Client Finance Manager

Burson

$60K — $140K *
Finance & Insurance
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in finance or accounting, preferably in an agency environment
  • Strong understanding of client billing models and revenue recognition
  • Advanced Excel skills with knowledge of Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, and data analysis
  • Proficient in using finance systems, with Maconomy and SAP knowledge as a plus
  • Ability to build relationships with various stakeholders and work in a team-oriented environment
  • Experience with financial reporting and contract management

Responsibilities

  • Lead client finance support for multiple accounts
  • Manage revenue recognition, contract grids, and financial forecasting
  • Collaborate with client leads to assess account activity and changes
  • Utilize finance systems like Excel and Maconomy for reporting and decision-making
  • Review contracts and scopes for revenue treatment
  • Support month-end closing activities and prepare financial documentation
  • Ensure compliance with financial controls and auditing standards

Benefits

  • Competitive benefits package
  • Collaborative team environment
  • Support for personal and professional growth
  • Engagement with diverse stakeholders
  • Opportunity to influence financial practices in the organization
Full Job Description
More about the role:

Burson is seeking a Vice President, Client Finance to support key areas of our business. This role will join a collaborative finance team that partners closely with practice leadership and client leads to help manage the financial health of the business. Reporting to the EVP, Finance Director, this role will be primarily responsible for:
  • Leading day-to-day client finance support across a portfolio of accounts.
  • Managing core finance activities tied to revenue recognition, contract grid management, forecasting, billing coordination, and financial oversight.
  • Partnering closely with client leads and practice leadership to understand account activity, anticipate changes in scope or pacing, and ensure accurate financial treatment.
  • Working across finance systems and reporting tools, including Excel, Maconomy, and SAP, to maintain strong financial controls and support business decision-making.
  • Bringing a highly detail-oriented, organized, and hands-on approach to the role while helping the team navigate a fast-moving and closely scrutinized financial environment.
What you'll do:
  • Serve as a trusted finance partner to account and practice leaders, maintaining regular communication on account status, pacing, and upcoming activity
  • Navigate Maconomy as a core day-to-day system and work within broader WPP finance processes as needed
  • Use strong Excel skills to analyze data, work through finance files, and support accurate reporting and account management
  • Review client contracts, scopes of work, amendments, and change orders to assess appropriate revenue treatment to prepare and maintain contract grid
  • Prepare and maintain detailed revenue and percentage of completion trackers
  • Apply revenue recognition principles to determine appropriate monthly revenue recognition on each client contract
  • Review direct cost accruals with project managers to determine appropriate timing of expense recognition and alignment with revenue recognition
  • Support the month-end close process, including preparing P&L and balance sheet schedules, journal entries, prepaids, revenue accruals/deferrals, and reconciliations
  • Prepare and maintain month-end financial supporting documentation in accordance with internal controls and audit requirements
Experience that contributes to success:
  • Proven experience supporting quarterly and year-end financial reporting.
  • Significant experience in finance, client finance, accounting, or financial management within an agency, professional services, or similarly structured environment
  • Strong understanding of client billing models, including fee-based work and the financial implications of account activity over time
  • Experience supporting revenue recognition, contract management, forecasting, and account financial oversight
  • Advanced or highly proficient Excel skills, including expertise with Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, INDEX & MATCH, SUMIF, and a solid understanding of formula nesting, with the ability to work comfortably in detailed financial files and support data-driven analysis
  • Experience using finance or ERP platforms; familiarity with Maconomy, SAP, is a plus
  • Ability to build effective working relationships with client leads, practice leaders, billing partners, and finance colleagues
  • Experience with improving processes and reporting efficiencies
  • Strong attention to detail and comfort operating in a highly scrutinized, control-focused environment
  • Sound judgment and the ability to connect financial data with business context
  • Organized, dependable, and able to manage multiple priorities across a varied portfolio of work
  • Clear written and verbal communication skills
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and stepping into a role that supports immediate business needs

#LI-DG1

Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package; click here for more details: https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome.

The base salary for this position at the time of this posting may range between:

$60,000-$140,000 USD

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