Finance Director

At AKQA, we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

AKQA Group, are looking for a talented Finance Director to join our team and quickly become pivotal in driving the business forward, understanding priorities and implementing change in support of these. Collaborating closely with all departments, your experiences will allow you to be a true partner to the senior leadership team, delivering financial solutions in support of our creative business.

You will oversee all financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting and will be comfortable managing a team. There is a requirement to streamline and automate much of what the function currently produces so you must be comfortable in building and/or improving processes and systems in this regard. You will have the flexibility to work both within a larger Group (AKQA / WPP) and yet also can pivot into a small start-up, entrepreneurial led mindset.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Provide strategic leadership across all financial functions, including Financial Accounting, FP&A, and Commercial Finance.
• Partner cross-functionally with department heads and senior leadership to align financial strategy with business objectives and operational goals.
• Lead the development and execution of long-term financial planning to support growth and drive business performance.
• Deliver comprehensive financial oversight to Founding Partners and senior team, with clear, actionable insights that bridge commercial realities with creative ambitions.
• Oversee financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, tax compliance, and year-end processes across UK and US, including flash reports, balance sheet reviews, transfer pricing and statutory accounts.
• Ensure timely, accurate monthly, quarterly and annual close processes in compliance with WPP standards.
• Drive initiatives to optimise profitability, operational efficiency and financial performance, proactively improving reporting, KPIs and financial storytelling.
• Manage and optimise cash flow, working capital and supplier payments, while liaising with WPP, AKQA, auditors and tax teams.
• Ensure full compliance with SOX requirements and all relevant WPP financial policies and controls.
• Provide financial support for project delivery: approve budgets and costing sheets, track utilisation, and support creative excellence and investment reviews.
• Act as finance lead on new business lifecycle: from early conversations to contract negotiation and sign-off, including legal documentation (NDAs, partner agreements).
• Oversee and approve production agreements and supplier contracts to ensure financial and legal alignment.
• Lead procurement activities across UK and US markets, covering pricing, onboarding, sustainability policies, IT frameworks, and legal/operational queries.
• Oversee payroll master-file updates, freelance contracts, IR35 assessments and disbursements to ensure compliance.
• Collaborate with AKQA Group Finance to align on global initiatives, systems integration, accounting processes and development of high-performing finance talent.
• Build and develop a high-impact Finance team through regular feedback, performance management, and career development planning.

QUALITIES & CHARACTERISTICS

• Chartered accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA).
• Academic background in accounting, finance, or a related field, with strong technical accounting knowledge.
• Strategic thinker with a commercially driven mindset and strong sense of financial ownership.
• Proven leadership ability, with experience managing, inspiring and developing high-performing teams.
• Exceptional attention to detail, analytical skills and the ability to translate complex data into meaningful business insights.
• Strong Excel skills and experience with financial systems; knowledge of Paprika or similar platforms is a plus.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and deadlines.
• Open, collaborative and inclusive communication style.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, capable of influencing non-financial peers.
• Confident in making informed decisions under pressure and balancing multiple perspectives.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented and adaptable, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Familiarity with WPP reporting practices, tools and financial controls is advantageous.
• Previous experience in an agency or creative business environment is preferred.
• Committed to innovation and process improvement, with a hands-on, entrepreneurial spirit.
• Fair and balanced approach to leadership, fostering trust and accountability across teams.
• Experience in managing change within an evolving business environment is advantageous
• You’ll have a positive, can-do attitude and be a source of positive energy in the business, seeing opportunities, not barriers.