Company Profile
Elmwood Design Consultancy is a leading global design agency renowned for creating impactful and innovative brand experiences. With a rich history of design excellence, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity and design to deliver outstanding results for our clients.
As an agency, our goal is to be an invaluable agency partner to our clients and help them grow their brands based on evidence based marketing principles. With access to MSQ’s broader capability set, particularly in digital and tech, we bring greater insight and channel specific expertise to meet the needs of today’s leading brands.
Role - Financial Controller
ho are we looking for:
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience as a Financial Controller within people-focused or service-oriented businesses, with a strong preference for those from marketing or creative services agencies. Experience across multiple disciplines within the sector, including consulting, creative, digital, and media, will be highly beneficial.
A recognized accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA, CPA) is essential.
The Financial Controller will be expected to work closely with the local Managing Director and the Global CFO, ensuring that finance remains the primary focus of the role. This position requires a strategic leader who can effectively manage and collaborate with senior leadership, driving the financial health of the organization.
We are seeking a candidate with strong communication and leadership skills who thrives in collaborative environments. The successful candidate will be dedicated to advancing the best interests of the group, with the flexibility to support multiple agencies in the future. A 'hands-on' and 'can-do' approach is crucial for success in this role.
The Financial Controller is fundamentally responsible for managing the Elmwood finance function, with a focus on key financial areas, including:
What you will do:
Financial:
- Stewardship of Local Finance and Management Accounting, overseeing and managing all aspects of local finance and accounting operations.
- Monthly Reporting, preparing and presenting full P&L, balance sheet, and working capital reports on a monthly basis for Elmwood Singapore studios and any new MSQ agencies’ offices in Singapore.
- Budgeting, Forecasting, and Long-Term Planning, leading and managing these processes with input from key stakeholders, which may include local HR, IT, Client Servicing, Creative, and Management teams, as well as HQ and regional colleagues. This includes: Annual budgeting and associated long-term planning, Bi-weekly cashflow forecasting, Weekly revenue pipeline tracking and Full P&L forecasting on a monthly and quarterly basis
- Working Capital Management, ensuring sufficient cash flow by managing debtor settlements, timely billing of accrued revenue, and requesting advance payments from customers whenever possible.
- Performance Tracking and Analysis, monitoring actual financial performance against budgets and forecasts, identifying opportunities and risks, and proposing solutions where necessary.
- Financial Analysis and Reporting, analyzing, reviewing, and interpreting financial information, providing management with insights and advice on how future business decisions may be impacted, including constructing financial ratios and advising on implications and solutions.
- Capex Budget Management, managing capital expenditure budgets across businesses to align with agency and group goals.
- Audit Process Delivery, overseeing the audit process for all business entities registered in Singapore.
- Tax Compliance, ensuring accurate tax computation, compliance, and timely submission.
- Regulatory Compliance, ensuring all statutory and regulatory requirements are met.
- Third-Party Collaboration, selecting and working effectively with third parties, including auditors, tax agents, and legal firms.
- Ad Hoc Initiatives, supporting any additional initiatives as the company grows and expands its business operations.
Commercial Management:
- Proactive Insights and Communication, ensuring there are no surprises by keeping the agency and management well-informed with relevant insights into business performance.
- Review of Master Account Plans and analyzing financial and other KPI performance against budgets and forecasts.
- Collaboration with Senior Leadership, working closely with MDs and Senior Client Service team to ensure revenues and profitability are managed in alignment with the strategic goals of the business.
- Business Planning and Financial Advisory, collaborating with MDs and senior client service staff to translate business ideas and requirements into actionable business plans and projections, offering appropriate financial advice and recommendations.
- Revenue Growth and Cost Management, identifying key business drivers and providing insightful analysis to optimize cost spending and maximize revenue.
- Studio and Micro-Network Performance, managing the budgeting and forecasting process across each studio and the Elmwood micro-network, ensuring a balanced focus on delivering both short-term and medium-term goals and objectives. This includes evaluating the commercial performance of new service offerings and studios.
- Client Profitability and Resource Management, monitoring and measuring client profitability, resource utilization, and recovery. This also involves overseeing inter-office resource sharing in line with Elmwood's collaborative culture ("One Elmwood").
- Client Contracting and Negotiation, working with MDs and senior client stakeholders on client contracting and negotiations to ensure favorable terms that align with business objectives.
- Effective leadership and strong collaboration skills are essential for fostering teamwork, driving strategic goals, and ensuring seamless coordination across all levels of the organization.
Who you are and what you have done:
- Prior experience in a global creative services agency is vital
- Bachelor Degree and recognized accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA, CPA, etc.)
- Exceptional leadership skills, with a proven ability to inspire and guide team towards achieving strategic objectives.
- Outstanding communication abilities, adept at conveying complex ideas clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.
- Demonstrated experience in effectively managing senior leaders, fostering collaboration, and driving alignment across organizational levels.
What we offer:
- Agency Retreats
- Group Health Insurance
- Group Personal Accident Insurance
- A hybrid working environment
- Curated Learning & Development opportunities
- Annual festivities, along with various social events throughout the year
- Fun Studio environment working alongside great and talented individuals
- We offer 'Recharge Friday' every two weeks, providing our team members a half-day off on Fridays to promote well-being and rejuvenation.
Equal Opportunities:
Elmwood Design Consultancy is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. We appreciate all applicants' interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
