A leading South-West law firm is seeking a strategic and commercially minded Head of Commercial Finance to join its Senior Finance Leadership Team. This high-profile role will be responsible for leading the Commercial Finance function, including Finance Business Partners, a Pricing Business Partner, Financial Accounts and Client Reporting teams.
Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Head of Commercial Finance will play a key role in shaping the firm’s financial direction. The role includes oversight of the annual budget and reforecasting processes, the preparation and presentation of monthly management accounts and departmental performance data, pricing strategy and compliance with statutory accounting requirements. This individual will drive a high-performance business partnering culture, ensuring the finance team delivers accurate, timely and insightful information to support strategic decision-making across the firm.
In addition to day-to-day responsibilities, the Head of Commercial Finance will lead on key financial projects aimed at improving client service, driving efficiencies, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and policies. A strong, visible leader, they will engage positively with stakeholders at all levels and be a proactive champion of change.
Key Responsibilities Include:
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Strategic Leadership: Contribute to and help deliver the finance department strategy, lead the Finance Partner Forum, and drive performance through the Finance Improvement Plan (FIP).
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Budgeting and Forecasting: Lead the budgeting and forecasting process for income and expenditure, and engage with senior stakeholders to provide meaningful insights and financial planning support.
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Business Partnering: Analyse key financial drivers, review performance against KPIs, and support partners with pricing, profitability, and operational efficiency. Lead on pricing input for pitches and RFPs and deliver commercial training across the business.
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Financial and Client Reporting: Oversee the production of consolidated financial statements and manage the annual audit. Lead the preparation of management accounts, cashflow reports and other statutory requirements. Ensure client reporting is delivered in line with contractual obligations and enhance reporting processes in line with firm-wide projects.
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Leadership and Development: Act as a senior leader within the department, fostering a culture of improvement, automation and service excellence. Provide clear direction and coaching to ensure the Commercial Finance team delivers high-quality support across the firm.
The successful candidate will be a qualified accountant with a track record of leading high-performing finance teams within a complex, fast-paced environment. They will have significant experience in business partnering, financial reporting, budgeting and audit management. Strong communication skills, the ability to influence at senior levels and a proactive approach to leadership and change are essential.
Experience in the professional services sector is highly desirable, as is knowledge of financial systems such as Aderant Expert. Strong Excel and analytical skills are a must.
This is an exciting opportunity for a finance leader looking to make a meaningful impact within a collaborative and progressive organisation.