Chief Financial Officer, APAC

Edelman Asia Pacific is seeking a CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER , reporting to the CFO, EMEA & International. This individual will be a Trusted Advisor and Business Partner to the Regional CEO and the APAC leadership team. We’re looking for an individual who is curious about the communications business, confident in strategic thinking, brings ideas and insights to the leadership team and the business leaders and has the ability to influence and create change. They are passionate about leading, coaching and inspiring the finance team, believe in maintaining high standards of financial reporting and integrity and are equipped with an infectious energy and drive to achieve desired business outcomes. Overall Responsibility:

• Part of the 5 key leaders for the region (CEO, CPO, COO, CFO and Chief of Staff), play a key role in both setting and delivering the strategy for profitable growth in APAC.
• Lead a strong and diverse finance team across APAC, working in close collaboration with colleagues across the world as part of the global finance community.

• Form and maintain strong and healthy relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Be known for fairness, transparency, a high level of integrity, active listening to understand the context behind a question and open collaboration on agreed ways forward.
• Oversee annual budgeting and monthly forecast processes in line with the strategy, highlighting and flexing approaches to minimize risks and maximise opportunities.
• Provide regular, timely financial insights to support key management decisions and business performance, including commentary and insights to drive positive change. Present what can be complex financial information in a simple and effective way to land the key messages and drive any necessary next steps or change.
• Look for opportunities to address (potential) conflicts or change processes to make it easier for us to do business in a complex, matrix organization.

• Lead a team of 60-70 finance team members with 10 direct reports. Motivate, coach and train the team.
• Actively support and manage career development of direct reports and their teams, looking for opportunities for the team to learn and grow.
• Proactively identify, understand and address tough and challenging situations with honest and fair conversations.
• Encourage a collaborative team culture, living the Edelman values.

• Strengthen commercial financial literacy of the business consultants to enable healthy, profitable client relationships.
• Enable the finance team to work in partnership with client leads to accurately price out projects at appropriate contribution margin levels, being personally involved in pricing strategy and negotiations on larger and more complex assignments where required.
• Prepare for and take part in client and procurement negotiations to build relationships and agree mutually acceptable terms in line with global direction.

• Support the finance team to manage the month-end close adhering to global timelines and requirements.
• Active engagement with controllership function and internal audit team.
• Remain closely connected to global Treasury and Tax teams to help highlight issues, mitigate risks and support changes to behaviour or processes where required.