Finance Manager

This established City law firm are looking to hire a qualified legal accounts manager to oversee the day to day operational accounts functions for the firm.

The role will see you reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and work closely with Heads of Department, whilst managing a small accounts team or cashiers, revenue and billing. You will monitor the day-to-day quality control of operational accounts, client and offices accounts, client billing, VAT returns, budgeting, month end procedures and compliance. This is a very hands on role suitable for an experienced legal accounts professional who has completed the AAT/ACCA/CIMA and is comfortable handling themselves in a leading client facing transactional accounting position. Successful candidates must also possess strong report writing experience and have a good understanding of SRA, COFA regulations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

· Managing, developing and training a finance team of 5 (including delegation of work, performance monitoring and reviews)

· Manage the expenses process, ensuring accurate recording of all expenses, their analysis and authorisation

· Manage the month end account close down procedures

· Monitoring and controlling the procedures regarding Time Recording, WIP, Billing, Disbursement, and Accounts Payable, Payments and Receipts

· Managing the Accounts Payable an Disbursement Payable statement reconciliations

· Ensuring the firm’s accounting procedures are up to date, and developing and maintaining the accounts manual on the intranet

· Ensuring all employees and Partners are made aware of changes to the above

· Ensuring any new processes have the necessary controls and procedures put in place

· Ensuring information on Elite Enterprise is up to date and accurate (including charge rate matrix, users, joiners and leavers)

· Provide training to employees and Partners as necessary

· Ensuring firmwide compliance with Solicitors Accounts Rules (SAR)

· Managing the monthly client, intervention and office bank reconciliations

· Managing the firm’s residual balances, suspense account and office to client and vice-versa transfer process

Candidate requirements:

· AAT qualification, plus ACCA or CIMA or relevant degree

· 3 years + experience in a recognised law firm with experience managing others

· A high attention to detail to produce work/documentation which is consistently of a high standard

· Comfortable checking the work of others in the team and working at a pace whilst maintaining quality and eye for detail

· Good working knowledge of Elite Enterprise, Outlook for Windows, Excel and Word;

· Sound knowledge of the Solicitor’s Accounts Rules

· Good time management skills with the ability to prioritise workload, to have a flexible approach to ensure all deadlines are met

· Must be able to work as part of a team when necessary and possess excellent communication skills both written and verbal

· Flexible in approach and attitude to work and meeting of deadlines

· Not afraid to give feedback to others when managing a team, take on performance management and take a robust approach to ensuring accounts processes and procedures are followed