financial data and reviews.
• Produce contract management accounts with variance analysis monthly for internal corporate reporting purposes to Global Occupier Services Finance Function (WorkDay is the CWFM corporate management information application)
• Develop and provide incisive performance management reporting contributing towards cost control and achieving reduction targets and identifying optimal tax reporting locations.
• Knowledge required of complex local reporting and tax requirements for each of the countries within the scope of our client portfolio
• Ensure compliance with all client, internal and statutory processes and procedures and requirements (VAT, Audit).
• Ad hoc projects, e.g. financial modelling and undertake a key role in the annual budgeting process.

Qualities and Personal Attributes:

• Business Generation, Execution and/or enablement
• Uses knowledge of the business, along with relevant systems and procedures to support others and contribute to company and client objectives in achieving their financial, business and client goals
• Pursues opportunities to learn more about CW commercial environment
• Uses all available internal resources, systems and tools to help increase team productivity
• Builds the brand by seeking opportunities to promote the CW brand through everyday interactions that contribute to the brand image
• Identifies and improves processes, systems and work products to continually exceed internal and external client expectations
• Identifies solutions that reduce expenses
• Seeks assignments and welcomes challenging activities
• Delivers innovation by looking for and suggesting new ways to differentiate CW services from the competition
• Demonstrates a spirit to win by showing initiative in identifying, recommending and pursuing new opportunities.
• Contributes to financial success by delivering on financial objectives
• Achieves the business plan by applying relevant systems, procedures, business knowledge to maximise resources and deliver role objectives
• Supports new business generation with knowledge and experience advice where required.
• Supports existing business out with their own area with knowledge and experience advice where required

Leadership and Management

• Creates collaborative opportunities and communicates proactively with all relevant levels of the organization to obtain and share information.
• Appreciates diversity, recognising the needs and welcomes the unique contribution of all colleagues and Clients.
•  Understands the client’s needs by actively listens to requests from internal and external clients and provides timely assistance with careful attention to detail and effective solutions.
• Enables performance by encouraging and supporting peers, colleagues and team through constructive feedback, workload management and transfer of knowledge.
• Owns own development by building own skills by consistently pursing growth opportunities; seeks a mentor and is willing to coach colleagues.
• Supports and implements change by embracing change and acts to fulfil new plans or changes in directions revaluates existing processes.
• Acts as the client and vendor relationship manager and develops client and vendor engagement.
• Courageous by sharing timely and tactful opinions and sharing constructive feedback to others.
• Supports and develops early talent.
• Demonstrates personal leadership by prioritising their own workload to accomplish duties effectively; obtains assistance from others as needed

Trusted Advisor and Expert:

• Decisive and addresses issues/queries quickly and accurately
• Makes informed decisions and takes responsibility for outcomes
• Supports colleagues in meeting client needs
• Good understanding of H&S and risk awareness
• Forecasts and evaluates commercial and financial risks together with the identification of procedures to avoid or minimize their impact
• Establishes credibility by staying current in own field and pursues opportunities to demonstrate expertise (SME) and share knowledge
• Communicates proactively with all relevant levels of the organisation to obtain and share information.
• Actively listens to determine clients' most critical business needs
• Uses knowledge of their client and their objectives to deliver excellent service through timely and effective solutions

Qualifications:

• Qualified Accountant with minimum 4 years post qualification experience
• Degree qualified

Skills & Behaviours:

• Strong numerical and analytical skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Proven team management skills.
• Track record of producing timely management information to both client and company deadlines.
• Knowledge of wider accounting practices e.g. IFRS, UK and US GAAP and reporting in a multi-currency environment.
• Knowledge and experience of major accounting applications, financial processes and control systems in the property services sector, together with prime MS Office products (knowledge of MS One Note would be desirable but not essential).
• Fluent business English essential.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to interface at all levels with a wide range of stakeholders including Client, Account team and C&W management.
• Ability to travel to Client sites as and when required (mainly Ireland and Eastern Europe).
• Proactive self-motivator with ability to work on own initiative, but also as a strong team player.
• Depth of experience to draw on and proactively contributes to both the account success, but also to CW FM.
• Tenacious but amiable.
• An individual who strives for continuous improvement.

Cushman & Wakefield is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic. Cushman & Wakefield is committed to equity in employment, and our goal is to have a diverse, inclusive and barrier-free workplace. If you are a person with a disability and need any other accessible accommodations during the hiring process, you are invited to bring this to the Talent Acquisition Advisor’s attention once they have made contact.

INCO: “Cushman & Wakefield”