Business Manager

West Coast Careers; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

West Coast Careers seeks a business-minded leader to own the financial and operational side of a well-established professional services organization. This hands-on role connects financial performance to day-to-day operations and turns data into practical business decisions.

The ideal candidate will analyze P&Ls, budgets, and forecasts, manage vendor agreements, and partner with senior leadership to drive efficiency, profitability, and client service.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in business management, operations, finance/administration, or a related leadership role.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• Strong experience with P&L management, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and financial analysis.
• Ability to look beyond the numbers and understand their impact on the overall business.
• Experience driving process improvements and working cross-functionally.
• Strong vendor and contract management experience.
• Comfortable working directly with senior executives and influencing business decisions.
• Excellent judgment, organization, communication, and follow-through.
• Strong Excel and financial reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze P&Ls, financial reports, budgets, forecasts, and business trends.
• Identify variances, risks, opportunities, and the underlying causes behind financial results.
• Oversee billing, collections, profitability, pricing, discounts, and financial performance.
• Evaluate vendor agreements, contracts, and operating expenses.
• Provide senior leadership with clear analysis and actionable recommendations.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, profitability, and client service.
• Review and improve administrative and operational processes.
• Manage relationships with vendors and outside professionals.
• Partner across technology, facilities, insurance, and other areas of business operations.
• Take ownership of initiatives from analysis through implementation.
• Serve as a trusted business resource and sounding board to the Managing Partner and senior leadership.
• Prepare analysis and recommendations to support business decisions and investments.
• Support Executive Committee meetings with materials, logistics, follow-up, and action items.
• Handle sensitive business information with a high degree of discretion and professionalism.

Skills

P&L management

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial analysis

Excel

Cross-functional

Executive communication

Vendor/contract mgmt

Discretion

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Finance/Accounting

Job description

Our client is seeking a business-minded leader to take ownership of the financial and operational side of a well-established professional services organization. This is a hands-on, high-impact role for someone who enjoys understanding the numbers, improving how the business operates, and serving as a trusted partner to senior leadership.

This is not a traditional accounting or office management position. The ideal candidate can connect financial performance to day-to-day operations and turn data into practical business decisions.

What You'll Own

Financial & Business Performance

• Analyze P&Ls, financial reports, budgets, forecasts, and business trends.
• Identify variances, risks, opportunities, and the underlying causes behind financial results.
• Oversee billing, collections, profitability, pricing, discounts, and financial performance.
• Evaluate vendor agreements, contracts, and operating expenses.
• Provide senior leadership with clear analysis and actionable recommendations.

Operations & Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, profitability, and client service.
• Review and improve administrative and operational processes.
• Manage relationships with vendors and outside professionals.
• Partner across technology, facilities, insurance, and other areas of business operations.
• Take ownership of initiatives from analysis through implementation.

Executive Business Partnership

• Serve as a trusted business resource and sounding board to the Managing Partner and senior leadership.
• Prepare analysis and recommendations to support business decisions and investments.
• Support Executive Committee meetings with materials, logistics, follow-up, and action items.
• Handle sensitive business information with a high degree of discretion and professionalism.

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of progressive experience in business management, operations, finance/administration, or a related leadership role.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• Strong experience with P&L management, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and financial analysis.
• Ability to look beyond the numbers and understand their impact on the overall business.
• Experience driving process improvements and working cross-functionally.
• Strong vendor and contract management experience.
• Comfortable working directly with senior executives and influencing business decisions.
• Excellent judgment, organization, communication, and follow-through.
• Strong Excel and financial reporting skills.

Preferred, but not required:

• Law firm or professional services experience.
• Insurance defense or litigation-focused environment.
• Experience with legal billing, practice management, or financial systems.
• Experience supporting a Managing Partner, C-suite executive, or Executive Committee.

Law firm experience is preferred, not required. We are also interested in strong Business Managers, Operations Directors, Firm Administrators, and professional-services leaders who have a strong financial and operational background.