Director of Finance Business Partnering

Established in 2004, OLIVER is the world’s first and only specialist in designing, building, and running bespoke in‑house agencies and marketing ecosystems for brands. We partner with over 300 clients in 40+ countries and counting. Our unique model drives creativity and efficiency, allowing us to deliver tailored solutions that resonate deeply with audiences.

As a part of The Brandtech Group, we’re at the forefront of leveraging cutting‑edge AI technology to revolutionise how we create and deliver work. Our AI solutions enhance efficiency, spark creativity, and drive insightful decision‑making, empowering our teams to produce innovative and impactful results.

Location:

London, England, United Kingdom (3 days a week from our London HQ)

The Director of Finance Business Partnering is a senior leadership role within our marketing agency, responsible for delivering best‑in‑class financial support across the client lifecycle. This role leads the finance business partnering and analyst teams, acting as a trusted advisor to Managing Directors and senior stakeholders. You will drive financial insight, portfolio performance, and commercial decision‑making, ensuring sustainable growth and strong client profitability.

• Team Leadership & Development
  • Lead, mentor, and develop the finance business partnering and finance analyst teams.
  • Improve and strengthen a high‑performing, commercially focused team with deep understanding of agency economics and client journeys.
  • Embed a culture of continuous improvement, upskilling team members to deliver proactive, high‑quality financial support.
• Ownership of Complex Client Portfolios
  • Take ownership of complex portfolios of client accounts, ensuring robust financial management, governance, and oversight.
  • Ensure accuracy and integrity of financials across revenue recognition, costs, margins, and working capital.
  • Proactively identify risks and opportunities within portfolios and drive corrective actions.
• Senior Financial Support & Strategic Partnering
  • Act as a senior financial advisor to Managing Directors, providing insight on revenue forecasting, growth strategies, and portfolio profitability.
  • Support strategic decision‑making around client investment, pricing, resourcing, and contract structures.
  • Partner with new business to ensure a clear and robust pipeline, testing the nature and rigour around potential opportunities.
• Client P&L Management
  • Equip client‑facing teams with the tools, frameworks, and financial knowledge to confidently manage their client P&Ls.
  • Drive accountability for financial performance at client and portfolio level.
  • Ensure consistent understanding of profitability drivers across the business.
• Collaboration with Operations
  • Partner closely with Operations to ensure delivery against agreed client gross profit margin targets.
  • Align financial forecasts with resourcing, delivery models, and operational plans.
  • Support continuous optimisation of delivery efficiency and margin performance.
• Forecasting & Planning
  • Design and own an efficient, accurate weekly P&L forecasting process (bank and stretch).
  • Lead budgeting and reforecasting processes, delivering clear, timely insights to the CFO and CEO.
  • Ensure forecasts are well understood, credible, and actionable.
• Reporting & Month‑End Ownership
  • Own and deeply understand month‑end results for client portfolios.
  • Ensure accurate management of key working capital accounts, including deferred and accrued income and costs.
  • Provide clear explanations of variances to forecast, budget, and prior periods.
  • Key point of contact managing interim and year end audit having overall responsibility for revenue through gross profit as well as corresponding client related balance sheet items.
• Relationship Building & Communication
  • Build strong, trusted relationships with Managing Directors and senior stakeholders across the agency.
  • Deliver high‑quality financial advice with confidence, clarity, and commercial focus.
  • Present and analyse financial performance clearly, highlighting gaps, risks, and actions required to deliver targets.
  • You must be very hands‑on with the ability to work effectively with globally distributed teams and…