Commercial WIP Manager

Department: Commercial Finance

Location: London

Contract type: Fixed-Term (12 months)

Full Time/Part time: Full Time

Reporting into: Commercial WIP Manager Lead

The Role:

This role is responsible for the billing and WIP management on a portfolio of clients. They are the gatekeeper of the jobs. Reporting into the Commercial WIP Manager Lead.

You will be responsible for all job opening and closing and ensuring that best practice is applied to job management throughout the life cycle of the job.

You will be part of a dynamic team which is striving to ensure best commercial practice is at the heart of all agency business transactions.

You will have a close working relationship with both Commercial Managers (CM), the other Commercial WIP Managers and the agency client team.

Key Responsibilities:

Job Management

· Ensuring adherence to the job opening process

· Ensuring timely management and follow up on jobs with client teams

· Explaining to client team how the job processes work on a client and why

· Regular meeting with client teams to review open jobs

· Working with CM to ensure best use of Workday for each client’s specific needs

· Billing to client on a timely basis, ensuring invoices are in line with client processes and internal processes

· Keeping a log of Credit Notes and obtaining relevant sign off

· Advising CM if client teams are not following internal processes or not making themselves available for WIP reviews

· Preparing reports on time value on jobs vs. fee invoiced for CM to review

· Reviewing open PO’s and advising teams to close where appropriate

· Ensuring jobs are closed down correctly when necessary

· Ensuring Project Manager has signed off on each closed job and reviewed the profitability

· Ensuring job setup follows the Commercial Control guidelines and the necessary documentation is attached to it

· Allocation of WIP balances on Workday

· Reviewing FX gains/losses on the jobs and taking appropriate action to clear any balances

Client Contracts

· Carrying out credit checks on new clients

· Setting up new clients in Workday

· Ensuring Workday Masterdata is correct

· Ensuring you understand the VAT rules on each client and that they are adhered to

· Ensuring you understand the foreign currency policy on each client and it is being adhered to

NWC Management

· Liaise with Finance Plus Debtors as appropriate, to assist with resolution of any Debtors issues

· Reviewing WIP and pro-actively ensuring any issues are resolved or escalated to avoid NWC provisions

Compliance

· Ensure compliance with ICFR regulations in relevant areas

· Assist in any ICFR or other audits, including client audits

· Raising a query if there is an area of compliance which you do not understand or appears to be a duplication

· Ensuring all internal procedures and policies are adhered to

· Ensure Purchase Order policy is adhered to – i.e. no approved PO’s issued after supplier invoice date, highlighting to CM where there is breach of the policy

Other responsibilities

· Ensuring best practice in use of all systems and help in training on Workday new client team joiners if appropriate

· Running ad-hoc reports on Workday for the brand teams

· Ad hoc requests from CM

Requirements:

· Media-experience preferred/experience in service-oriented business with commercial focus.

· Proactive and self-motivated, with a desire to identify and improve on processes.

· Confident and enthusiastic communicator (written and verbal). Proven stakeholder management.

· Familiarity with Billing, WIP and Net Working Capital management.

· Excellent organisation and attention to detail. Time management skills essential due to multiple deadlines and priorities.

· Excel skills are essential (sumifs, vlookups, etc.)

How we help you Thrive:

· 25 days annual leave + 1 Volunteer Day 

· Bupa Healthcare

· Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Leave

· We have a Flexible Working Model with core working hours: 10am – 4pm

· A 1.5:1 Matching Pension Structure

· Wellbeing and Health: Up to £25.00 per month towards physical or online exercise class membership, Unmind membership, LifeWorks tool and annual eye tests and development budgets and Wellbeing incentives and activities throughout the year 

· Season Ticket Loan and Cycle to Work Scheme

· Life Assurance