10 Oct
Herbert Smith Freehills
Belfast
Job description
JOB DESCRIPTION
About Herbert Smith Freehills
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we advise many of the largest and most ambitious organisations across all major regions of the globe.
With over 5,000 people, including 3,100 lawyers and over 2,000 business services professionals, operating from our global network of offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium quality, full-service legal advice.
We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and ideas of all our people.
Our environment is one in which high performance is expected, in return,
we will provide you with rewards and opportunities tailored to your personal and professional goals.
The Opportunity
Title
Finance Manager, Belfast Office (3 Month FTC)
Contract type
3 Month FTC
Reporting to
Head of Finance UK / US
Reporting staff
Revenue Executive, Finance Assistant
Location
Belfast
Key Internal Relationships
- Group Finance Director Belfast Office Managing Partner (OMP)
- Commercial Finance Senior Manager, DIGITAL West
- Digital UK, US & EMEA Senior Management Team
- Belfast Business Service Managers
- Digital UK, US & EMEA Fee Earning teams
- UK, US & EMEA Region Business Finance teams
The Role
The Finance Manager will have responsibility for the integrity of the accounting records for Belfast and take ownership for the preparation of monthly management accounts and financial reporting for the Belfast Office.
This role requires strong financial controls and discipline to be maintained across the Belfast Office,
ensuring robust financial controls and strong corporate governance.
The role also involves working closely with the Digital UK, US & EMEA senior management team providing financial insight into their respective business areas, this involves analysing financial data to help business leaders understand the financial drivers of their respective business areas including the preparation of monthly finance packs with detailed variance analysis of year to date revenue, KPI's and profitability against budget.
Working closely with the Digital Commercial Finance Senior Manager, and fee earning teams to ensure accurate revenue, WIP and Debt reporting and controls.
Preparing weekly revenue and KPI reporting, along with commentary for the Digital Senior Management team.
The Finance Manager will lead and continue to develop the Belfast finance team to deliver strong financial management and reporting for the Belfast Office and to provide high quality business partnering support for the Digital UK, US & EMEA practice group, working closely with the wider London Finance team and the Digital Commercial Finance Senior Manager.
Key Responsibilities
- Ultimate responsibility for financial reporting of the Belfast Office.
- Approval for all Belfast purchase invoices and expenses
- Management and supervision of the Belfast Business Finance team.
- Responsibility for all financial processes in the Belfast Office, ensuring good financial discipline is being adhered to, and that processes are in line with firm policies and procedures
- Supervision of Belfast accounts payable, payroll and expense payments.
- Ensuring the office's Statutory Account workbooks are produced on an appropriate basis.
- Compliance Reporting, including submission of statistical returns
- Responsibility for the timely submission of the Belfast monthly management accounts including headcount reports, accruals and prepayments and management accounting journals.
- Reconciliation of regional Digital UK, US & EMEA practice group revenue movements on a monthly basis (reconciliation from WEBI to reported revenue per CFR) ensuring revenue has been reported accurately to the correct Digital profit centre
- Review and reconciliation of Belfast balance sheet accounts on a monthly basis
- Preparation and reporting of the monthly management P&L;'s for the Belfast Office to key stakeholders (including all Belfast Business Services & Digital Belfast Practice Group)
- Preparation of monthly management reporting packs for the various regional Digital practice areas and Digital offices, including revenue trends, KPI analysis and P&L; variance reports
- Responsibility for weekly revenue and KPI reporting for the regional Digital practice group, including commentary of month to date performance against budget and detailed commentary on current pipeline and activity levels based on consultations with the Senior Management team.
- Prepare and deliver financial training sessions for fee earning teams to develop their understanding of financial concepts and the importance of strong financial hygiene and how this impacts the firm's financial performance.
- Supporting the Commercial Finance Senior Manager in the annual budgeting process, focusing on the Business Services functions of the Belfast office.
Workplace Health & Safety
- Take reasonable care for own health and safety and ensure that acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others by following the Herbert Smith Freehills WHS policies and procedures
- Be familiar with and comply with the Herbert Smith Freehills WHS policies and procedures, attend WHS induction and participate in all WHS associated programs and emergency procedures as directed
- Report all incidents, hazards and potential concerns through the appropriate channels
Key Performance Indicators
- Maintain strong financial controls and discipline across the Belfast Office
- Build and develop strong relations with the DIGITAL Belfast and Business Services teams, in addition to the London Business Finance team
- Timely and accurate submission of monthly management accounts for the Belfast Office.
- Detailed quarterly Balance Sheet review with Head of Finance UK / US
- Feedback from key stakeholders
Skills / Experience
- Minimum 2 years'experiencewithresponsibilityforallaspectsofprofit and loss in a commercial finance role
- ProfessionalqualificationinCommerceorFinance(ACA / CIMApreferred).
Equivalentrelevantqualificationsandcandidateswithlessthanfiveyears willbeconsideredprovidingtheycandemonstratetherequired competencies to carry out the role effectively
- AbackgroundwithinProfessionalServices(legalsector)wouldbe preferable
- StrongMSOffice skills
Demonstrable experience :
- Leading and managing a small finance team with a focus on continuous improvement
- working directly with a Senior Management team
- strong stakeholder management experience.
- ability to effectively communicate financial information and processes in conversation, documentation, and presentations.
- strong financial management and reporting experience
- managing significant change within their area of responsibility
- financial modelling skills
Team
Business Finance
Working Pattern
Full time
Location
Belfast
Contract type
Fixed Term Contract
Diversity & Inclusion
At Herbert Smith Freehills you will be part of a diverse, innovative culture where high performance, client focus and highly engaged people are our differentiator.
People at our firm come from a range of backgrounds and bring a wide variety of experiences and perspectives to their work with us.
We strive to ensure that our inclusive environment means you feel valued and able to perform at your best by being your authentic self at work.
We know that our future success not only depends on being innovative and progressive in the changing legal market but, most importantly, on our people feeling highly engaged in meaningful work.
We understand that you have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to create a working environment based on mutual trust and respect, in which you can perform at your best whilst maintaining sustainable balance across your life.