Job Description

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
To support the continued growth of the firm we are looking for an experience accounting professional to join our Commercial Finance function as Senior Commercial Finance Accountant (Senior CFA) for our Middle East & Asia regions.
This is a high-impact role where you will play a pivotal part in shaping the financial success of key business groups, regions, and teams.
As a Senior CFA, you will work closely with senior leadership, providing strategic commercial financial management and influencing major decisions to drive performance and achieve ambitious objectives. This position offers the opportunity to collaborate with a broad range of stakeholders and make a tangible difference to the organisation's growth and direction.
THE TEAM
The Group Finance function supports and drives the financial success of Addleshaw Goddard. We strive to deliver a first-class service to our stakeholders and to be a great team to work with and be part of.
The Group Finance team comprises business professionals across a range of disciplines including Financial Control, Tax, Procurement, Business Partnering, Financial Planning & Analysis, Credit Control, Accounts Payable, Legal Billing and Legal Cashiering.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ROLE
The following list of duties is not exhaustive but gives a flavour of the duties the Senior CFA undertakes:
o Play a key role with all aspects of Finance for the Groups from strategic and tactical measures for sustained profit improvement through to financial control and working capital.
o Establish key stakeholder relationships and business partnering to the CFMs, HOGs, RMPs and Group Partners as well as building solid relationships with other Business Services teams (HR, Marketing and Finance).
o Be able to understand and discuss financial performance with Partners (and others) in a commercial and insightful manner, providing guidance and support in order to improve financial performance.
o Undertake and own specific projects such as (but not exclusive to) client profitability reviews, pricing and tendering, finance process/controls and systems implementation.
o Represent Finance to the business, discussing aspects of financial performance, proactively identifying and challenging issues, supporting change management and gaining commercial insight.
Financial Reporting and Management
o Completing analytical reviews of the Group / Regional / Team monthly financial performance (income and cost drivers), providing insight to key stakeholders and wider business.
o Monitoring key financial targets (e.g., billing, chargeable hours, realisation, WIP and debtor days).
o Driving better working capital performance within the Groups / Regions / Teams (driving down lock-up days) by partnering with the business and resolving issues. Driving best practice locally in areas such as time recording and client and matter opening and closing.
o Working in conjunction with the other Finance teams (as well as other non-Finance support functions) in a coordinated fashion to ensure a seamless process is delivered to the business, recognising existing areas of responsibility, and reporting lines.
o Encourage and establish best practice and standardised reporting across all UK Groups and Regions.
o Ensuring operational compliance with the relevant legislation and the firm's own policies and procedures.
o Coordinate and drive 3E awareness and compliance, liaising with the central teams as appropriate and leading on embedding firmwide.
Business Planning
o Playing a key role in the Group business planning process as part of the annual budget and forecasting process including financial modelling and written commentary.
o Establishing a clear understanding of the business drivers across the firm.
Decision Making
o Independently or where necessary with the CFM review of Group and sub-teams' performance, and the formation of action plans.
o Managing the approval process for specific business cases i.e., recruitment, marketing spend, travel etc.
o Business partnering to CFMs, Pricing team and Partners on tenders and pricing requests to maximise client profitability.
o Assisting with the succession and promotion processes liaising with colleagues in HR.
YOUR AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE
o Have been a finance business partner within in a commercial environment. Experience within a professional services environment is advantageous but not essential.
o Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA or equivalent).
o Be comfortable analysing and presenting financial information.
o Proven commercial expertise, personal gravitas and influencing skills.
o Must be able to work effectively, build relationships and be able to influence within a complex and dynamic matrix organisation structure.
o Solid verbal, written and presentation skills with an ability to write insightful financial and commercial commentaries based upon sound financial analysis.
o Service oriented with experience of stakeholder management.
OUR FIRM
Addleshaw Goddard is a place where you are valued, encouraged, and challenged to fulfil your potential in a supportive and collegiate environment. Our culture of improvement, growth and collaboration delivers results, drives innovation, and rewards ambition.
We not only provide technical excellence and experience but, crucially, demonstrate real insight into our clients and what really matters to them and as such we are natural choice for FTSE100 clients and their equivalents in other markets.
Our success has been built by people from the widest range of backgrounds, locations, and perspectives. We have a number of employee networks that provide space to discuss the differences that make us who we are and celebrate this at AG.
OUR APPROACH: IMAGINE THE BEST YOU CAN BE
Everything we've accomplished can be traced back to our people and the way we work. Our reputation is something we are proud of, and constantly invest in.
Here, you'll do high calibre work, with high-character colleagues who care for one another and our clients.
Are you up for the challenge?

Skills Required