Finance Operations Team Leader

The role 

Reporting to the firm’s Finance Operations Manager, this is a key role leading the client cash transactions team, with the aim of supporting the delivery of the firm’s strategy to be a leader in client experience. This is a great opportunity to join a high performing finance team and further your career in an ambitious and growing top 50 national law firm.

The person 

This role requires someone who has experience of working in a high performing finance team, ideally at another law or professional services firm, and has a proven track record of delivering excellent external and internal client service in a finance operations role. It is likely that your background and experience will include the following areas of expertise:

• Proven experience in a finance operations role, ideally in a leadership position. 
• Working within a robust control framework is designed effectively and operating across operational finance, identifying and highlighting areas of risk and ensuring effective controls are in place.
• Demonstrate high level of competence in working within SRA Accounts Rules or other industry equivalent.
• High level of analytical skills, numerical and computer literacy, particularly with ERP / accounting software (experience of 3E preferred but not essential). 
• Ability to interrogate accounting systems to ensure accuracy of data, identify issues, enhance and produce value added reports. 
• Strong track record of building effective relationships at all levels. Ability to build rapport, gain respect and influence stakeholders.
• Hold accounting qualifications in AAT / ILFM or by relevant experience.

The role additionally requires someone who:

•  has strong attention to detail;
• is proactive and adaptable, with a continuous improvement mindset;
• is  delivery focused, with resilience to deal with fast paced and challenging situations; 
• is an excellent communicator (both written and verbal) and has a consultative and collaborative working style; 
• can make decisions and work independently; 
• is logical and systematic in their approach. 

 In addition, you will need to:

•  be willing to travel to the firm’s other offices on occasion; 
• be flexible on when you take your annual leave depending on the demands at certain points in the annual finance calendar; 
•  be flexible and able to work longer hours as the role demands etc.

The activities 

Managing 6 direct reports, you will be overseeing all aspects of a fast paced, high volume, complex transactional legal cashiering team. In more detail, you will be responsible for:

Transactional Management 

• ensuring high levels of service and compliance to our internal service level agreements, so that transactions are performed accurately and to our firm’s and clients’ deadlines; 
•  monitoring workload within the team, prioritising and allocating work to ensure consistent and high levels of internal and external customer service at all times; 
• overseeing the completion of daily bank reconciliations; 
• being responsible for identifying and mitigating cyber security risks and vulnerability to fraud across the finance team and associated processes ensuring effective controls, training and coaching is in place to mitigate this.

Compliance & SRA 

• Ensure the firm meets its obligations under the SRA Account Rules regarding client account transactions; 
• support the Finance Operations Manager in maintaining policies and the reporting and monitoring of breaches; 
• adherence to professional accounting standards and policies to minimise risk or fraud; 
• Support the Finance Operation Manager in participating in the annual SRA accounts rules audit with our external auditors.

Other

• Ensure requests and queries from our internal and external clients are dealt with effectively and efficiently via the shared mailboxes and telephone lines.

Pre-employment screening 

Please note that, in the event that we make an offer of employment, we will conduct pre-employment screening that includes checks relating to your professional and academic qualifications, references from previous employers, your eligibility to work in the UK and any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). You will also be required to complete a self-declaration to access your character and suitability. Disclosure and barring service check This post is also subject to a satisfactory response from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to check for any previous criminal convictions. 

The Mills & Reeve Business Services career structure 

 We have a firm wide Business Services career structure and a published career progression framework. Within the firm wide career structure there are five career levels. For the purposes of the framework, this role is at an Advisor level and the role profile that details the outcomes and activities expected of across the firm is included with this job description. Further information on the firm’s Business Services career structure is available from the HR team. 

The package 

As you would expect, the firm offers a generous salary and benefits. The firm’s standard benefits are detailed in the following link: https://www.mills-reeve.com/careers/benefits 

The firm 

What really sets Mills & Reeve apart from other law firms is the way we work with our clients. We understand that clients, in the 21st century, no longer want a traditional law firm – they want one that embraces forward thinking approaches to service, billing, commercial know-how, innovation, people management and community engagement. Why not find out more about what it’s like to work at Mills & Reeve by taking two minutes to watch our video? https://player.vimeo.com/video/157575542