Director of Financial & Strategic Analysis

Faegre Drinker; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 189,000 - 293,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working environment

Volunteer events

Wellness programming

Professional environment

Health plan options

Dental, vision, and 401(k) plans

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Faegre Drinker is seeking a Director of Financial & Strategic Analysis to lead our Finance team's evolution in a multi-office setting, including Chicago. You will partner with senior leadership to deliver data-driven insights, build modern analytics capabilities, and drive profitability improvements across the firm.

You will manage budgeting, forecasting, and strategic initiatives while guiding a high-performing analytics team and advancing BI adoption across finance and operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or related discipline required; MBA, CPA, or similar advanced credential preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive FP&A, strategic finance, business analysis, or financial leadership within a large law firm or legal services environment.
• Deep knowledge of law firm economics and profitability drivers, including realization, utilization, leverage, rate management, matter economics, expense management, working capital, and client profitability.
• Experience supporting executive leadership with financial analysis and strategic decision support.
• Experience leading high-performing teams and implementing analytics solutions.
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or comparable business intelligence platforms preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, and financial performance management processes.
• Partner with leadership to identify improvement opportunities within revenue, profitability, productivity, and overall financial performance.
• Develop financial models and analyses supporting strategic initiatives, investments, and resource allocation decisions.
• Provide actionable insights and recommendations to support management decision making.
• Lead implementation and adoption of new data analytics and business intelligence tools.
• Develop and enhance executive dashboards, KPIs, and reporting for senior leadership.
• Translate complex financial and operational data into clear and actionable recommendations.
• Advance predictive, trend, and profitability analysis to improve financial performance.

Skills

Financial analysis

Leadership

Communication

Strategic thinking

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance or related field

MBA or CPA preferred

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Faegre Drinker is a firm designed for clients and designed for you. We understand that our people are critical to our success and we are committed to investing in our paraprofessional, administrative and operations professionals. We are always looking for talented, service-focused individuals to join our flexible and high-performing culture. With technology tools and resources that support our hybrid work environment, our colleagues enjoy a culture of learning, support for work and personal goals, opportunities to give back to our communities, and competitive benefits and rewards programs. At Faegre Drinker, you will have the opportunity to share your expertise within and across teams and contribute to our success.

Job Description Summary

Faegre Drinker, a leading Am Law 100 law firm, has an opportunity for a Director of Financial & Strategic Analysis to work within our Finance department in our Chicago, downtown Indianapolis, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, or Washington D.C. office. This role will lead the evolution of the firm's financial planning, reporting, and analytics capabilities. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this leader will serve as a strategic partner to firm leadership, delivering data-driven insights that support decision making, improve financial performance, and advance the firm's strategic objectives. The successful candidate will build and lead a modern analysis function that combines financial expertise with advanced analytics, business intelligence, and technology enablement. This role will be instrumental in deploying new data analytics tools, enhancing executive reporting, identifying opportunities for financial improvement, and supporting a more analytical, insight-driven approach to managing the business.

What you would do:

Financial Planning, Performance, & Strategic Support

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, and financial performance management processes.
• Partner with leadership to identify improvement opportunities within revenue, profitability, productivity, and overall financial performance.
• Develop financial models and analyses supporting strategic initiatives, investments, and resource allocation decisions.
• Provide actionable insights and recommendations to support management decision making.

Analytics, Reporting & Decision Support

• Lead implementation and adoption of new data analytics and business intelligence tools.
• Develop and enhance executive dashboards, KPIs, and reporting for senior leadership.
• Translate complex financial and operational data into clear and easy to follow recommendations, providing data-driven supporting information.
• Advance predictive, trend, and profitability analysis to improve financial performance.

Business Partnership & Operational Support

• Serve as a strategic advisor to financial and leadership teams across the firm.
• Provide financial support and strategic guidance to functions involved in the revenue-to-cash cycle, including pricing, billing, and collections.
• Identify and collaborate with other firm leaders to implement opportunities to improve practice group and client profitability, capital, cash flow, and financial performance.
• Support firmwide compensation processes.
• Support lateral partner hiring through financial and strategic analysis.
• Manage participation in industry surveys, coordinating data collection and submission processes to support benchmarking, market analysis, and strategic decision making.
• Partner with Finance, IT, and operational stakeholders to improve data quality and reporting capabilities.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of financial and business analysts.
• Promote a culture of data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.
• Drive automation and process improvements increase efficiency and analytical effectiveness.

What Is Expected

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and diplomacy skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively in a virtual environment (e.g., via phone, web/videoconference).
• Ability to concentrate on tasks, make decisions and work calmly and effectively in a high-pressure, deadline-oriented environment.
• Demonstrated ability to use good judgment in taking initiative while asking for direction or clarification and consulting others, as appropriate.
• Willingness to be flexible with time and adjust to a changing work environment.
• Ability to build and maintain positive relationships, both internally and externally, while maintaining a client service orientation in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to use sound judgment and discretion in dealing with highly confidential information.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, organize and accurately prioritize work, be detail-oriented, understand when urgency is required and use good judgment in varied situations.

What Is Required

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or related discipline required; MBA, CPA, or similar advanced credential preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in FP&A, strategic finance, business analysis, or financial leadership roles within a large law firm or legal services environment.
• Deep knowledge of law firm economics and profitability drivers, including realization, utilization, leverage, rate management, matter economics, expense management, working capital, and client and practice group profitability.
• Demonstrated experience supporting executive leadership with financial analysis and strategic decision support.
• Experience leading high-performing teams and implementing analytics solutions.
• Exceptional analytical, communication, and presentation skills.
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or comparable business intelligence platforms preferred.

What We Offer

• Flexible working environment for work-life success
• Opportunity to participate in firm-sponsored volunteer events
• Wellness programming with personalized content and activities
• Professional environment and the opportunity to work with experts at the top of their fields
• Variety of health plan options, as well as dental, vision and 401(k) plans
• Generous paid time off

The anticipated annual salary range for this position varies based on the location where the role is filled:

• Chicago: $189,072.00-$293,072.00
• Minneapolis: $181,800.00-$281,800.00
• New York City: $201,798.00-$312,798.00
• Washington, D.C.: $194,256.00-$301,526.00

Actual initial salary may be above or below the above-identified range and will be based on the relevant skills, training, experience, and other job-related factors, in all cases consistent with applicable law. This is an exempt role and the initial salary range listed above is just one component of Faegre Drinker's total compensation and benefits package for professional staff, which includes, but is not limited to, a discretionary bonus; life, health, accident, and disability insurance; and a 401(k) plan.

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP participates in the federal government's E-Verify program. With all new hires, we provide the Social Security Administration and, when applicable, the US Department of Homeland Security with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. Equal employment opportunity will be extended to all persons in all aspects of employment, including retirement, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, discipline and termination.