Finance Manager

Are you an experienced Finance Manager in a law firm looking for a new challenge? If so, I have just the opportunity for you!

I am currently recruiting on behalf of a US law firm who are looking for a new Finance Manager on an initial 12 month contract basis. This is a very hands on position, working closely with the managing partner, and alongside one other member in finance. Your role as the Finance Manager will involve high level year end and month end reporting work as well as preparing the annual expense budget. Additionally, you will be hands on it managing with billing/ AP, cashiering credible control function, as well as acting as the COFA ensuring compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements as directly by the SRA.

More information detailed:

• Responsible for the overall finance function within the firm's London Office. Ensure integrity of accounting data and adherence to accounting principles and controls. Ensure compliance of relevant financial transactions with the Solicitors Accounts Rules. Ensure compliance with FRS 102 in the processing of local based transactions and the production of local accounts and financial statements. Ensure that transactions also, where applicable, comply with US GAAP and are in line with policy directives issued by the firm's Management Committee.
• Manage the London finance function which includes accounts payable, billing, credit control, client transaction accounting, client recovery, payroll, monthly pension uploads and petty cash positions.
• Attend and actively participate in regular billing and collection update conference calls.
• Develop policies and procedures to accurately record the financial position of the London office.
• Responsible for the preparation of ad-hoc, monthly and quarterly reports to London Partners including, where requested, comparative information to legal industry data and analyses.
• Overall responsibility for coordinating the London Office Solicitors Accounts Rules annual audit process. Work closely with auditors to resolve audit findings and to ensure timely, successful completion of the audit.
• Report to and act on behalf of the US Finance Team in respect of ex-patriate and in-patriate transfers. Making modified PAYE payments and Income/NIC tax payments where requested. Preparation of pay/expense and benefit data for relevant returns as required.
• Assisting with Payroll duties
• Manage the distribution of partner payment draws under the instruction of the firm's Director of Tax and Partner Accounting. Work closely with the firm's Director of Tax and Partner Accounting on related matters such as partner loans, repayments and specific cash and expense requests.
• Responsible for the tracking and reporting of all London Office fixed assets with reconciliations to general ledger and reconciliations to actual physical inventory.
• Provide decision-support to London Partners and US Finance Team. Decision support includes issue/problem definition from both a business and financial perspective, developing and analysing feasible/realistic alternatives and presenting recommendations.
• Responsible for all areas of UK taxation relating to local office tax exposures, local office VAT accounting and control, optimisation of local office partner personal income tax exposures, non-resident partners composite income tax exposures and other local office taxes.

Skills needed include, previous US law firm experience, strong understanding of technical accounting policies as well as hands on transactional finance experience including billing, revenue & legal Cashiering. SAR knowledge essential to hold the COFA title.

If this exciting hands on position sounds like something you would enjoy - apply today!