Our client is medium sized firm with just over 100 fee earners, specialising in Corporate and Property law. They are looking to recruit a Financial Reporting Manager. This role will be managing a team of 4 to 5 to plan and deliver the firm's budgeting, forecasting, financial accounting and reporting.
Responsibilities
- Review and publish monthly management accounts and associated reports within agreed timescales.
- Review and publish monthly cashflow and P&L forecasts.
- Meet with budget holders to prepare and agree annual revenue and expenditure budgets.
- Review and publish monthly expenditure reports (opex and capex) to relevant budget holders.
- Take full ownership of the general ledger, ensuring data integrity through the regular review of transactions and by providing guidance to finance and non-finance staff.
- Perform and review general ledger accounting for accruals, provisions, prepayments, fixed asset depreciation and internal recharges.
- Ensure that the firm's balance sheet accounts are regularly reconciled, including its bank accounts (daily), accruals, provisions, fixed assets and prepayments.
- Review and publish other recurring reporting to relevant stakeholders (e.g. weekly utilisation reports, quarterly TME reports, quarterly CP/MP reports).
- Prepare and present insightful ad-hoc financial management information to support our legal group heads and other partners in leading their practices (e.g. presenting at team away days).
- Ensure that a same day response is provided to all reporting related emails received into the shared finance mailbox.
- Analyse and publish performance in relation to the fee earner bonus scheme.
- Review and publish performance in relation to various individual consultancy commission agreements.
- Conduct profitability analysis at team, partner, client and matter level (including matter post mortems).
- Review and provide financial information for legal press surveys, new business pitches, panel reviews and for other marketing purposes.
- Review and publish annual statutory accounts and corporation tax returns.
- Review and publish other external reporting information (e.g. ONS returns, payment performance reporting, carbon reporting).
- Review and oversee all direct to client reporting.
- Provide reporting support to the revenue and cashiering teams.
- Oversee all other internal and external reporting delivered by the reporting team.
- Maintain proper accounting records.
- Maintain the firm's compliance with applicable HMRC legislation, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, and accounting standards.
- Ensure that appropriate financial controls and policies are in place and are being adhered to.
- Meet with budget holders to analyse and review expenditure.
- Help the firm to manage and reduce it lock up by promoting best practice and through the provision of appropriate targeted reporting.
- Manage the year-end financial audit.
- Identify and address financial risks and opportunities.
- Review and validate office and client payments.
- Play an active role in the firm's practice management system replacement project to ensure that all of the firm's reporting needs are met.
- Manage, support, train and develop the reporting team.
- Design and deliver best practice financial training to fee earners and partners.
- Build relationships with key stakeholders across the business.
- Work closely with the Financial Systems team, IT department and other support departments to design and deliver solutions, automating where possible.
- Continually appraise existing systems and processes and lead on any change initiatives required.
- Review and update policies and guidance notes.
- Deputise for the Financial Controller as when required.
- Provide basic cover for the Compliance & Partnership Accountant (on payroll accounting and partnership accounting) as and when required.
- Any other duties defined by the Financial Controller or Head of Finance.
Candidate Profile
- An experienced finance manager
- A qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with 5 years PQE gained within the legal sector
- A good understanding of the Solicitors' Accounts Rules
- Good knowledge of VAT and partnership tax
- Strong leadership and communication skills
- Experience of managing and developing a team
- Advanced MS Excel skills
- SQL reporting skills would also be an advantage
Important Notice
It is Career Legal's policy, as a matter of courtesy, to respond to all applications within three working days. However, because of the volume of applications, we are sometimes unable to respond to individual candidates. If we have not contacted you within three working days your application has been unsuccessful and your details have not been retained. Please apply for any other position that you may see in the future. Thank you.
Career Legal is a Recruitment Agency and is advertising this permanent vacancy on behalf of one of its clients.