Commercial Finance Manager

• Responsible for business partnering legal teams, delivering excellent service and a customer-focussed approach to support the Shakespeare Martineau brand
• Monitoring and reporting on activity throughout the month to help team leads manage performance
• Creating and delivering insightful reporting, analysis and commentary for monthly MI including performance against targets, utilisation, management of working capital
• Identifying areas that are not performing to expectation and providing recommendations for improvement to monthly trading meetings
• Preparation of annual budgets and semi-annual forecasts, working with stakeholders to help set and challenge
• Responding in a timely manner to ad-hoc analysis and information requests from fee earners and other stakeholders
• Preparation and challenge of business cases for recruitment to ensure ROI in line with brand expectations, working closely with people teams
• Preparation of historical profitability analysis to support decision-making including tender submissions
• Critical review of internal processes, identifying and implementing improvements and efficiencies
• Coaching fee earners to upskill knowledge and performance in relation to financial management
• Collaborating and liaising with the firm’s central finance teams

• To be a qualified accountant with one of the following qualifications (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)
• Demonstrable experience of finance business partnering with a commercial mind-set
• Extensive experience of working with large planning and forecasting applications, e.g. IBM Planning and Analytics or similar
• Advanced level Excel skills, in particular being able to create appropriate financial models
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport, credibility and manage expectations with a variety of stakeholders
• To be a commercially aware self-starter, pro-active with the ability to work at both a strategic and detailed operational level
• Flexibility and the ability to operate in a changing environment, prioritising workload to meet deadlines

Legal or professional services experience desirable

• Flexibility that works for you – a blended approach to working
• A collaborative culture – part of a supportive finance community that shares knowledge and works closely across the wider Ampa group
• Opportunities to grow – exposure to complex commercial challenges, with the chance to develop your impact, profile and leadership skills
• Purposeful work – helping our brands perform at their best by providing clear, practical financial insight