Finance Business Analyst

Weightmans; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Weightmans in the United Kingdom is seeking a finance analyst to provide detailed analysis of financial performance and management information to the Legal Operations divisions.

You will analyse client profitability for senior management, monitor WIP, disbursements and debt, and work with partners on working capital. You will also support budgeting, forecasting and pricing initiatives for bids and proposals.

Qualifications

• Accounting qualification (ICAEW/CIMA/ACCA) is required.
• Ability to establish a reputation across the business spectrum.
• Self-starter with minimal supervision and team collaboration.
• Strong commercial acumen and professional gravitas.
• Keen to identify management improvements and deliver reports.
• Excellent data handling and Excel-based reporting.
• Clear and effective communication with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide management information to the Legal Operations divisions.
• Deliver detailed profitability analysis to senior management.
• Monitor work in progress, disbursements and debt.
• Liaise with partners and fee earners on working capital management.
• Support budgeting and forecasting and draft team sheets.
• Contribute to tenders and pricing analyses for bids and proposals.
• Assist with commerciality and pricing training for staff.
• Collaborate with Finance to understand key drivers and reporting.
• Support WIP valuation decisions with auditors and teams.
• Work with Legal Operations to drive performance improvements.
• Engage with IS/BI to oversee reporting for the firm.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Financial analysis

Commercial acumen

Strong communication skills

Self-starter

Team player

Attention to detail

Education

Accounting qualification (ICAEW/CIMA/ACCA)

Tools

Elite 3E PMS or similar Legal finance systems

Microsoft Excel

Job description

About your new role

To provide support to all levels of the organisation by providing detailed analysis of financial performance.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Business Partnering in provision of management information to the Legal Operations divisions.
• Provide detailed analysis of client profitability to senior management and other parts of the business as required.
• Monitor the control of work in progress, disbursements and debt.
• Liaise with partners and fee earners on their working capital management.
• Supporting budgeting and forecasting. Working with Heads of Client Delivery (HCD) to draft team sheets and ensure timely completion in accordance with Board timetables. Provision of historic data to support forecasting efforts.
• Involvement in tendering and other business development opportunities – providing expert advice and profitability analysis to Client Relationship Partners and Marketing to support pricing decisions in bids and proposals.
• Assist the Head of Business Partnering and the Finance Director in the development and provision of commerciality and pricing training to Legal Operations staff.
• Close involvement with Finance department to understand the key drivers in how the department supports the Operational part of the business.
• Support Finance colleagues with inputs to key judgements such as WIP valuation, and associated queries with auditors.
• Close involvement with Legal Operations to understand the key drivers to support operational performance improvements. Must build relationships at Team Manager and HCD level to provide decision support.
• Partnering with Information Systems/Business Intelligence departments to ensure Finance oversight of all reporting circulated to the firm.

About You

Essential Qualifications

• Accounting qualification (ICAEW/CIMA/ACCA)
• The confidence to establish a reputation across the full business spectrum, from most senior to junior colleagues.
• Self-starter to work with minimum supervision.
• Able to work in a team displaying the values and respect implicit in the Firm’s culture.
• Strong commercial acumen.
• Professional gravitas, to earn respect of senior partners, fee earners and colleagues.
• Enthusiastic attitude to identify and implement management improvements.
• Strong attention to detail and comfortable with handling and processing data using Excel to deliver intelligent reports.
• Strong and effective communication skills.

Beneficial Qualifications

• Working knowledge of Elite 3E PMS or similar Legal finance systems.
• Previous experience of a large law firm.
• Advanced Microsoft Office i.e. Excel & Word.