Head of Commercial Finance

MinterEllison; Sydney; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

MinterEllison's Finance team supports the firm's commercial and financial performance, working closely with senior leaders to turn financial insight into better business decisions. The Head of Finance, Commercial is a senior leadership role with a national remit, reporting to the CFO and collaborating with Line of Business Managing Partners to shape practice strategy and profitability.

You will bring together pricing, client insight, resourcing and delivery economics to help leaders identify

Qualifications

• Senior commercial finance, pricing or FP&A leadership experience in professional services.
• Strong understanding of partnership economics; ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• CA/CPA or equivalent qualification with transformation experience in AI/automation.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Line of Business Managing Partners and Business Unit Leaders to shape practice strategy and drive profitable growth.
• Own practice budgets and forecasts; influence decisions about clients, pricing, resourcing, utilization and leverage.
• Collaborate with Pricing team to shape fee strategies, test commercial assumptions and model profitability.
• Lead commercial finance transformation, simplifying reporting and increasing capacity for strategic business partnering.
• Translate market developments into practical pricing, delivery and business-model decisions.

Skills

Commercial Finance Leadership

Pricing Strategy

FP&A Leadership

Partnership Economics

Stakeholder Influence

AI & Automation

Education

CA/CPA or equivalent

Job description

Our Finance team supports the commercial and financial performance of the firm, working closely with senior leaders and partners to turn financial insight into better business decisions. The Head of Finance, Commercial is a senior, business-facing leadership role with a national remit. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, you will work directly with our Line of Business Managing Partners and Business Unit Leaders to help shape the commercial performance of their practices. Your day-to-day home will be in the business, developing a deep understanding of our clients, practice economics and changing market context. This is an opportunity to operate at the centre of some of the firm's most important commercial decisions. You will bring together finance, pricing, client insight, resourcing and delivery economics to help leaders identify opportunities, address issues early and make informed choices that support profitable growth.The work is increasingly forward-looking. As technology, AI and changing client expectations reshape professional services, you will help the firm understand the commercial implications and translate them into practical choices about pricing, delivery models and practice strategy.

The Team

Our Finance team supports the commercial and financial performance of the firm, working closely with senior leaders and partners to turn financial insight into better business decisions. The Head of Finance, Commercial is a senior, business-facing leadership role with a national remit. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, you will work directly with our Line of Business Managing Partners and Business Unit Leaders to help shape the commercial performance of their practices. Your day-to-day home will be in the business, developing a deep understanding of our clients, practice economics and changing market context. This is an opportunity to operate at the centre of some of the firm's most important commercial decisions. You will bring together finance, pricing, client insight, resourcing and delivery economics to help leaders identify opportunities, address issues early and make informed choices that support profitable growth.The work is increasingly forward-looking. As technology, AI and changing client expectations reshape professional services, you will help the firm understand the commercial implications and translate them into practical choices about pricing, delivery models and practice strategy.

Your Role

As Head of Finance, Commercial, you will be the senior finance partner to our Line of Business Managing Partners and Business Unit Leaders. You will move beyond explaining financial results to influencing what happens next, using evidence, commercial judgement and a strong understanding of partnership economics to shape decisions. You will build credibility by understanding each practice in depth, bringing a clear point of view and following important decisions through to measurable outcomes. Success will depend on your ability to influence senior stakeholders, navigate robust commercial conversations and turn complex information into a story that changes decisions.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Partner with Line of Business Managing Partners and Business Unit Leaders to shape practice strategy, translate financial insight into commercial action and drive profitable growth.
• Own practice budgets and forecasts, using them to influence decisions about clients, pricing, resourcing, utilisation and leverage.
• Identify commercial opportunities and risks early, bringing a clear point of view and using client, matter and partner insights to deliver measurable outcomes.
• Work closely with the Pricing team to shape fee strategies, test commercial assumptions and model profitability.
• Help leaders respond to changing client expectations, competitor activity, technology and AI by translating market developments into practical choices about pricing, delivery and business models.
• Commercial finance transformation, simplifying reporting, improving processes and using automation to create greater capacity for strategic business partnering.

We Welcome Applications From Commercial Finance Professionals Who Bring

• A business-first mindset and the commercial judgement to understand how a professional-services practice grows, with deep finance expertise used to enable better decisions.
• Senior commercial finance, pricing or FP&A leadership experience in professional services, together with a strong understanding of partnership economics. Legal-sector experience is helpful but not essential.
• A demonstrated ability to influence partners and senior leaders, constructively challenge assumptions and hold a commercial position in robust conversations.
• Evidence of using insight to change pricing, client, resourcing or operating-model decisions and deliver measurable commercial outcomes.
• Practical transformation and leadership experience, including process and systems change, AI and automation, supported by CA, CPA, an equivalent qualification or a comparable senior commercial background.

We encourage applications from people of all ages, abilities, cultural backgrounds, genders (including trans or gender diverse), LGBTQ+ people and those with carer responsibilities. We particularly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply.