Client Finance Manager

Burson•New York, NY

1d•$60,000 - $140,000•Hybrid

About The Position

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. The role involves partnering closely with client leads and practice leadership to understand account activity, anticipate changes in scope or pacing, and ensure accurate financial treatment. It also requires working across finance systems and reporting tools, including Excel, Maconomy, and SAP, to maintain strong financial controls and support business decision-making. A highly detail-oriented, organized, and hands-on approach is expected, along with the ability to help the team navigate a fast-moving and closely scrutinized financial environment.

Requirements

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

Responsibilities

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