CFO

Sharp and Carter; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

HWL Ebsworth Lawyers seeks an outstanding Chief Financial Officer to join its Executive Leadership Team. The CFO will lead the national finance function, reporting to the CEO and collaborating with the COO, Board, and partnership to shape the firm’s future direction.

The role oversees financial reporting, budgeting, treasury, controls, and performance analysis, driving profitability and strategic financial initiatives across a complex, national organisation.

Qualifications

• Experience as CFO or deputy CFO or equivalent executive finance leadership role.
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic capability.
• Proven ability to lead transformation and drive change within a complex organisation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting.
• Lead treasury, cash flow management and governance.
• Drive business performance analysis and commercial decision support.
• Lead strategic planning and execution, including digital transformation initiatives.
• Partner with CEO/COO and Board to elevate profitability and value creation.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic financial planning

Profitability analysis

Change management

Education

CFA/CPA or equivalent

Tools

ERP systems

Financial modelling

Job description

HWL Ebsworth Lawyers is one of Australia’s largest commercial law firms and a highly successful national partnership. With a large and varied client base, a reputation for commercial excellence and a genuinely national footprint, HWL Ebsworth is entering an exciting phase of evolution and is seeking an outstanding Chief Financial Officer to join its Executive Leadership Team.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the CEO and working closely with the COO, Board and broader partnership, the CFO will lead the national finance function and play a key role in shaping the future direction of the firm.

This is a broad executive leadership position with responsibility for leading and developing capability within a team overseeing:

• Financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting
• Treasury and cash flow management
• Financial controls, governance and risk management
• Business performance analysis and commercial decision support
• Strategic planning and execution
• Digital transformation and reporting improvement initiatives

A key component of the role will be helping the business shift from a predominantly revenue focused mindset towards a stronger emphasis on profitability, commercial insight and performance optimisation. This includes driving improved analysis around utilisation, realisation, client profitability and partner performance, while enhancing the quality of management information available to stakeholders across the firm.

The successful candidate will be expected to challenge constructively, influence senior stakeholders and partners, and lead the continued evolution of the finance function from reactive reporting towards proactive commercial business partnering.

About You

You are an accomplished CFO or senior finance executive with a proven track record of operating within complex environments with a large group of varied stakeholders.

• Prior CFO, Deputy CFO or equivalent executive finance leadership experience
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic capability
• Gravitas and credibility at Board and Executive level
• Outstanding stakeholder management and communication skills
• Experience driving transformation, process improvement and change initiatives
• A strong understanding of performance management, profitability analysis and value creation
• The ability to balance strategic leadership with operational detail when required

Experience within legal services, professional services or partnership environments will be highly regarded, however we are also interested in exceptional candidates from other complex service based organisations.

Why HWL Ebsworth?

This represents a rare opportunity to join one of Australia’s most successful professional services firms in a true executive leadership capacity.

• Partner closely with an experienced and highly respected executive team
• Influence the future direction of a national organisation
• Lead meaningful transformation initiatives
• Drive commercial outcomes across a complex and sophisticated business
• Build on an already strong finance platform while creating lasting impact

Remuneration

A highly competitive executive remuneration package is on offer, inclusive of a significant fixed component and performance based incentive.