Finance Director

Birchrose Associates; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Birchrose Associates is recruiting an experienced Finance Director for a London-based law firm. The role combines strong financial control with strategic business partnering, reporting to the COO/Partners, and leading the finance team.

You will own month-end, year-end, budgeting, cash flow and KPI delivery, while challenging senior stakeholders to improve profitability and operational effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
• Significant experience in a senior finance role, ideally within professional services
• Strong experience producing management accounts and leading month-end/year-end processes
• Proven cash flow, WIP, billing and aged debt management
• Experience with payroll and finance staff development
• Strong stakeholder management with ability to influence at Partner level
• Experience with legal accounting systems such as Efimis is highly desirable

Responsibilities

• Lead all month-end and year-end financial processes with accurate, timely delivery
• Prepare monthly management accounts with detailed analysis and performance insights
• Produce financial reports and KPIs for senior partners and COO
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting and wider financial planning activities
• Own cash flow management and forecasting for the firm
• Monitor and manage WIP, disbursements, aged debt and working capital
• Drive billing discipline, debt recovery and lock-up performance with fee earners
• Oversee payroll transition from outsourced to in-house operation
• Ensure regulatory compliance with SRA Accounts Rules and related requirements
• Present financial performance and recommendations at Equity Partner meetings

Skills

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Financial analysis

Strategic partnership

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Tools

Efimis

Excel

Job description

Our client, a highly regarded London law firm, is seeking an experienced Finance Director to join its team on a permanent basis.

The Firm

Our client is a well-established law firm with a strong reputation for providing high-quality legal services to its clients.

The Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced, commercially minded Finance Director to take ownership of the day-to-day finance function and work closely with the COO, Finance Partner and Partners across the firm.

The successful candidate will combine strong financial control and operational finance expertise with a commercial, business-partnering approach. The role will suit an individual who is comfortable being hands-on while also providing strategic financial insight and challenging senior stakeholders where appropriate.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading all month-end and year-end financial processes, ensuring accurate and timely delivery
• Preparing monthly management accounts, including detailed analysis, commentary and performance insights
• Producing financial reports and KPIs for the COO, Finance Partner and Equity Partners
• Supporting budgeting, forecasting and wider financial planning activities
• Taking ownership of firm-wide cash flow management and forecasting
• Monitoring and actively managing WIP, disbursements, aged debt and wider working capital
• Working closely with Partners and fee earners to improve billing discipline, debt recovery and overall lock-up performance
• Managing and developing the Senior Legal Cashier
• Overseeing client and office account processes and ensuring appropriate financial controls are maintained
• Acting as the primary relationship manager with the firm's banking partners and overseeing day-to-day treasury activities
• Leading the transition of payroll from an outsourced model to an in-house operation
• Assuming responsibility for payroll, expenses and the firm's corporate credit card programme
• Authorising office and client account payments in accordance with firm policies and regulatory requirements
• Acting as the finance lead for the firm's Efimis accounting system
• Reviewing and improving finance processes, controls, reporting and workflows, including opportunities for automation
• Ensuring compliance with the SRA Accounts Rules and all relevant regulatory requirements
• Supporting audits, compliance reviews and regulatory reporting
• Working closely with the COO and Finance Partner to support strategic decision-making
• Presenting financial performance, trends and recommendations at Equity Partner meetings
• Providing commercial insight to support profitability, growth and operational effectiveness

Requirements

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
• Significant experience in a senior finance role, ideally within professional services
• Strong experience producing management accounts and leading month-end and year-end processes
• Proven experience managing cash flow, WIP, billing and aged debt
• Previous experience managing and developing finance staff
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to influence and challenge at Partner level
• Experience managing payroll and financial controls
• Strong Excel and systems capability, with a genuine interest in process improvement
• Experience within a law firm or regulated professional services environment would be advantageous
• Working knowledge of the SRA Accounts Rules and/or experience with legal accounting systems such as Efimis would be highly desirable

The role is office-based in London, with a minimum of four days per week in the office.

We practice a diverse and inclusive recruitment process that ensures equal opportunity for all we work with, irrespective of race, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age or gender. As an organisation, we encourage applications from all backgrounds and will ensure measures are met when required, to allow a fair process throughout.

PLEASE NOTE: We can only consider applications from candidates who have the right to work in the UK