Senior Business Manager
1 day ago
New York
Job Description Building A Brand Starts With Our Story FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency serving clients in various industries, including financial services, technology, new & traditional media, aerospace, healthcare, and professional services. FIRST has received numerous accolades, including being listed among the 2025 Most Innovative Marketing Agencies of the Year by Chief Marketer, named Top Agency of the Year 2024 by Event Marketer, highlighted as a Global Agency of the Year, over 100 Employees by C&IT, and listed among the "200 Top Marketing Agencies" in 2024, 2023, & 2022 by Chief Marketer. Learn more at Location: NYC First Office (hybrid) What You Would Get To Do: The Senior Business Manager is responsible for translating financial and operational data into actionable insights that improve efficiency, profitability, and delivery outcomes for a dedicated account or department. This role focuses on the how and why behind business results, owning performance frameworks, operational KPIs, and analytics that inform day-to-day decision-making. Working closely with functional leaders across Operations, FP&A, Client Services, P&C, and Finance, the Senior Manager drives process improvement, resource optimization, and performance discipline across a large, complex client organization, ensuring the business operates against clear metrics and executes measurable improvement initiatives at scale. Your Contributions: Business Performance & Analytics • Own and evolve the business unit's performance management framework, including operational and financial KPIs, dashboards, and reporting cadence., • Lead deep-dive analysis into performance variances, identifying root causes across utilization, labor cost, delivery efficiency, and service quality., • Translate complex datasets into clear insights and narratives for functional and senior leaders to drive informed action., • Identify productivity gaps and operational inefficiencies; design and implement targeted improvement initiatives., • Partner with functional leaders to develop and track action plans tied to cost control, margin improvement, and delivery effectiveness., • Drive optimization of resource deployment models, staffing approaches, and operational workflows., • Support budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking for the business unit, with a strong emphasis on operational drivers rather than pure financial reporting., • Provide analytical support for pricing, labor models, and cost structures to improve profitability and predictability., • Act as a trusted performance advisor to senior functional leaders, influencing decisions through data-backed insight rather than authority., • Collaborate closely with Finance, FP&A, and Commercial teams to ensure alignment between financial outcomes and operational execution. This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for this position. The employee may be asked to perform other duties and responsibilities, as necessary. What We Are Looking For: Please be aware that we know experience does not always look like we describe it. If you believe you would be an excellent fit for this role, please apply - we would love to see how you could fit at FIRST. Please contact if you need an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. • Minimum of 10+ years of experience, including senior stakeholder and client-facing leadership in complex, matrixed environments., • Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams, driving accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement., • Strong financial and commercial acumen, with deep understanding of P&L dynamics, cost structures, and resource economics in professional services or project-based settings., • Demonstrated capability to translate financial insight into operational execution, delivering measurable improvements in efficiency, margin, and delivery outcomes., • Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, using financial and non-financial data to diagnose issues and implement scalable solutions., • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with BI and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) preferred, with advanced data skills (SQL/Python) a plus., • Excellent communication and influence skills, able to engage effectively at all organizational levels., • Highly organized, adaptable, and composed under pressure, with strong prioritization skills and a collaborative, results-driven working style., • Bachelor's Degree Preferred, • This role is hybrid and must go into the FIRST office 2 days per week (Tuesdays are mandatory and one additional day, determined by the team), subject to change at any time., • Requires ability to work other shifts and weekends and in excess of 40 hours/week, as necessary, • Requirement to travel domestically and may require international travel when necessary Please note the national salary range listed in the job posting reflects the new hire salary range across various U.S. locations that would be applicable to the position. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. At FIRST, we believe that our success is driven by the passion, creativity, and commitment of our teams. That's why we offer a range of benefits and perks to support your personal and professional growth: • Medical, Dental & Vision which includes the option of a high deductible health plan (HDHP) with a health savings account (HSA), • 401 (k), • Five Flexible Spending Accounts Options, • Generous Paid Time Off Allowance, • Employee Assistance Program (EAP), • Life, Disability & Pet Coverages, • Wellness Stipend, • Mobile Phone Allowance, • Complimentary access to Headspace, Teladoc, Maven, Rocket Lawyer, Mobilo & more, • Aura Identity Theft Protection, • Discretionary Bonus Structure, • Global Opportunities: With a presence in 7 countries worldwide, including headquarters in London, New York, and Singapore, you may have the opportunity to work on exciting projects across different locations. #LI-Hybrid #LI-KM1 FIRST is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. FIRST is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We stand firm: FIRST will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. If any candidate feels that they are unable to meet the requirements of the role, please get in touch to discuss adjustments or other suitable roles.