Head of FP&A

About SAMY

SAMY is a global network of independent marketing and communications agencies, using research, technology, strategy, creativity, and performance to deliver impactful, data-driven solutions and drive growth for brands. With over 1000 employees in 15+ offices across 18 countries (Europe, U.S., Latin America) and operating in 55 markets, SAMY serves over 100 leading clients, specializing in award-winning, end-to-end digital campaigns.

Mission

The Head of FP&A will build, lead and continuously develop SAMY’s Financial Planning & Analysis function in a services-based, multi-country group with an active M&A strategy.

The role combines strong ownership, hands-on execution and strategic thinking. Working closely with the Group CFO, the Head of FP&A is responsible for ensuring that management accounts, forecasts and analytical outputs are robust, consistent and decision-ready, supporting effective decision-making across the Group.The role is expected to consistently add a strong analytical layer, moving beyond reporting to provide interpretation, insight and forward-looking perspectives.

This position requires someone able not only to run FP&A processes, but to shape the function itself: defining standards, improving ways of working and scaling the area as the Group grows.

Key responsibilities

1. Group FP&A ownership

• Take full ownership of the FP&A function at Group level, defining its scope, operating model and priorities.

• Design, evolve and continuously improve FP&A processes, standards and deliverables as the Group scales.

• Act as the reference point for FP&A across all markets, ensuring clarity, consistency and credibility.

2. Management accounts & forecasting

• Own the monthly management accounts and performance review process, ensuring results are comparable, well-explained and focused on key business drivers.

• Lead the quarterly reforecast and outlook cycles, coordinating inputs from all markets and consolidating them into a coherent Group view.

• Ensure that all management accounts and forecasts are accompanied by clear analysis of drivers, variances and implications, not just the numbers themselves.

• Ensure that variances, risks and opportunities are clearly identified, understood and linked to operational realities.

3. Business partnering & country interaction

• Act as the primary FP&A counterpart for country managers and key business leaders.

• Support local leadership with performance analysis, outlooks and scenario assessments, while constructively challenging assumptions.

• Use analysis to challenge, guide and support business leaders in their decision-making, rather than acting as a passive reporting function.

• Translate local business dynamics into Group-level insight, preserving nuance without losing comparability.

4. M&A integration & scalability

• Lead the rapid integration of newly acquired companies into the Group’s FP&A and reporting framework.

• Define and enforce a standardised reporting model that enables fast onboarding of new entities without disrupting Group visibility.

• Act as the FP&A reference during post-merger integration, ensuring continuity and early comparability of management information.

• Balance speed and rigour, prioritising early transparency and usability over theoretical perfection.

5. FP&A tools & data (Abacum as cornerstone)

• Own and continuously develop Abacum as the Group’s core FP&A platform, embedded across management accounts, forecasting and performance analysis.

• Drive adoption of Abacum across all markets, including newly acquired companies, as the single source of truth for planning and performance.

• Define data structures, models and governance to ensure scalability, reliability and consistency as the Group grows.

• Experience with Abacum is highly desirable; experience with other modern FP&A tools (e.g. Adaptive, Anaplan, Pigment) is acceptable, provided there is a clear ability to adapt quickly.

6. Team leadership

• Build, lead and develop a team of 3 FP&A professionals, setting direction, priorities and clear quality standards.

• Coach the team to combine analytical rigour with business relevance.

• Grow the function over time from reporting-focused to true performance management and insight generation.

Key stakeholders

• Group CFO

• Country Managers and local leadership teams

• Controlling, Accounting and Treasury teams