Commercial Finance Analyst

Location Overview: London

Our London office is at the heart of our global network, in one of the most exciting world cities. London is arguably the world’s greatest financial centre: all the world’s leading financial institutions have a significant presence here. It is home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe’s largest companies.

Our London team has a reputation that is second to none. They are the team the world’s leading businesses turn to for help with their most challenging problems. They work with colleagues around the world on complex, cross-border deals, and disputes. Whether you join as a lawyer, a recent graduate or in a business services role, London is a great place to work.
You will have the opportunity to work on challenging, engaging work that will give you the opportunity to make your mark and progress your career. We believe there is no better place to work.

Function Overview

The global Finance function ensures robust financial control across our global operations, whilst partnering with the firm as a valued commercial advisor, influencing strategic decision making and driving long term profitable growth for the firm.

We achieve our vision with all our people working collaboratively with a shared culture and identifying themselves as part of one inclusive Global Finance team.

Key responsibilities and deliverables

Working Capital Management

• Supports delivery of targets in designated area of responsibility for the end-to-end working capital cycle ensuring timely updates are provided to team management on critical areas including time recording, WIP conversion and cash collection and ensuring that corrective action is taken where required.  Responsibilities may include:

  • WIP and debt management including liaising directly with clients, partners, fee earners, assistants as needed.

  • Providing direct support to allocated partners in co-ordinating their billing and credit control requirements.

  • Dealing with all aspects of client queries regarding invoiced fees, accruals, or any other detail information as required. 

  • Dealing with complex billing requirements including multi-jurisdiction, multi-practice group, e-Billing requirements and any other specific client billing needs as they evolve. 

• Support with monitoring the performance of the Global Shared Services team against SLAs and KPIs to ensure timely processing of transactions, working with finance colleagues to deliver process improvements where there is impact on practice group processes

Business insight and advisory

• Supports the development and maintenance of key stakeholder relationships and the provision of commercial finance insight and guidance and ensuring that the strategy, plan, and financial performance criteria are delivered to maximise the Practice Group’s financial performance

• Provides analysis that supports the advice and guidance provided to stakeholders on P&L performance including practice group performance reporting and highlighting areas of improvement. 

• Maintains an outward focus through a developing networking and business research

• Working closely with the wider Finance team to ensure a well-rounded knowledge of strategic issues impacting the firm’s financial risk profile promoting and, where appropriate, enforcing financial policy

Business planning and projects

• Supports team management with setting and monitoring practice group P&L budget and forecast,challenging assumptions where appropriate

• Support the commercial finance team with analysis on resource management for practice groups, providing supporting information to determine appropriate size and shape of practice and overall equity profile

• Collaborates with Finance and other Business Services teams to ensure service delivery and SLAs are delivered for the Practice Group.

• Support the design and delivery of Finance projects as required and champion continuous improvement to support the delivery of the firm and function strategy

Key requirements

Essential

• Experience of business partnering, and provision of data driven analysis and insight in a professional services firm

• Knowledge of the legal market, products, and services

• Experience of working within a matrix structure and a Global Shared Services environment

• Ability to communicate clearly at all levels

Desirable

• Experience of working within a leading international professional services firm

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered on the basis of their merit alone. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK in the role in question and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only if and when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case-by-case basis and take a number of relevant factors into account (e.g. the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.