IT - Finance Analyst

Simmons & Simmons LLP; Bristol; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses dependant on role/level

Private medical insurance

Pension contribution

Job summary

Simmons & Simmons LLP in Bristol is looking for an IT - Finance Analyst to lead financial management for the IT function, covering budgeting, forecasting, reporting and cost control. You will partner with IT leaders and project managers to translate data into business insights and drive governance of technology budgets.

With 3–5 years in IT finance, you will handle cost modelling, variance analysis and end-to-end budgeting for operational and change portfolios, using strong Excel skills and a

Qualifications

• Experience in Finance Analyst role in IT/technology with budgeting, forecasting and accruals.
• 3-5 years in finance within a decision support / management information context.
• Bachelor's in Finance or related field; CIMA preferred.
• Proficiency in financial modelling, data analysis, and reporting.
• Strong analytical and communication skills with high accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Own IT budget lifecycle: planning, forecasting, monitoring, and narratives.
• Provide financial oversight of IT projects and programmes; model costs.
• Manage month-end accruals and align accounting with Finance.
• Track IT contracts and supplier spend; reflect in forecasts.
• Generate reports, dashboards and present findings to management.
• Conduct risk assessments and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations and policies.
• Partner with IT leadership and project managers with financial insights.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Accruals

Financial analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Advanced Excel

Education

Bachelor's in Finance or related field (CIMA)

Tools

Excel

Job description

The role:

We are looking for an IT - Finance Analyst to join our IT department in Bristol.

We are seeking a self-motivated individual who takes ownership, drives activities forward, and confidently leads conversations with stakeholders. The successful candidate will be comfortable working independently, while also collaborating effectively across teams to deliver business outcomes. Experience working within an IT environment and managing operational and project-related budget submissions. The individual should be able to analyse complex financial information, provide actionable insights to senior management, and support effective financial governance across both operational and change portfolios.

What will you do:

The role is responsible for the financial management of both operational and change expenditure across the IT function. This includes budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, reporting, and cost management activities. The successful candidate will gather, analyse, and interpret financial data, translating it into actionable insights to support decision-making by senior management. Previous experience working in an IT environment and managing technology-related budgets as part of a project management, PMO, finance, or operational function is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities will include the following:

• Financial Planning & Budget Management: Own the end-to-end IT budget lifecycle (planning, forecasting, monitoring, submission of forecast to finance and supporting budget narratives). Monitor budget vs actuals and provide variance analysis.
• Project & Change Financial Management: Provide financial oversight of IT projects and programmes. Support business cases through financial modelling, cost-benefit analysis, and ROI tracking.
• Accruals & Financial Control: Manage month-end accruals to ensure accuracy of financial position. Work with Finance on accounting alignment. Maintain financial controls including invoice validation, invoice and PO processing.
• IT Contract & Supplier Financials: Understand IT contracts and financial commitments. Track contractual spend vs budget. Ensure contract costs are accurately reflected in forecasts, maintain narratives associated with significant changes in budget.
• Financial Reporting: Generate reports and projections, present findings to management. Prepare regular dashboards and presentations for management.
• Risk Assessment: Conduct assessments, develop risk mitigation strategies.
• Cost Analysis: Identify cost-saving opportunities and improve profitability.
• Compliance: Ensure adherence to financial regulations and company policies.
• Collaboration: Act as a finance partner to IT leadership and project managers. Engage senior stakeholders and provide financial insights to support decisions.

What we are looking for:

Qualifications/Experience:

• Experience in Finance Analyst role in IT/technology. Strong budgeting, forecasting, and accruals experience. Experience supporting IT projects and managing budgets. Understanding of IT contracts. Strong stakeholder engagement. Advanced Excel skills.
• 3-5 years of relevant finance experience or accounting experience, preferably in a decision support / management information capacity within a projects / professional services / technology organisation.
• Education: Bachelor's in Finance or qualified / part qualified in a related field such as Accounting / Financial Planning (e.g., CIMA) preferred.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in financial modelling, data analysis, and reporting software (e.g., Excel).
• Analytical Skills: Strong ability to interpret complex financial data.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written skills.
• Attention to Detail: High accuracy in analysis and reporting.
• Organizational Skills: Manage multiple tasks and meet tight deadlines. Strong at planning and prioritising its workload.

Key Competencies:

• Critical Thinking: Data-driven decision-making. Ability to translate IT activity into financial impact. Strong commercial awareness. Ability to operate at both detailed and strategic levels.
• Team Player: Collaborative work. Motivated individual that owns its workload and when required steps out of his area of responsibility to achieve the best outcome for S&S.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to changing business needs. Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines
• Integrity: Ethical handling of confidential information.
• General understanding of typical IT procurement and commercial arrangements.
• Familiarity with common IT purchasing models (software licensing, SaaS, managed services, multi-year agreements).
• Awareness of ongoing financial commitments (renewals, licence growth, capacity-based pricing, vendor price increases).
• Awareness that software and SaaS can be paid upfront or on a recurring basis, with costs increasing over time.
• Broad commercial awareness of how IT products and services are procured, licensed and funded.

Career Level:

The career level assigned to this role is level 3. The career level framework provides a formal structure for the business services functions at the firm. The framework, which ranges from level 1 to level 7, clearly defines the responsibilities, skills and competencies required at each level.

Here at Simmons & Simmons:

At Simmons, we are proud of our collaborative, open and non-hierarchical culture, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity and the wellbeing of our people is paramount.

Our dynamic minds work as one integrated team, partnering with leading organisations on inspirational and thought-provoking projects that matter.

From day one, irrespective of job title, qualification or background, everyone's voice is heard, and you are encouraged to have an enquiring mind and share ideas that drive the firm forward.

Through innovative learning and development opportunities, you will have a platform to excel, exceed your career ambitions, and achieve things you never thought possible.

Some key information:

• We offer a competitive package including bonuses dependant on role/level, private medical insurance and pension contribution.
• Our global skills academy provides our people, regardless of their role and location, with excellent learning opportunities (including live workshops, podcasts, short videos and practical learning experiences).
• We have adopted a hybrid working approach with a requirement for a minimum of three days in the office with flexibility dependant on role/team/client demands.
• We are proud to rank as a Times Top 50 Employer for Gender Equality, a Stonewall Top Global Employer, and a Top 75 Employer for Social Mobility.
• We have a range of social and sports committees, summer and winter parties and monthly get togethers.
• We have a range of diversity networks to connect people and celebrate our differences which is integral to our inclusive culture.
• All UK offices have their own artwork collections - including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin pieces in the London office. We have a long-standing history in supporting the art community especially up-and-coming artists.
• We have recently introduced a Strategic Advisory Council which is a mix of associates and business services who will propose strategic initiatives that align with our firm's mission and support the delivery of our business plan, shaping the future of our next-generation law firm.
• Our in-house generative AI tool, Percy, won the 'Innovation in Automation and AI Tools' category at the 2024 FT Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards. This achievement highlights our commitment to technological innovation and client service.
• We have been commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2026 across three categories: construction, employment, and intellectual property. Our profile is highly positive, highlighting our sector specialisms and notable case and transactional work.

Equal opportunities:

Upholding equal opportunities, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity, marital status, or pregnancy, including maternity and paternity.

This commitment extends to addressing any instances of perceived or associative discrimination and harassment.

We also ensure fair treatment during recruitment and selection processes for those who are serving or have served in the armed forces, along with their families.

Accommodating requests for flexible working arrangements whenever possible.

We encourage you to discuss your needs with us if this is something you require.

Making our roles accessible to individuals with diverse abilities.

If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know so we can meet your needs.

We offer a range of employee networks to support our colleagues.

More information about these networks can be found in the D&I Information booklet that candidates are sent when invited to interview.