Manager, Oversight and Internal Controls
BCW APAC, Hong Kong
Job Description
In a world of exponential change, BCW is a creative business that solves complex problems by #Moving People. This starts with our people.
Across our global team, we share a common practice: cultivating an open, curious mindset that is committed to growing. We create, contribute and challenge, but we don’t conform.
Our core belief is that the growth of our people fuels the growth of our clients, which powers the growth of our agency. No one aspect of BCW stands alone when everything is growing together, anything is possible.
At BCW, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (I.D.E.A.) are embedded into everything we do for our people, agency, clients and communities we serve. We wholly believe that creating truly inclusive and innovative solutions by growing talent that mirrors the marketplace is critical to our success.
Are you ready to move with us?
The Role:
This position is for a team member of the Risk amp; Controls Group within BCW reporting directly to BCW’s Global Head of Risk amp; Controls who sits in NYC. This role entails being a collaborative team member that works to maintain a strong control environment and operates as a bridge between BCW process areas and the WPP Internal Audit team and as an extension, WPP’s external auditors. This includes advising the company on remediation solutions for control deficiencies identified. WPP’s requirements include a comprehensive risk and controls framework that is formed by Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) controls and various accounting and control policies.
The CFO and his global finance team will rely heavily on this group, who will also assist with other compliance areas, as needed. Audit related work is approximately 75% of the position, with the remaining 25% being other types of projects, reviews, analyses, or investigations (e.g., investigating potential fraud, performing balance sheet reviews, reviewing a global client staffing plan from a more operational process perspective or any other type of review requested by the Global CFO).
Responsibilities:
- Together with other team members, support the Global Head of Risk amp; Controls both locally and globally
- Operate as a team as the second line of defense within BCW
- Identify risk areas and work with local finance teams to develop the necessary control framework, based on WPP’s Risk amp; Controls framework and prepare for upcoming audits
- Partner with local finance teams to identify gaps and set a timetable for improvement including the implementation of necessary remediation plans, control design, and process documentation.
- Educate and train local finance teams on control requirements and what control structures makes sense for their business including the assistance in creating and maintaining their controls’ documentation
- Ability to troubleshoot, create and design controls to address deficiencies and areas of weakness.
- Support the Global Head of Risk amp; Controls with their communications to organizational management, or other key internal/external stakeholders
- Support and assist local finance teams on responses to all audit reports
- Liaise with peers across WPP including the WPP Internal Audit and Risk and Controls groups and the other operating companies
- Track audit schedules and pending reports / results
- Assist with the management of the annual self-certification process
- Support ad hoc requests from the WPP Internal Audit or Risk and Controls groups
Requirements
- S/he will be a leader with 6+ years of accounting and auditing experience. The candidate must have acquired the skills and experience to be able to identify control deficiencies and partner with local finance teams to develop a strong controls framework
- A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Accounting; CPA qualification is a plus
- Public accounting audit experience a plus.
- Experience as an internal/external auditor (Big 4) a plus
- Experience with the PR industry a plus
- An effective communicator with native-level English fluency, both written and oral
- Excellent organization skills.
- Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work under pressure in an environment with constantly changing variables.
- Smart with a willingness to learn and assist at all level
- Possess a collaborative and team first mindset
- Support the team lead and keep them of high priority items/issue
- Can communicate diplomatically and skillfully; can settle issues calmly and win concessions without damaging relationships
- Ability to work independently, troubleshoot, and collaborate with others both within the team and externally
- Experience with Microsoft Suite and Visio
- Must be able to travel domestically and inter