Finance Manager

Gerrard White Consulting; Tunbridge Wells; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Private healthcare

Death in service

Employee Assistance Programme

Auto-enrolment pension

Birthday off

Job summary

Gerrard White Consulting in Royal Tunbridge Wells seeks a Finance Manager to own the finance function, combining hands-on cashiering with financial oversight. You will lead a small team, ensure SRA Accounts Rules compliance and report to the Managing Partner, shaping financial processes across the firm.

You will manage monthly accounts, budgets, WIP, VAT, payroll and liaise with COFA and external accountants. ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified candidates preferred.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)
• Experience in a law firm or SRA-regulated environment
• Hands-on legal cashiering knowledge
• Experience managing or supervising finance staff
• Strong Excel skills and familiarity with practice management/accounting software

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the finance team, allocate workloads and cover absences
• Oversee client and office account transactions and daily bank reconciliations ensuring SRA Rules compliance
• Act as primary contact on SRA Rules matters, liaising with COFA and supporting annual accountant's report
• Prepare monthly management accounts, budgets and forecasts for Partners
• Manage billing, WIP and debtor control with fee earners
• Oversee VAT, payroll (including partner drawings) and supplier payments
• Coordinate with external accountants and auditors

Skills

Leadership

Financial reporting

Stakeholder communication

Team supervision

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Tools

Excel

Actionstep

Advanced Legal

SRA Accounts Rules

Job description

Job description

A growing, well-established firm of solicitors is looking for a Finance Manager to take full ownership of its finance function. This is a genuine opportunity to shape and improve how finance operates across the firm, reporting directly into the Managing Partner.

About the Role

As Finance Manager, you'll lead a small finance/cashiering team while combining hands-on legal cashiering and SRA Accounts Rules compliance with broader financial management, reporting and control. You'll need to be equally comfortable rolling up your sleeves on technical finance work and delegating, supervising and reviewing the work of others.

What You'll Be Doing

• Managing and developing the finance team, allocating workloads and covering absence, and acting as escalation point for queries
• Overseeing client and office account transactions and daily bank reconciliations, ensuring strict SRA Accounts Rules 2019 compliance
• Acting as the firm's main point of contact on SRA Accounts Rules matters, including liaison with the COFA, and supporting the annual accountant's report
• Preparing monthly management accounts, budgets and forecasts for the Managing Partner and partners
• Managing billing, WIP and debtor control alongside fee earners
• Overseeing VAT returns, payroll (including partner drawings and pension auto-enrolment), and supplier payments
• Acting as principal liaison with the firm's external accountants and auditors

About You

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA)
• Proven experience as a Finance Manager or in a similar role within a law firm or other SRA-regulated environment, with hands-on knowledge of the SRA Accounts Rules
• Experience of legal cashiering and client account management
• Proven experience managing or supervising staff within a finance or cashiering function
• Strong Excel skills and familiarity with practice management/accounting software such as Actionstep or Advanced Legal
• Excellent attention to detail and a confident communicator, comfortable liaising with the Managing Partner, partners and fee earners

Prior experience as, or working closely with, a COFA, along with partnership/LLP accounting experience, would be an advantage, though this Finance Manager role would also suit a strong candidate without either.

What's on Offer

• Competitive salary and discretionary bonus scheme
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, extra time off at Christmas, and your birthday off
• Private healthcare, death in service cover and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Auto-enrolment pension, plus social and charity events throughout the year
• The chance to take genuine ownership of, and shape, the finance function of a growing firm

Job Details

• Location: Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
• Job Type: Permanent
• Salary: £55000 - £65000 per annum

Contact: Jessica Tyler

Email: [e-mail]

Phone: [phone]