Finance Manager

Osborne Clarke - Partnership; Brussel Hoofdstad; Sur place; EUR 90 000 - 130 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Osborne Clarke Belgium is seeking an experienced Finance Manager to own the finance function and operating model for the Brussels office, supporting growth and international collaboration. You will lead finance operations, provide commercial insights, and partner with senior management to drive performance.

You will manage day-to-day accounting, billing, cash visibility and financial analysis, while working with external accountants and international colleagues to deliver accurate reporting and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics or a related field; a professional accounting qualification is an asset.
• Solid experience in professional services or law firm finance (7+ years), with exposure to management reporting, forecasting and working capital management.
• Strong P&L analysis and KPI reporting skills, and proven experience improving billing and client-to-cash processes.
• Good understanding of Belgian accounting, VAT, tax and statutory accounting, and experience with practice management/reporting systems (3E, Power BI, Excel).
• Comfortable taking hands-on responsibility for GL, month-end close, payroll coordination, and supplier payments.

Responsabilités

• Lead the Belgian finance function as a hands-on leader, translating business needs into clear finance priorities.
• Own the Belgian general ledger and month-end close with data integrity for reporting.
• Run the monthly management reporting cycle for Belgium with variance analysis and commentary.
• Lead annual budgeting and forecasting rhythm covering revenue, costs, headcount, working capital and cash flow.
• Oversee billing, accounts payable, supplier payments and payroll coordination with external providers.

Connaissances

P&L analysis

KPI reporting

Stakeholder management

Financial storytelling

Process improvement

Formation

Master’s degree in Finance/Accounting

Outils

Power BI

Excel

3E

Description du poste

We are looking for an experienced, hands‑on Finance Manager to take ownership of the finance function and operating model for Osborne Clarke Belgium and support the office’s continued growth.

Reporting to the COO and working closely with the Executive Committee, you will be the local finance lead and key financial partner to our Belgian leadership and wider management team. You will oversee management reporting, budgeting and forecasting, working capital and cash management, accounts payable and supplier payments, payroll and the Belgian general ledger, and drive improvements in billing and client‑to‑cash processes, providing clear, commercially‑focused insight on the performance of the Belgian office.

You combine solid technical expertise in Belgian accounting, VAT and tax with strong business acumen and a process‑driven mindset. You are comfortable working in a professional‑services environment where accuracy, timeliness and client service are essential, translating financial data into actionable recommendations and helping non‑financial colleagues understand key concepts.

You enjoy working both operationally and strategically: from overseeing day‑to‑day accounting, billing and cash visibility, to leading financial analysis and contributing to local and international projects. You are confident dealing with partners and senior stakeholders, able to challenge constructively, and keen to improve processes and ways of working.

You will coordinate the work of a part‑time Finance Administration Officer, collaborate closely with other local managers, work with our international finance colleagues and external accountants, and help build finance literacy across the office.

About Osborne Clarke

Osborne Clarke is an award‑winning international legal practice that has grown rapidly over the past few years and now spans 26 offices around the world. Our Brussels office was established over 13 years ago and has since grown into a full‑service law firm of around 40 qualified lawyers and 20 business support professionals, serving market leaders, challenger brands and fast‑growth businesses across industries and borders.

Our mission is clear: to advise and advance the businesses of tomorrow. We aim to be a firm that clients depend on for strategic counsel and to navigate complexity, spotting opportunities and fending off threats. We foster a culture where high performance and heart sit side by side, where people feel connected, supported and challenged, and where talent thrives and the firm does too.

We are investing in technology and AI‑enabled tools to deliver high‑value, strategic work with a future‑focused mindset.

What can Osborne Clarke offer?

• The opportunity to play a key role in the growth and performance of a dynamic, international law firm, with real impact on how the Belgian office is run.
• A broad, hands‑on Finance Manager role with both operational and strategic responsibilities, and the autonomy to shape processes, reporting and the finance operating model.
• Close collaboration with partners, senior management and international colleagues, giving you exposure to cross‑border projects and best practice across the Osborne Clarke network.
• Access to integrated systems, data and AI‑enabled tools that support efficient, high‑quality service delivery and continuous improvement.
• A culture that combines high performance with heart: ambitious, collaborative, inclusive and genuinely open and approachable, with real attention to wellbeing and sustainable careers.
• Learning and development through a mix of on‑the‑job experience, self‑directed learning and targeted training, with room to grow your profile as an expert in law‑firm finance and operations.
• A remuneration and benefits package in line with your experience and responsibilities, and a realistic approach to work‑life balance.

Ideal Profile

• Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics or a related field; a professional accounting qualification is an asset.
• Solid experience in professional services or law firm finance (typically 7+ years), with exposure to management reporting, forecasting and working capital management.
• Strong P&L analysis and KPI reporting skills, and proven experience improving billing and client‑to‑cash processes.
• Good understanding of Belgian accounting, VAT, tax and statutory accounting, and experience working with practice management and reporting systems (e.g. 3E, Power BI, Excel); experience in an international environment is an advantage.
• Comfortable taking hands‑on responsibility for core finance operations, including general ledger and month‑end close, accounts payable/supplier payments and payroll in coordination with external providers.
• Strong technical accounting and financial reporting capabilities with high attention to detail.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills; able to turn complex data into clear, actionable insight for senior stakeholders, and to explain financial concepts in a simple, accessible way.
• Strong interpersonal skills: approachable, collaborative and supportive, able to build trust and work effectively with partners, lawyers, business services colleagues and international teams.
• Confident, constructive challenger with good stakeholder management and business partnering skills.
• Process driven, organised and resilient, able to manage multiple priorities and drive improvements.
• Commercially minded, professional and discreet, with a high level of integrity.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English, plus fluent French or Dutch.

Key Responsibilities

1. Finance leadership, management reporting, forecasting and performance insight

• Lead the Belgian finance function as a hands‑on finance leader, translating business needs into clear finance priorities.
• Own the Belgian general ledger and month‑end close, including key journals, reconciliations and data integrity for management and statutory reporting.
• Run the monthly management reporting cycle for Belgium, with clear variance analysis and concise commentary for Belgian leadership and international finance.
• Lead the annual budgeting process and establish a pragmatic forecasting rhythm covering revenue, costs, headcount, working capital and cash flow.
• Develop and maintain a practical reporting pack and KPI framework (e.g. P&L, margin, activity, write‑offs, DSO, lock‑up, cash), aligned with group standards.

2. Working capital, billing and cash management

• Own the end‑to‑end client‑to‑cash process from matter opening and billing data quality through to WIP review, invoicing, aged debt follow‑up, cash collection and intercompany flows.
• Drive strong working‑capital discipline (WIP health, aged debt, lock‑up, DSO, credit control), following up with partners and lawyers on overdue actions.
• Maintain short‑term cash visibility and simple dashboards for WIP, debtors, lock‑up and cash flow, ensuring risks and actions are visible and addressed.
• Oversee billing, payment runs, accounts payable and supplier payments, ensuring accurate processing, appropriate approvals, timely execution and robust treatment of expenses and credit card spend.

3. Business partnering, pricing and profitability

• Act as a key finance business partner to the Co‑Managing Partners, COO and practice heads, providing insight for growth initiatives, resource planning and local projects.
• Lead the financial assessment of material business cases, including lateral hires, team moves, strategic opportunities and pricing decisions, translating business needs into reliable financial assumptions, clear scenarios and practical recommendations.
• Support rate and pricing decisions, including the assessment of pricing deviations, discounts, write‑off risk, billing terms, working‑capital impact and strategic client value.
• Work with central teams to improve profitability insight by client, matter, department, legal area, service line or matter type where source data is reliable, and to track commercial contribution metrics (e.g. managed revenue, cross‑selling, new clients).

4. Finance operating model, controls, systems and compliance

• Define and embed clear ways of working for the Belgian finance function, including roles, responsibilities and hand‑offs with central teams, external accountants and key stakeholders.
• Safeguard financial accuracy, completeness and compliance, owning statutory accounts, VAT, tax and audit deliverables in collaboration with external accountants and central teams.
• Oversee payroll in coordination with the external payroll provider / social secretariat, ensuring accurate and timely payments, correct accounting entries and regulatory compliance.
• Act as the local finance owner for finance systems, data quality and reporting requirements, and contribute to system and process improvement initiatives (including testing and implementation of changes).

5. Team leadership and collaboration

• Provide day‑to‑day leadership, mentoring and oversight to the part‑time Finance Administration Officer.
• Work closely with local managers, international finance colleagues and external parties to ensure joined‑up processes, reliable data and delivery of improvement projects.
• Promote finance literacy across the office and provide practical training to PAs and business support managers on billing and core finance processes.
• Act as a constructive challenger and trusted finance partner, combining strategic thinking, technical accuracy, hands‑on execution and clear communication.