Director, Business Transformation & Compliance, North America

Publicis Groupe•New York, NY

14h•Hybrid

About The Position

Publicis Re:Sources is Publicis Groupe’s shared service organization, providing technology solutions and business services to agencies across the Groupe. The Director, Business Transformation & Compliance, North America works closely with the Americas Chief Accounting Officer, overseeing accounting and reporting functions to help ensure ledger accounts, financial statements, and internal controls operate effectively. The role reports to the Americas Chief Accounting Officer and is based in New York City, with four days per week in the office. The position leads compliance activities, including financial monitoring controls, internal and external audit coordination, follow-up on audit recommendations, and related reporting. It also leads and supports accounting transformation initiatives, including process improvement, automation, AI adoption, project and change management, and collaboration with the Costa Rica hub. Additional projects may include media reconciliation.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
At least 6 years of relevant experience, including at least 2 years at a law firm.
Licensed to practice law and in good standing in Illinois or New York.
Excellent writing, oral communication, analytical, and organizational skills.
Excellent business judgment and the ability to make decisions and give advice with a practical understanding of business objectives and risk.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-moving, challenging, and constantly changing environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and persuasively with varied audiences and stakeholders.
Ability to develop partnerships and interact effectively with people at all organizational levels and externally.
Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills.
Strong organizational and time-management skills.
Service- and results-oriented approach with outstanding attention to detail.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
Ability to handle high volumes and multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

Require, gather, and review monthly self-assessments of Resources controls from all shared service center departments.
Manage the annual Financial Monitoring Controls audit for Resources groups, including treasury, billing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accounting.
Support agency internal audits related to information provided by shared service center departments.
Ensure shared service centers implement internal audit recommendations according to their action plans.
Provide guidance to business units in connection with client audits.
Support and coordinate external audits of in-scope entities, including coordinating agencies, shared service center groups, and auditors KPMG and PwC.
Discuss audit review findings with management, develop appropriate solutions, and report findings, management responses, and proposed action plans.
Follow up to ensure management progresses actions within agreed timeframes and escalate failures to progress actions.
Assist with the annual internal-controls walkthrough.
Support unclaimed property filing and yearly Corporate Social Responsibility reporting.
Conduct random audits as necessary.
Lead record-to-report initiatives on behalf of the Chief Accounting Officer, including BlackLine, Altair-to-HFM automation, and SmartClose.
Lead the MindBridge AI implementation, pilot AI-supported SAP clearing, and promote responsible AI adoption across the team.
Work with the Costa Rica hub to review processes and improve work quality and efficiency.
Review current processes and opportunities to transfer additional work to the hub.
Ensure appropriate initiatives are undertaken and their benefits are fully realized throughout the shared service center.
Champion project management disciplines and provide processes, structures, and tools for project and program management across the transformation.
Create a measurement system or tool to assess awareness of and support for change management activities.
Lead technology evolution and continuous improvement of business processes and data integrity by applying appropriate technology to business problems.
Undertake ad hoc projects, including media reconciliation.