Director, Client Finance

Job Description

Position Summary:

The Director, Client Finance (ES) serves as the senior, strategic finance leader and partner for the Engagement Solutions service line. The Director will oversee key financial controls, lead high-performing teams, and ensure financial integrity throughout the project lifecycle from client RFP to project setup to revenue recognition, to project invoicing to backlog reporting to project closeout—while fostering strong client relationships and enabling the PMG Operational teams with key project metrics. This role reports directly to the Senior Director, AQ Client Finance, and partners closely with ES leadership, FP&A, Accounting, and Business teams.

As the service‑line finance leader, the Director is responsible for building scalable client finance operating models, establishing governance, operating cadences, decision frameworks, and executive‑level insight that enable consistent performance and profitable growth. The role operates primarily at the Director level: setting standards, ensuring accountability, and driving outcomes through a team of Client Finance Managers.

Success in this role is measured by leverage, forecast accuracy, client profitability, control integrity, and team effectiveness.

Essential functions of the job include but are not limited to:

• Finance Governance - Act as the senior finance escalation point for ES Client Finance, owning pipeline‑to‑revenue frameworks, business team finance standards, and month‑end outcomes for the service line. Client Finance Managers are responsible for day‑to‑day account execution, with the Director engaged for escalations, complex issues, and strategic decision‑making.
• Revenue Oversight & Financial Integrity - Own ES revenue governance, including forecast accuracy, revenue recognition guardrails (T&M, fixed fee/milestone), and bookings‑to‑billings‑to‑cash conversion. Monitor margin leakage, change orders, and scope controls. Partner with Accounting on close accuracy and AR on DSO reduction and cash collections. Establish and enforce revenue recognition and accounting guardrails aligned with GAAP. Provide oversight and escalation for complex or high‑risk matters; partner with Accounting to resolve issues while ensuring teams are trained and accountable for compliant day‑to‑day execution.
• Performance Management & Profitability – Monitor project budget health across the ES portfolio, identify margin improvement opportunities, and communicate risks to senior leadership. Participate in contract reviews and negotiations for MSAs, IPAs, standalone agreements, and pricing structures. Partner with FP&A and senior leaders to identify trends and recommend actions; enable Client Finance Managers to execute corrective actions through standardized tools, targets, and accountability. Present consolidated insights to senior leadership, focused on performance drivers and actions.
• Close & Reporting Governance – Own the monthly close process, controls, timelines, and review protocols for the ES service line. Ensure Client Finance Managers and analysts are accountable for timely, accurate preparation and reconciliation, with clear escalation and resolution of issues.
• Operating Model & Leadership Leverage – Build standardized dashboards, variance analysis templates, and playbooks that enable finance and engagement leaders to spend more time on decisions and less on manual work. Establish operating cadences (weekly flash, MBRs, QBRs) and clear escalation paths for risks, opportunities, resourcing, and scope changes. Provide forward‑looking views, rolling forecasts, and scenario analyses to support growth, capacity, and pricing strategies.
• Team & Stakeholder Leadership- Lead and develop a team of Client Finance Managers who own day‑to‑day financial management of the Engagement Solutions client portfolio. Deliver concise, insight‑led readouts to senior leadership covering performance vs. plan, drivers, risks, opportunities, and actions. Build leverage through people, process, and systems to scale responsibly. Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and internal teams to ensure alignment and transparency. Effectively and clearly communicate with clients, staff, operations, functional teams and leadership to ensure collaboration and clarity.

Qualifications:

Minimum Required:

• 10+ years of progressive finance experience in pharma services services/agency environments.
• 5+ years in a supervisory role
• Bachelor’s in Finance/Accounting or related; advanced degree.
• Proven success managing a team or a large client portfolio within an agency or services organization.
• Deep experience working with multiple stakeholders across FP&A, Accounting, Sales Ops, BD, and Delivery in a matrixed setting.
• Strong command of revenue mechanics (T&M, fixed‑fee/milestone), backlog, and cash conversion.
• Builder mindset: able to standardize, automate, and scale processes, dashboards, and KPIs.
• Exceptional communication—clear executive narratives, crisp variance storytelling, and actionable recommendations.
• Strategic thinker with exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for diverse audiences.
• High degree of professionalism, self-motivation, and ability to lead independently.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and operational efficiency.

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