Commercial Finance Manager

Our client, a major Legal firm are seeking a Commercial Finance Manager to join the team. The business is going through a period of growth with ambitions for further growth. The purpose of the role is to provide clear and strong financial challenge to the Legal Groups and day-to-day support to business leaders in improving business performance, and developing and delivering agreed business plans
Main Duties and Responsibilities

Team Management & Culture
*Provide direction and day-to-day management of their Commercial Finance team, striving to deliver outstanding results and service
*Actively manage performance, development and career paths of individuals within their Commercial Finance team, including conducting performance and development reviews and succession planning with all direct reports
*Build and embed a culture of high performance, continuous improvement and openness to change
Business Planning
*Develop and challenge financial / business plans with legal group(s) and ensure agreed plans are reflected in individual team forecasts and budgets with appropriate KPIs identified and reported to monitor achievement
*Accountable for the delivery of the detailed budgeting & forecasting process for the relevant legal group(s) which includes working with PLs and team leaders as appropriate to provide in-depth analysis of revenue streams, costs base, risks and opportunities
*Evaluate, challenge and build business cases to support key proposals (e.g. lateral hires, Partner and Director promotions, mergers and other "step-change" ideas) and ensure appropriate post-investment appraisal and monitoring
Financial Performance & Control
*Support and challenge the legal group(s) to drive delivery of forecast and budget commitments
*Identify opportunities to improve performance and work with the legal group(s) to develop clear plans to achieve these including the monitoring of delivery
*Help educate, communicate and embed a culture of financial discipline and control within the legal group(s) including improving lockup management such as WIP management, billing, debt and cash collection as well as managing other direct and overhead expenditure against budget (e.g. travel accommodation, entertaining, training, disbursements etc.) and authorisation of such expenditure
*Play a key role in helping to deliver reporting and analysis that is straightforward, insightful, supports decision making and drives performance
Business Development
*Support, evaluate and challenge key decision makers (such as Partners) in sales pitches and tenders, to include pricing, discount structures, commercial terms etc.
*Drive profitability analysis of clients, sectors, business types, and working with partners to identify options and recommendations to increase sales and profit margins
*Work with partners to maximise the value of client relationships (e.g. sales volume, pricing, discounts, annual fee rate increases, secondment reviews, client financial reporting, debt collection, contingent fees etc.)
*Ensure efficient and effective working with the Business Development team on the above where appropriate


Key skills and experience
*Newly or recently Qualified ACA/ACCA/CIMA with commercial experience.
*Strong management accounting and business partnering skills
*Good data analysis skills
*Demonstrate ability to drive dialogue and being prepared to give their view and challenge where required.


Badenoch & Clark is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy. Badenoch & Clark is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a registered Disability Symbol User.