Senior Associate, Agency Operations

CAA Club Group•Los Angeles, CA

2d•$120,000 - $150,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is the leading entertainment and sports agency, with global expertise in filmed and live entertainment, digital media, publishing, sponsorship sales and endorsements, licensing, media finance, consumer investing, fashion, trademark licensing, and philanthropy. Distinguished by its culture of collaboration and exceptional client service, CAA’s diverse workforce identifies, innovates, and amplifies opportunities for the people and organizations that shape culture and inspire the world. The trailblazer of the agency business, CAA was the first to build a sports business, create an investment bank, launch a venture fund, found technology start-up companies, establish a philanthropic arm, build a business in China, and form a brand marketing services division, among other innovations. CAA’s Agency Operations team partners with Department Business Leadership to help drive the business and achieve operational objectives. The Agency Operations team goal is to more effectively and efficiently (1) communicate the goals and priorities of the agency to Departmental leadership, (2) provide visibility, monitor, and help drive business results and (3) uncover new growth opportunities and potential areas of exposure. CAA is seeking a highly analytical Senior Associate, Agency Operations to support and help drive financial and operational rigor across CAA’s departments, with a specific focus on the Technology department. Reporting directly to the VP, Corporate Operations, this role will serve as a key finance and strategy partner to Technology leadership and selected corporate stakeholders. The Senior Associate will own core Technology Finance elements, including budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and reporting, while also supporting operations, consolidation, strategic analysis, and cross-functional initiatives across all Corporate groups at the agency. This role is ideal for a candidate with 5+ years of experience in investment banking, FP&A, or a similarly rigorous finance environment and is eager to expand beyond pure finance into broader operational exposure.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required with a concentration in Business, Finance, Economics or other quantitative discipline preferred.
5+ years of Investment Banking, FP&A, or other fields with detailed modeling experience required
Strong finance foundation including budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and variance analysis
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Power Point required
Attention to detail, the ability to present analysis at the executive level, strong work ethic and comfort with ambiguity
Applicant must possess exceptional time management, decision-making, critical thinking, interpersonal and strong communication skills
Ability to be trusted with confidential information required

Nice To Haves

Entertainment industry experience preferred but not necessary
Experience working with or supporting a Technology organization, including understanding of IT spend, vendors and capitalized projects preferred but not necessary

Responsibilities

Own and support core financial planning processes for the Technology organization, providing clear financial visibility and decision support to Technology and Corporate leadership.
Prepare a detailed annual plan and mid-year reforecast submission for the CAATech department encompassing both operating and capital expenses
Review and verify budget detail across several dimensions (e.g., vendor, contractor, project, T&E, addback)
Maintain and enhance a holistic Technology financial model, incorporating actuals, forecasts, and scenario analysis
Partner with Technology leadership and sub-department budget owners to review monthly financial performance, explain variances, and update rolling forecasts
Own monthly, quarterly, and ad-hoc financial processes, including: Actuals vs. forecast analysis (opex and capex) Coordination with Accounting on reclasses, rebills, addbacks, and proper financial treatment
Deliver clear, decision-oriented financial reporting and metrics that drive accountability and continuous improvement across Technology
Support financial aspects of Technology vendor management, including: Purchase order creation and approvals for hardware and software Order fulfillment on partner portals for select vendors Advise and support new vendor onboarding in partnership with Accounts Payable Contract financial review and evaluation of new vendor agreements
Contribute financial and analytical support to broader corporate and agency operational initiatives including recurring reporting, year-end processes, and ad-hoc analyses that support management decision making.
Become a go-to financial and operational resource for Agency Operations Leadership
Build high-quality excel models and power point presentations from scratch that effectively communicate/summarize complex analysis while focusing on delivering actionable take-aways
Prepare and maintain monthly and quarterly corporate reporting packages by consolidating inputs from Technology and other departments, including: Department-level financial performance (opex and capex, actuals vs. budget/reforecast) Key operating metrics, trends and variance explanations
Identify opportunities for cross-functional process improvements for all Corporate departments
Partner with Technology, Finance and other stakeholders to improve data quality and visibility
Apply business judgment and financial insights to assist with decision making related to new initiatives, products, and business opportunities
Cultivate relationships within Corporate and the assigned Divisions to build a robust communication network
Leverage internal and external data and systems to develop automation of recurring analysis