Commercial Finance Accountant – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
Working with a specific business group, the Commercial Finance Accountant will support the Commercial Finance Manager to manage and drive financial performance, providing crucial financial insight to support commercial decision making. The CFA will support the CFM in providing commercial financial management to the Group Managing Partner (Head of Group), the Group Executive, Chief Financial Officer, and other stakeholders to meet the Group's key objectives and plans.

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 CFA undertakes:

• Support the CFM with all aspects of Finance for the Disputes Group from strategic and tactical measures for sustained profit improvement through to financial control and working capital.
• Be able to understand and discuss financial performance with Partners (and others) in a commercial and insightful manner, providing guidance and support to improve financial performance.
• Undertake and own specific projects such as (but not exclusive to) client profitability reviews, pricing and tendering, and finance process/controls.
• 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
  Completing analytical reviews of the Group's monthly financial performance (income and cost drivers), providing insight to the CFM and wider business.
• Monitoring key financial targets (e.g. billing, chargeable hours, realisation, WIP and debtor days).
• Supporting the CFM in driving better working capital performance within the Group.
• Ensuring operational compliance with the relevant legislation and the firm's own policies and procedures.
• Business Planning
  Support the CFM with the Group's business planning process as part of the annual budget including financial modelling and written commentary.
• Support the CFM with the quarterly forecast, establishing a clear understanding of the business drivers that underpin the forecast.
• Decision Making
  Assist the CFM with the review of Group and sub-teams' performance, and the formation of action plans.
• Business partnering to Partners on tenders and pricing requests to maximise client profitability.
• Assisting with the succession and promotion processes liaising with colleagues in HR

YOUR AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE
To Be Successful In This Role You will be a Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA or equivalent. You will be experienced and confident in dealing with a variety of senior stakeholders with the ability to influence and challenge at a senior level. You will be a strong communicator who is able to distil complex information down to key takeaways and utilise multiple presentation formats to convey messages. You will be able to demonstrate experience of balancing regular deadlines with the delivery of longer-term projects and development. Have been a business partner within in a commercial environment, with proven commercial expertise, personal gravitas and influencing skills. Solid verbal, written and presentation skills with an ability to write insightful financial and commercial commentaries based upon sound financial analysis. Strong IT literacy is essential, Microsoft Power BI and Excel being the two main reporting solutions (linked to AG practice management systems).

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 several 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?