Budget Manager

Title: Budget Manager
Office: Los Angeles
Reports to: Client Finance Associate Director

TBWAMedia Arts Lab (or MAL as you’ll hear us called) is the bespoke global advertising agency dedicated solely to Apple. Our mission is to create smart, simple, and iconic work that transforms business and makes culture for the world’s best brand.

We believe that what MAL creates belongs to everyone; and everyone belongs at MAL. We think creativity lives in open, safe, and brave spaces, where diverse perspectives can come together, free of prejudice and discrimination. We strive to be a partnership of equals. Everyone has a role to play here, and we invite you to bring your fully authentic and crazy selves to this space. Together, we’ll do the best work we’ve ever done.

We’re headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with 5 further international hubs and over 800 people making great work for Apple in 26 markets around the globe. We’d love to meet you!

Reporting into the Client Finance Associate Director, the Budget Manager will be responsible for compiling and vetting all campaign/project campaign budget documentation across all lines of business and International geos, ensuring constant flow of information within the team to support the department and clients. This is a  fast-paced, client facing role, directly interfacing with our Client Partners including Finance and Ad Managers/Ad Producers on a daily basis as well as our internal Account Management and Production teams. They must be organized and professional, but able to work in a casual environment. Someone who can remain calm under pressure and is excellent at multi-tasking. Strong attention to detail and a sense of urgency is required.

Responsibilities:

• Key day-to-day liaison with Account Management Team, establishing a daily/weekly cadence of communication to provide pertinent updates to Client Finance Associate Director
• Daily management of global production budgets with client & agency directors across several lines of business
• Works closely with all departments on a daily basis via calls and meetings to reconcile budgets within client requirements & deadlines
• Responsible for vetting all budget changes for accuracy prior to incorporation into weekly budget documents and reporting
• Train and troubleshoot international teams regarding budget requirements, client reporting needs, and scheduling/production realities
• Responsible for weekly publication of all production budgets across all lines of business; manages all comms and WIP drafts reviewed at (multiple) weekly meetings
• Along with Client Finance Associate Director, the Budget Manager represents the agency on various Client directed budget calls across all lines of business on a weekly basis
• Assists Client Finance Associate Director with managing quarterly closing needs, both internally and externally. Responsible for Calendar invites, scheduling, documentation for client including Final Forecast (Quarterly) and Future Projections
• Assists Client Finance Associate Director with client-facing reporting as directed. Works directly with Client to discuss costs, variances, and potential efficiencies on ad-hoc basis
• Collaborate with Job Management/Production team as needed to identify and clear up inconsistencies within jobs and estimates.
• Assists Client Finance Associate Director with ongoing analysis of current processes and potential for changes and adjustments - work with internal and external partners (MAL, OMD, Client) to assess best practices and identify current and future needs

Requirements:

• Bachelors degree
• 5+ years experience with production related finance duties in physical production related field, preferably commercial/short form production companies or agencies
• Familiarity with basic production processes and terminology.
• Must have strong interpersonal skills as well as a sense of discretion
• Must be a team-player; also able to work independently when needed
• Extremely organized and able to keep on a schedule; calm under pressure.
• Strong ability to multi-task and prioritize, working on several projects at once across many clients and international offices
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Must be proactive and have ability to anticipate team needs and respond accordingly
• Must be a quick learner and very detail oriented; and not afraid to ask for help or make suggestions if issues arise
• Accuracy and timeliness in execution of assigned tasks
• Must have advanced Excel knowledge & strong computer skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for both internal and external conversations