Director of Finance

NJALA; New Jersey; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

NJALA seeks a strategic Director of Finance to lead our financial operations and shape the firm’s fiscal trajectory. You will own daily accounting systems, optimize processes, and serve as a trusted advisor to the managing partner.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in legal sector finance, strengthens internal controls, and translates complex data into growth strategies for firm leadership. You will supervise the accounting team and drive continuous improvement within a high-performing

Qualifications

• 5 to 10+ years of progressive accounting management experience.
• Experience in a law firm or professional services environment preferred.
• Expertise in legal billing, collections, and partner distributions.
• Proficient with Aderant and SQL data extraction.

Responsibilities

• Oversee general ledger, payroll, AP/AR, billing, and trust accounting.
• Lead month-end and year-end close processes.
• Prepare and present financial statements and reports for leadership.
• Ensure regulatory accounting compliance and internal controls.
• Manage budgeting, forecasting, and treasury/cash strategy.
• Provide data-driven insights to support leadership decisions.
• Supervise accounting staff and foster professional growth.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Financial analysis

Internal controls

Team leadership

Tools

Aderant

SQL

Job description

We are seeking a strategic, forward-thinking Director of Finance to lead our financial operations and drive the firm’s fiscal strategy. In this leadership role, you will take full ownership of our daily accounting systems, optimize financial processes, and serve as a key advisor to the managing partner.

The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of legal sector financial dynamics, a proven track record of strengthening internal controls, and the ability to translate complex financial data into growth strategies for firm leadership.

Responsibilities Include:

• Direct Accounting Operations: Oversee the end-to-end execution of the general ledger, payroll, billing, AP/AR, collections and trust accounting.
• Streamline the Financial Close: Orchestrate the month-end and year-end close cycles, ensuring absolute accuracy and structural timeliness.
• Financial Reporting & Analysis: Prepare, analyze, and present comprehensive financial statements and management reports to the leadership team.
• Compliance & Standards: Guarantee strict adherence to regulatory accounting principles and industry compliance standards.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Design, implement, and monitor the firm’s annual budget, providing continuous forecasting to align with firm objectives.
• Executive Decision Support: Deliver data-driven insights and financial intelligence to support key leadership initiatives and business planning.
• Treasury & Cash Strategy: Maximize liquidity through cash flow monitoring and executive-level oversight of firm banking relationships and accounts.
• Equity & Compensation Tracking: Manage the analytical frameworks used to track, report, and evaluate partner equity and compensation.
• Executive Reviews: Prepare the financial metrics and data packages utilized during partner performance and compensation reviews.
• Performance Insights: Provide advanced financial analytics to evaluate attorney productivity and firm profitability.
• Strengthen Internal Controls: Design, implement, and audit internal controls and financial policies to mitigate risk and protect firm assets.
• People Leadership: Supervise, mentor, and elevate the accounting team, fostering a culture of accountability, clear workflow management, and professional growth.
• Process Transformation: Proactively identify inefficiencies and spearhead continuous process improvements to modernize the finance function.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Experience: 5 to 10+ years of progressive, -level accounting management experience, ideally within a law firm or professional services environment. Intellectual property law experience a plus.
• Legal Sector Expertise: Mastery of legal financial operations, including advanced billing structures, collection strategies, accounting compliance, and partner distribution models.
• Technology Leadership: High proficiency with specialized legal financial management systems, specifically Aderant.
• Technical Infrastructure: Hands-on experience working with data reporting platforms, navigating Aderant, and using SQL queries to extract and analyze financial data.

Equal Opportunity Employer, M/F