Finance Business Partner

Ambition; London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading professional services firm in London is seeking a Finance Business Partner to drive profitability and enhance financial hygiene. You will collaborate with various departments to ensure effective fee structures and conduct profitability analysis. Candidates must have proven experience in a similar role within a law firm or professional services, and strong financial acumen. The role offers hybrid working with 3 days in the office and 2 from home.

Benefits

Hybrid working

Referral scheme with vouchers

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Finance Business Partner role within a law firm or professional services.
• Strong communication skills.
• Experience advising on pricing and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the BD team to assist with fee estimates.
• Conduct detailed profitability analysis of clients.
• Work with the Revenue Controllers to maximize billing.

Skills

Financial acumen

Data interpretation

Influencing senior stakeholders

Problem-solving

Leadership

Education

Full or part qualification (CIMA, ACA, ACCA)

Job description

Overview

About the Role

This is a high-impact role that partners closely with fee earners, Heads of Departments, and the Head of Operations to deliver strategic financial goals and operational improvements.

You'll be instrumental in driving profitability, improving revenue performance, and enhancing financial hygiene across the firm.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Business Development (BD) team and fee earners to assist with fee estimates for client pitches, ensuring understanding of profitability implications within the fee earning groups
• Review existing client relationships and collaborate with partners to suggest improved fee structures aimed at enhancing profitability
• Conduct detailed profitability analysis of our clients by work type, team and department and discuss findings with partners, to help identify BD opportunities.

Revenue growth

• Work with fee earners to maximise billing, regularly reviewing work in progress (WIP) and obtaining pledge estimates where necessary
• For significant new matters work with the Revenue Controllers to review the fee structure and assist fee earners with matter management. This involves monitoring WIP against the original estimate and raising to fee earners when scope and/or fee discussions are required with the client.
• Identify and monitor at risk WIP to prevent unnecessary write-offs, leveraging dashboards for real time tracking
• Assist the Revenue Controllers with reviewing commercial fee arrangement (CFAs) and deferred billing arrangement (DBA) proposals to ensure they are commercially viable and assist fee earners with the approval process
• Work with the Revenue Controllers to provide a monthly review of CFA's and DBA's to the Head of Finance and Heads of Department
• Input to the annual budget and quarterly reforecasting processes to set fees and headcount to deliver a Gross Profit Margin as per the business plan
• Regularly compile financial metrics required by Heads of Departments to monitor and manage gross profit and contribution in order to reach their targets. Assist Heads of Departments to understand their financial performance, identifying any issues and supporting them to resolve these and deliver exceptional performance
• Analyse results from the biyearly WIP write off and annual FRS5 valuation exercises, identifying areas to improve recoverability and work with Head of Operations and Heads of Departments to implement new processes to reduce write offs.
• Assist in streamlining the annual rate-setting process, including development of team/client specific rates and review all client/matter specific rates
• Brief Heads of Departments and the Head of Operations on a weekly and monthly basis

Smart Working

• Reduce lock-up days and resolve financial queries promptly
• Lead finance-related projects and process improvement initiatives
• Support system upgrades through testing, training, and documentation

About You

You'll bring:

• Proven experience in a Finance Business Partner or similar role within a law firm or wider professional services is essential
• Full or part qualification (CIMA, ACA, ACCA)
• Strong financial acumen and data interpretation skills
• Ability to influence and collaborate with senior stakeholders
• Experience advising on pricing and profitability
• Leadership experience with a focus on team development
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills

Hybrid working offered - 3 days in the office, 2 from home.

If this job isn't quite right for you, but you know someone who would be great at this role, why not take advantage of our referral scheme? We offer £200 in shopping vouchers for every referred candidate who we place in a role. Terms & Conditions Apply.