Divisional Finance Officer (Private Client and Tax)

Withers Worldwide

Job title:  Divisional Finance Officer (Private Client and Tax)

Reporting to: International Finance Director

Location: London

What are we looking for?

The Divisional Finance Officer for the Private Client and Tax division is a key global support role forming a trusted relationship between both the Finance team and the division.  They will provide real time support and analysis to enable commercial decision making and help ensure smooth running of financial activities across Europe, APAC and the US.

The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator with a proven record of being able to analyse information, influence and build strong working relationships with internal clients and colleagues in a collaborative and supportive manner.

Areas of focus and responsibilities

Financial Performance and Reporting:

• Build and maintain a deep understanding the divisional finances, performance drivers and KPIs and alongside the management reporting team provide ongoing analysis of variances to budget and value-added financial insight to division and firm management.
• Ensure timely, relevant and informative financial communication is disseminated throughout the division, tailoring the messaging to suit the audience and providing information to inform, motivate, change behaviours and focus as appropriate.
• Proactively review the division's financial performance highlighting specific areas of concern, devising and implementing plans with regional and divisional management.
• Assist with the co-ordination of the billing and collections processes within the division, driving the processes and identifying and/or resolving any issues in these processes alongside local billings and credit control teams.
• Monitor financial hygiene within the division, working closely with fee earners, regional finance teams and credit committees on financial exposures (both WIP and debt), as well as overseeing time recording across the division and engaging with fee earners as issues arise.
• Alongside HR monitor utilisation at a fee earner level, flagging potential areas of concern to divisional management and taking action where appropriate.

Pricing & Profitability:

• Work with the Head of Pricing to implement pricing initiatives across the division including adoption of the pricing tool.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of pricing practices in the division and assist with profitability analysis for new and existing matters and clients.
• Work with the division and Head of Pricing on key pricing priorities such as developing effective pricing strategies for entry level products.
• Alongside the division and pricing team develop and implement appropriate charge-out rates, both for new joiners and during the annual charge-out rate-setting process.

Business & Financial Planning:

• Support divisional management in creating, developing and implementing the division's strategy, and subsequently the annual business plan.
• Lead the division's involvement in the annual financial planning process with a specific focus on the profitability model.

Lateral Partner Recruitment:

• Understand the financial business case for each lateral partner, including involvement in any finance-focused interviews as appropriate.
• Develop lateral partner models and work with division management to produce partner vote memos for potential lateral partners
• Liaise with regional finance teams to ensure the smooth financial integration of new lateral partners.

Finance Training:

• Identify any finance or related training requirements within the division.
• Develop, prepare and/or deliver any finance- focused training to the division as appropriate, especially around key themes such as pricing, profitability and the impact of write-offs.
• Ensure the understanding of key financial reports and metrics across the division.
• Be the link between the division and centralised finance training.

Other:

• Maintain a focus on the efficiency of processes, working closely with the Divisional Operating Officer to identify and rectify any system or process inefficiencies.
• Provide financial insight into any divisional projects, and be the divisional sponsor for any firm-wide finance projects.
• Build strong working relationships with the Divisional CEO, Divisional Operating Officer, and Regional Divisional Leaders in the division, as well as management of other divisions and the group and regional finance teams.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive. It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for the performance of this job, and as such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Skills and attributes

• Professionally qualified accountant with experience in a business partner role.
• Sophisticated communication skills with good written, listening, presentation and influencing skills. A persuasive presenter and equally comfortable engaging with partners, peers, or others throughout the firm, and building relations internationally.
• Excellent financial analytical skills and an ability to present data and analysis in a clear, concise and engaging way.
• Strong commercial aptitude with a modern, pro-active approach.
• Ability to effectively manage workload.
• Ability to handle queries efficiently with diplomacy and tact.
• Proven initiative and independent thought.
• A hands-on approach to problem solving.
• Highly PC literate particularly with good Excel and database management experience.
• Excellent attention to detail together with a methodical and organised approach.

The essentials

• 9.30am to 5.30pm but flexibility is a must
• 12 week probation period
• 12 week notice period
• Flexible benefits package including pension, private medical, season ticket loan, subsidised gym memberships, lifestyle discount scheme, on site café.

The Private Client & Tax team

Our global Private Client and Tax team is the largest private client legal practice in the world with over 270 fee earners, in 14 of our 17 offices and revenues of over £100m.  The practice provides sophisticated legal advice to the world’s most successful people, from aristocracy to first, second and third generation entrepreneurs, industrialists, senior executives, celebrities, artists, philanthropists and other prominent figures.  Private client work is at the heart of what we do as a firm and the division's revenues account for 44% of the firm's total revenues.

About Withers Worldwide

Withersworldwide has been acting for successful individuals, families and institutions for over 100 years.  We advise clients on the full range of their business, personal and philanthropic legal needs, both at home and abroad. With offices in the key financial centres of Europe, Asia-Pacific, the United States and the Caribbean, we provide coverage and services that other law firms focussed on the needs of the individual cannot.  We have represented 70% of the Top 100 in The Sunday Times Rich List, 25% of the Forbes 400 List, 35% of the Hong Kong Forbes Rich List, and 35% of Forbes Asia's Richest Families list.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement

It is the policy of Withers Worldwide to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion.  Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability.