Lead financial strategy and partner with the CEO and leadership to drive commercial performance. Oversee financial planning, forecasting, reporting, budgeting, audit, tax, payroll, and compliance. Transform finance systems and processes, build a high-performing team, deliver KPI and cashflow insight, and manage external stakeholders (auditors, banks, advisors) to identify efficiency and margin-growth opportunities.
We’re looking for a commercially driven Finance Director to partner with the CEO and Partnership, leading financial strategy and transforming how the firm uses data, insight, and performance to drive growth.
This is a high-impact, strategic role, focused on driving commercial performance, enhancing decision-making, and evolving the finance function to support a modern, forward-looking firm.
Please note, this role can be based in Leeds, Halifax or Manchester; however, regular travel between all four office locations will be required.
This is a high-impact, strategic role, focused on driving commercial performance, enhancing decision-making, and evolving the finance function to support a modern, forward-looking firm.
Please note, this role can be based in Leeds, Halifax or Manchester; however, regular travel between all four office locations will be required.
Key Responsibilities
- Partner with the CEO & leadership team to shape and deliver firm strategy
- Lead financial planning, forecasting, and performance insight
- Drive commercial decision-making through data-led insight
- Build and develop a high-performing finance team
- Improve systems, processes, and financial controls
- Deliver clear reporting across KPIs, profitability, and cashflow
- Lead external stakeholder relationships (auditors, banks, advisors)
- Oversee budgeting, audit, tax, payroll, and compliance
- Identify opportunities for efficiency, margin growth, and operational improvement
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Established Finance Director or a strong Head of Finance ready to step up
- Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent)
- Experience in professional services (legal/IP highly advantageous)
- Experience transforming finance functions, systems, and processes
- Experience improving finance functions, systems, and reporting
- Confident in influencing senior stakeholders and leadership
Benefits
We pride ourselves on being small and friendly enough for you to get to know everyone – but big enough to offer you great career prospects. At Appleyard Lees, you won't feel like a number or just another cog in the wheel. We understand everyone is individual and offer a friendly and supportive place to work and learn.
We also offer:
We also offer:
- 34 hour working week, Monday - Friday
- Agile working
- A supportive and friendly place to work and learn
- Annual salary review
- 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
- Holiday Purchase Scheme
- Salary Exchange
- Life assurance
- Healthcare Cash Plan & Wellbeing App
- Group Income Protection
- Long Service Milestones
- Social outings
- Vouchers on Christmas, Birthdays and Special Occasions
- Charity events
About
Appleyard Lees is a leading intellectual property law firm with approximately seventy patent and trade mark attorneys and litigators across offices in Halifax, Leeds, Manchester, and Cambridge.We provide a full range of intellectual property (IP) services covering patents, trade marks, designs and copyright in the UK, Europe and worldwide. We use our technical and legal skills, and many years of experience, to identify and protect IP assets and to uncover and eliminate the risks posed by other people’s IP rights.Who we are, and what we do – but also, how we do it – makes us distinctive.Our clients include some of the world’s most exciting innovators, largest companies, and household names, with a number of clients obtaining Fortune 500, Fortune Global 2000, FTSE 100, FTSE 250, and Forbes Global 2000 status. Our clients operate across a diverse collection of industries, including chemicals, retail, consumer goods, electronics, software, bio and life sciences, pharmaceuticals, metals, and heavy industry, higher education, and hospitality, leisure, and tourism.Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) has always been part of the core values of Appleyard Lees. To us, diversity is not just a box-ticking exercise, it is a core part of our firm’s values . Diversity of people means diversity of ideas and perspectives, and these allow us to be more creative and flexible as a business. We welcome the unique contribution that a diverse workforce will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.
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