OBJECTIVE OF THE ROLE

The Commercial Lead will be responsible to lead Agency Commercial Finance in MENA markets with primary focus on UAE market, to deliver commercial negotiations and client management, contract compliance, client / departmental profitability and client escalation – NWC resolutions. The role is considered a key position within MENA finance/commercial structure to provide insight and direction in the structural and strategic direction of the business from a financial perspective.

Your key objective is to support Agency MENA CEO, UAE MD and GroupM MENA CCO, to provide overall commercial and financial guidance, financial well-being and development of your agency, as well as being responsible for ensuring that agency meets all its contractual obligations to clients.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A – UAE Market reporting to local MD:

• Budget development and re-forecasts – ensure all reporting is aligned with company strategy, budget guidelines and agreed KPIs;
• Tracking P&L delivery
• Support with setting contracts, liaising with legal counsel;
• Client contract audit lead
• Overseeing, reviewing Red/Green schedules;
• Ensuring Client Teams are updated on client commercial and contract terms;
• Ensuring contract compliance – AVB, EDP returns, FTE Staffing plan reconcilliations, PT addenda are signed;
• Escalation to clients on NWC elements;
• Credit insurance – escalationfor aged debt;
• Drive actions to improve Client / Departmental / Product profitability;
• Pitch support; commercial / staffing plan input into pitches.

B – MENA Markets supporting Agency CEO:

• Strategic support to agency CEOs in driving diversification of services and advice on appropriate remuneration models, developing rate cards;
• Understand trading models from commercial, compliance and risk perspectives and work with CCO/Trading Directors to ensure alignment, Assist in roll out of trading models and new initiatives.
• Drive actions to improve Client / Departmental / Product profitability;
• Liaise with MENA market Finance Directors supporting Agency CEO to ensure optimal usage of resources and fair remuneration and producing internal and external profitability analysis;
• Provide advice on the impact of key clients, likely acceptance of trading products including support for upselling of value added services including ensuring opt-ins are obtained.

Commercial negotiations & Client management – UAE

• Responsible for ensuring client contracts align with global terms including detailed scope and associated pricing;
• Responsible for reviewing client contract terms identifying associated risks and unsuitable commercial terms;
• Responsible for ensuring client contracts follow the Commercial Approval Matrix;
• Provide periodic advice to client teams regarding FTE and segregation of responsibilities, checking forecasts against actual utilizations;

Client Reporting & incentive calculations – UAE

• Producing FTE utilization reports showing actual against forecasts;
• Responsible for managing and tracking trading guarantees, client incentives and achievement of KPI’s;
• Performing ad-hoc internal and client analysis, as required.

Net Working Capital and Treasury Management – UAE

• Ensure GroupM are informed of any client contractual EPD, Payment Terms obligations etc. in advance of vendor negotiations for the purposes of cash and foreign exchange management.

Working with Shared Services unit to:

• Provide support resolution with UAE Client Market Team on billing queries, unbilled media, aged receivables and accrued revenues;
• Provide debt collection support for UAE clients to ensure information relating to agency credit and working capital data limits is provided, as appropriate;
• Reviewing and providing explanations / detailed commentary for non-compliance, accrued revenues, 180+ day debt and write offs for UAE market.

Financial, Planning and Analysis, working with Head of FP&A – UAE

• Preparation, submission and input of client revenues, actuals and budgets;
• Preparation and maintenance of quarterly, agency staff plans including Client Teams FTE;
• Prepare rationales for new hires, salary reviews, incentives, severances.

Governance Compliance, Sox, audits – UAE

• Responsible for working with GroupM and WPP compliance teams for areas of remediation;
• Responsible for providing support and input into GroupM and external statutory audits, including documentation related to specific clients and timely responses to inquiries;
• Responsible for ensuring agency remediation actions are completed within agreed timescales.

Accounting and Tax, working with Head of Reporting – UAE

• Overseeing the provision of support and information for accounting and tax purposes in relation to specific client information including:
  • Client incentive information;
  • Monthly accrual and deferrals for revenues;
  • Input for revenue recognition / accrual;
  • Explanations for 180+ days past due and accrued revenue;

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

• Fully qualified accountant or equivalent (e.g. CIMA, ACA, ACCA);
• A clear financial understanding and a proven record in delivering financial benefit through actions/decision-making;
• Strong analytical skills;
• Above all, the successful candidate will desire the challenge of taking his agency forward as a business, leveraging opportunities to enhance the commercial activities of the business and to maximise financial return.

THE INDIVIDUAL

• Must show a proactive approach to problem solving;
• Desire for continuous improvement;
• Communication at all levels of the company;