Senior Manager – Technical Accounting: 3 month FTC

WPP; City of London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A global creative transformation company in London is seeking a Senior Manager in Technical Accounting for a 3-month fixed-term contract. This role involves ensuring financial integrity and regulatory compliance for multinational operations. The ideal candidate will have a professional accounting qualification and experience in large multinational organizations. The position offers the opportunity to impact and guide critical business decisions in a dynamic environment, following a hybrid work model.

Benefits

Culture of creativity

Opportunity for career growth

Hybrid work model

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a dedicated technical accounting role.
• Exposure to UK and US public company reporting requirements.
• Deep knowledge of IFRS, SOX, internal control frameworks, and SEC regulations.
• Exceptional analytical and research skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities.
• Strong collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and interpret new accounting and regulatory policies.
• Communicate policy changes to key stakeholders.
• Review accounting treatment for high-value contracts and projects.
• Prepare technical accounting papers for complex transactions.
• Engage with operating companies to apply accounting policies.
• Provide specialist accounting advice to internal departments.
• Deliver training programs to enhance expertise within the Group.
• Ensure accuracy and compliance of periodic financial reports.
• Provide input for the Group’s financial statements.
• Liaise with external auditors and advisors.

Skills

Qualified Accountant

Multinational Experience

Expert Knowledge

Analytical Acuity

Communication Prowess

Proactive & Organised

Stakeholder Engagement

Continuous Improvement Mindset

Technical Proficiency

Education

Professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CPA or equivalent)

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel)

Job description

Senior Manager – Technical Accounting: 3 month FTC

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 100,000 talented people dedicated to doing extraordinary work for our clients. We operate in over 100 countries, with corporate headquarters in New York, London and Singapore.

WPP is a world leader in marketing services, with deep AI, data and technology capabilities, global presence and unrivaled creative talent. Our clients include many of the biggest companies and advertisers in the world, including approximately 300 of the Fortune Global 500.

Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow.

Why we're hiring

An opportunity to make an impact: Join us as a Senior Manager to strengthen the WPP Group Technical Accounting team. This vital role begins as a 3-month Fixed-Term Contract (FTC), designed to provide immediate impact while we search for a permanent hire. You'll be instrumental in facilitating our ongoing growth and optimizing critical support for our global operating companies and other Group functions within our extensive multinational framework.

What you’ll be doing

Reporting to the Group Technical Accounting Director, you will navigate the complex and evolving landscape of technical accounting across the WPP Group. You will actively support the team in ensuring robust financial integrity and strategic compliance for our multinational operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Policy Analysis & Compliance: Proactively monitor, research, and interpret new and emerging accounting and regulatory policies to guarantee the Group's unwavering compliance with IFRS and other critical standards.
• Stakeholder Communication: Synthesize intricate policy changes into clear, actionable insights, effectively communicating their impact and implementation requirements to key stakeholders throughout the organisation.
• Contract & Project Evaluation: Critically review and evaluate the accounting treatment for high-value new or modified contracts and projects, assuring their alignment with current accounting standards.
• Complex Transaction Documentation: Lead the preparation of comprehensive technical accounting papers for complex transactions and business issues. This includes delivering in-depth research and analysis, explaining the impact on Group financial statements, and ensuring full understanding and compliance among all relevant parties.
• Standardisation & Guidance: Champion the consistent application of accounting policies Group-wide, actively engaging with operating companies to provide expert assistance and clarify complex scenarios.
• Cross-Functional Advisory: Collaborate strategically with internal departments (e.g., Tax, Treasury, Legal, M&A) and operating companies, offering specialist accounting advice that underpins critical business decisions.
• Knowledge Sharing & Development: Elevate the expertise within the Group by creating and delivering engaging training programs and timely accounting updates to diverse audiences.
• Reporting Assurance: Partner with the Group Reporting team to safeguard the accuracy, timeliness, and full compliance of all periodic financial reports with accounting standards and regulations.
• Financial Statement Input: Provide authoritative technical accounting input and review for the Group’s financial statements, ensuring precision and adherence to standards.
• External Audit & Advisor Liaison: Facilitate smooth engagements with external auditors and advisors by providing comprehensive information, support, and expert responses.

What you’ll need

• Qualified Accountant: Professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CPA or equivalent) with significant experience in a dedicated technical accounting role, either in public practice or industry.
• Multinational Experience: Proven experience within a large multinational organisation, ideally with exposure to UK and US public company reporting requirements (e.g., LSE, NYSE, NASDAQ).
• Expert Knowledge: Deep subject matter expertise in IFRS, SOX, internal control frameworks, and SEC regulations.
• Analytical Acuity: Exceptional analytical and research skills to accurately determine appropriate accounting treatments for complex scenarios.
• Communication Prowess: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distil and articulate complex technical matters clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.
• Proactive & Organised: Self-motivated with a proven ability to manage competing priorities, deliver timely stakeholder support, and ensure the completion of long-term deliverables.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Demonstrated ability to build strong, collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders, coupled with the confidence to robustly defend accounting conclusions.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: A commitment to challenging existing processes and proactively identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and development of accounting policies.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel for complex financial modelling) and strong overall IT literacy.

Who you are

We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views.

We are open‑minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures for our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

We are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

What we’ll give you

Passionate, inspired people – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wpp.com/en/careers/wpp-privacy-policy-for-recruitment) for more information on how we process the information you provide.

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at WPP by 2x.

Job Details

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level. Employment type: Contract. Job function: Accounting/Auditing and Finance. Industries: Advertising Services.