Commercial Finance Business Partner

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading professional services firm in London is seeking a Commercial Finance Business Partner to enhance financial performance across various practice areas. This role requires a qualified accountant and involves strategic business planning, budgeting, and performance analysis. The successful candidate will work closely with senior stakeholders to drive profitability improvements and provide vital financial insights. Strong Excel skills and experience in the legal sector are essential. The role offers a collaborative environment and a chance to influence business outcomes.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (CIMA / ACCA / ACA) required.
• Significant experience in financial management within legal sector.
• Highly advanced Excel skills, knowledge of Power Query and SQL is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Drive improvements in financial performance across various practice areas.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to implement business plans.
• Lead budgeting and planning cycles for fee earning departments.

Skills

Qualified accountant (CIMA / ACCA / ACA)

Highly advanced Excel skills

Experience of using 3E or similar practice management system

Knowledge of Microsoft Power BI

Experience in a senior legal sector role

Tools

Power Query

SQL

Job description

The Commercial Finance Business Partner will work with the business to drive improvements in financial performance across a broad range of practice areas and assist in the longer-term strategic business planning process as well as shorter term annual budgeting process.

Based in our London office, this role will sit in the Business Partners arm of the Reporting and Analysis team, reporting into the BI & Commercial Finance Manager. The Commercial Finance Business Partner role provides an opportunity for an individual with an eye for detail and a commercial mindset to actively influence senior stakeholders within the Firm. The role will work closely with the other members of the Business Partnering teams as well as the R&A team and other members of Finance while maintaining close relationships with business partners from HR and BD as well as other business services departments.

Roles and Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partner

There are c.67 employees in the Finance team based across London, Cheltenham, and Hong Kong, and it is divided into four key areas:

• Reporting and Analysis (including Management Accounts, Business Intelligence, Financial Control and Business Partnering teams)
• Financial Systems
• Accounts Payable and Cashiers; and Revenue, Pricing and Credit Control

• Partner with the Divisional Managing Partner, Heads of Groups and key stakeholders to update, review, and implement the division's business plan, ensuring alignment with its strategic objectives.
• Regularly review actual performance, prepare forecasts/projections, and monitor against business plans and budgets.
• Perform investment appraisal / business case analysis for lateral hires and internal promotes.
• Pro-actively identify any financial issues and efficiency opportunities to enable the practice groups to undertake profit improvement initiatives.
• Attend and engage with regular department meetings to share insight and ensure depth of knowledge of each department is maintained.
• Be able to discuss all aspects of financial performance, proactively challenging issues, driving through change and gaining commercial insight.
• Continually striving to improve the profitability of the Divisions - Monitoring and managing key financial targets (e.g. billing, chargeable hours, recovery and profitability).

Financial Management

• Review the production of monthly management information pack including KPI's and divisional commentaries.
• Review operating results and actual performance of the practice groups, partners, and fee-earners, spotting areas of deficiency and advising management on them.
• Lead the budgeting and planning cycles for fee earning departments.
• Work with the Business Intelligence team to support profitability analysis at client, matter, work type, partner and fee earner level.
• Ad-hoc financial analysis and project work, analysing and understanding underlying financial data.
• Assist in the overall improvement of understanding of financial KPI's and performance across the business.

Collaboration

• Work closely with the Business Intelligence team to help improve overall financial understanding of the business.
• Establish key stakeholder relationships and business partnering to the DMP and HoGs as well as building solid relationships with support teams (HR, Business Development and Finance).
• Lead collaboration with HR, including recruitment plans, business plans, forecasting headcount for budgets and targets, capacity management, salary review and bonuses, space planning, promotions and ad-hoc reviews of teams and individuals.
• Lead collaboration with the BD department. Encouraging cross selling across the Division and firm-wide, help identify opportunities to drive growth.
• Comply with all relevant legal and regulatory obligations including the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Standards and Regulations, and Principles.

Skills and experience

• Qualified accountant (CIMA / ACCA / ACA)
• Highly advanced Excel skills, knowledge of Power Query and SQL is advantageous but not essential
• Significant experience of using 3E, or other similar practice management system
• Knowledge or willingness to learn to use new tools (e.g. Microsoft Power BI)
• Previous experience in a senior legal sector role or other partnership structure

Person specification

• Ability to identify profit drivers and improvement opportunities through the analysis of P&L
• Experience working with, and finance business partnering with, senior stakeholders across the business and have proven abilities in influencing decisions that have improved profitability through detailed analysis
• Managing change within their area of responsibility
• Excellent attention to detail with high level of accuracy
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise
• Ability to effectively manage own workload
• Ability to communicate effectively with people at all levels
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Personable and confident, able to build relationships with partners/ key stakeholders
• Resilient and calm under pressure
• Adaptable and flexible approach
• Pro‑active and takes initiative

Competencies

• Working together
• Integrity and respect
• Inclusive
• Personal impact and growth
• Driving high standards
• Commercial mindset
• Client - centric
• Responsible Business