Financial Analyst Programmatic Media and Power BI

CIESLOK

Position summary

Title: Financial Analyst, Programmatic Media & Power BI

Employment type: Full-time, permanent

Department: Finance

Reports to: Senior Sales Financial Analyst

Location: Toronto, ON (hybrid 3-days per week in-office)

CIESLOK is a premium out-of-home advertising company operating iconic digital and static inventory across Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Edmonton, including Yonge-Dundas Square, Union Station, and The Well.

The Finance Department is looking for a detail-oriented Financial Analyst to provide financial oversight of our programmatic advertising investment. In this role, you will work between Finance and the media teams, reconciling spend reported in demand-side platforms (DSPs) against invoices and the general ledger, managing media accruals and month-end close activities, supporting budgets and forecasts, and building Power BI reports that show leadership media spend, costs, and returns.

The ideal candidate has solid accounting and financial analysis skills, understands how programmatic platforms buy, report, and bill media, and can explain financial results to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.

· Reconcile monthly media spend reported in DSPs (e.g., Vistar, Vlooh, Hivestack) against insertion orders, vendor invoices, ad server data, and the general ledger.

· Investigate and resolve discrepancies between platform-reported, third-party verified, and billed spend; work with vendors and media teams on credits and makegoods.

· Prepare month-end accruals for programmatic media, platform fees, and data costs, and support month-end and year-end close.

· Track budget versus actual spend by campaign, client, channel, and cost centre, and flag overspend or underspend risks early.

· Analyze platform fees, data and technology costs, and supply path costs to identify savings and margin improvement opportunities.

· Support client billing and recharge processes, ensuring amounts billed align with delivered media and contract terms.

· Maintain financial controls, process documentation, and audit trails, and support internal and external audits.

· Design, build, and maintain Power BI dashboards covering media spend, budget versus actual, forecasts, margins, cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on ad spend (ROAS).

· Develop and maintain Power BI data models, including relationships and DAX measures (including time-intelligence calculations for month-to-date, year-to-date, and prior-period comparisons).

· Use Power Query to extract, clean, and combine data from DSP exports and APIs, the ERP system (e.g., SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics 365), and Excel files.

· Automate monthly management reporting, configure scheduled refreshes, and apply row-level security to protect sensitive financial data.

· Support the annual budgeting process and rolling forecasts for media and marketing spend, including scenario and sensitivity modelling.

· Prepare variance commentary for Finance leadership and business partners.

· Ensure reporting integrity by reconciling Power BI outputs to the general ledger and source platform data.

· Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related field.

· 2+ years of experience in financial analysis, FP&A, accounting, or media finance, ideally in a digital advertising, agency, or ad tech environment.

· Working knowledge of programmatic platforms (DSPs, SSPs, ad exchanges) and how media spend, fees, and billing flow through them, including the ability to pull and interpret platform reports.

· Demonstrated experience building reports and dashboards in Power BI, including data modelling, DAX, and Power Query.

· Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, financial modelling).

· Solid understanding of accounting fundamentals, including accruals, reconciliations, the general ledger, and month-end close.

· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with close attention to detail and accuracy.

· Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain financial results to non-finance audiences.

· CPA designation (completed or in progress), CFA, or a similar professional accounting or finance credential.

· Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate (PL-300).

· Working knowledge of SQL for querying and joining large datasets.

· Hands-on experience with ERP system reporting and data extraction.

· Familiarity with media contracts, insertion orders, and industry measurement standards (e.g., IAB guidelines).

· Experience in media agency finance or with client billing for media services.

· Financial acumen: understands how media investment affects budgets, margins, and the bottom line.

· Accuracy and integrity: produces reliable numbers and upholds strong financial controls.

· Analytical thinking: breaks down complex spend and performance data to explain what is driving results.

· Communication: builds visuals and commentary that support financial decisions.

· Collaboration: partners effectively with media, marketing, accounting, and vendor teams.

· Organization: manages competing close deadlines, reconciliations, and reporting cycles.

· $70,000 – $75,000 CAD per year plus, a $5,000 bonus based on KPIs

· Benefits, RRSP matching, vacation

CIESLOK is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive team, and we welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We are also committed to a fully accessible and inclusive recruitment process. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code, accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in any stage of the selection process, from application through interview to hiring. If you require accommodation at any point, please contact Jessica Hajsan at [email protected] or 647-514-6370, and we will work with you to meet your needs in a way that respects your privacy and dignity.