Commercial Finance Director

At Design Bridge and Partners we design brands with the power to move. Pulling people towards them with an irresistible force that compels and connects. With 900 creative minds across 17 studios worldwide, diverse in expertise, experience, backgrounds and beliefs, we are united in our ambition to achieve real impact for our clients’ brands benefiting their business, people and the planet.

With expertise across brand strategy, brand design, brand engagement and brand effectiveness our clients across the world include NASA Artemis, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Mastercard, Intel, HSBC, Tencent, Twitch, Heineken, Reckitt and the BBC.

We're looking for an experienced Commercial Finance professional to join us as a Commercial Finance Director.

This role will lead the Commercial division of the finance team and will  work at Design Bridge and Partners’ UK studio in Sea Containers House.

Reporting to the CFO on all aspects.

Dotted line to the Group Chief Commercial Officer

Line manages a team of five comprising: two Commercial Business Partners, a Commercial Client Accountant and two Commercial Systems Administrators.

• Commercial management:

• Lead contract and rate negotiations with clients and suppliers. Supported by the UK & NL CFO, Group Chief Commercial Officer and WPP legal counsel as appropriate
• Pricing lead for all UK clients.
  • Review, update and benchmark new business ratecard.
  • Lead negotiations for all UK client ratecards
  • Review pricing / scopes of work for projects prior to sharing with clients.
  • Review existing pricing across the UK businesses to drive growth
• Manage any financial pitch or new business requirements.
• Review and improve client profitability.
  • Drive the Client Leadership department to adopt a high value mindset in scoping and pricing.
  • Identify and investigate overservice on jobs and lead/assist with any scope change and over-run conversations with clients.
• Proactively seek out ways to grow revenue through strategic investments, whilst also retaining an acceptable margin.
• Encourage, and drive commercial acumen in the business and commercial best practice (including commercial processes). This may include giving and rolling out training.
• Brief client teams on negotiated contract terms
• Liaise with other studios in Design Bridge and Partners and WPP group regarding global clients and best practices

• Commercial forecasting and analysis:

• Own and present the quarterly revenue reforecast to the UK Managing Director and CFO
• Ensure that Client Profitability reporting is timely and with appropriate follow up actions. This will include reviewing project overservice.
• Produce and review investment reports and Wealth and other commercial reports with UK management and Client Leads.
• Approval and managing of investments including freelance spend
• Management of Commercial Team to ensure:
  • Revenue projections are updated, reviewed and communicated weekly.
  • Any variance from revenue target is flagged early and explained clearly with appropriate action taken to keep margin under control.
  • Month end revenue reporting is accurate and timely including appropriate balance sheet accounts.
  • Project management systems are updated with latest rate cards and timesheet information

• Commercial Administration

• Manage commercial team to ensure continued development and progress in their careers.
• Responsibility for managing client related trade working capital ensuring the commercial team bill on a timely basis.
• Month end sign-off of revenue position including reviewing deferred and accrued revenue balances.
• Work with the New Business team to ensure that the new business pipeline is up to date, pitch budgets adhered to and that any investments in new business are flagged early.
• Key contact for Dash project management system and Maconomy accounting system
• Key contact for Internal and external audit on Commercial and revenue matters.

• Commerciality, rigour, energy, authority
• Desire to form strong relationships and effective trusted partnerships within Client Leadership teams
• Dynamism and a desire to make changes and improve processes
• Comfortable with ambiguity
• Able to work to deadlines
• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong written and oral communication with ability to influence
• Presentation skills
• Proactive, problem solver

We’re passionate about our people and their careers. We’ll help you develop your skills and provide you with outstanding benefits. So you’ll have a chance to make your mark on our future, as we make a mark on yours. We’re proud to be the world’s most awarded brand design agency, with 28 Cannes Lions to our name and Creative Review Annual’s Most Creative Design Agency of the Year 2024. You’ll get to take new projects to award-winning potential, as part of a connected team of brilliant, tenacious people right by your side and across the world.  

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

Design Bridge and Partners, a WPP company, is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

Due to the volume of applications, we unfortunately can only respond to successful candidates.

We will not accept unsolicited CVs or approaches via recruitment agencies.

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