CFO

Sharp & Carter Finance and Accounting; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 450,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

HWL Ebsworth Lawyers invites an experienced Chief Financial Officer to join the Executive Leadership Team. The role leads the national finance function, shaping the firm’s direction and partnering with senior stakeholders to deliver value and profitability.

You will helm budgeting, forecasting, treasury, controls and performance analysis, while guiding strategic planning and digital reporting improvements across a large national partnership.

Qualifications

• Extensive senior finance leadership experience in complex organisations.
• Proven ability to drive profitability analysis and performance improvement.
• Experience engaging at Board and Executive levels.

Responsibilities

• Oversee financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting for a national practice.
• Lead treasury, cash flow, controls and governance functions.
• Provide commercial insight to optimise profitability and client value.
• Drive strategic planning, digital reporting & transformation initiatives.
• Partner with senior leaders to elevate performance analytics.

Skills

CFO experience

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

CA/CPA qualification

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Executive remuneration package and incentives

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.

You will bring:

• 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.

You will have the opportunity to:

• 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.