Commercial Finance Specialist

The role

DLA Piper, a leading global law firm, is looking for a commercially minded professional to join as a Commercial Finance Analyst who will be a key part of our best in class Pricing and Profitability team sitting within the Finance function. Located ideally in Sheffield (Leeds or Manchester also considered), the ideal candidate may have previous experience within a commercial finance function and demonstrate exceptional analytical skills, encompassed with an outstanding interpersonal manner and well developed stakeholder relationship management.

The firm’s increasing focus on a client and Sector driven approach to developing the business has only enhanced the demand for pricing support and profitability analysis of our work for clients. This has been an area of investment for the firm, both by way of increased resource and investing in new technology, as the function supports our Partners at an international level.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will become part of a team which is responsible for providing guidance with regards to pricing, including modelling scenarios, advising on alternative fee arrangements and provision of advice during
negotiation discussions with clients. They also support in assessing the profitability of client work and how this mightbe improved. The team works collaboratively with other functions such as Pitch, Marketing, Legal Project
Management, Business and Service Delivery improvement and is also delivering commercial financial training across the firm.

The main purpose of this appointment is to support the team on pricing and pitches as well as providing financial analysis and data across the Firm’s clients and Sectors. The reports and analysis generated will be delivered to the firms most senior stakeholders so a keen eye for detail and the ability to produce ‘client ready’ work is imperative.

• Analysis and forecasting – using available information to identify reasons for profitability and poor account performance and make recommendations based on this information to drive profitability of these account
• Attend some monthly/quarterly review meetings with the client and Sector teams to gain information or talk through specific areas of client / Sector financials
• Interpreting requirements within RFPs to develop the pricing approach, including appropriate analysis and forecasting of profitability
• Follow up with partners and pitch team on pitch outcomes and liaising with charge out rates team / billing co-ordinator with regards to agreed rates
• Taking responsibility for following up successful arrangements with partners at routine intervals, assessing profitability and checking for any scope change

ABOUT YOU

• Ability to analyse and model financial data and prepare concise reports to assist strategic discussions – must be an advanced user of Excel and PowerPoint
• A continuous improvement mentality to support development of self, business processes and interactions
• Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal
• Confident presence, and interpersonal skills that enable effective engagement and collaboration with the Firm’s most senior Partners and Directors.
• Tenacity, resilience and patience when dealing with difficult and challenging issues and calmness under pressure
• Flexibility and able to adapt readily to changing requirements and circumstances
• Dynamic problem solving abilities; finding creative, commercial and pragmatic solutions, leading on initiatives in the Sectors, pricing and profitability areas
• The ability to work well and operate comfortably within a partnership structure / culture
• Ability to build relationships with, and influence, senior stakeholders to ensure our commercial perspective is clearly communicated. 
• Ability to flex working style to collaborate across functions and geographies and adapt to change

ABOUT US
DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES
In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you 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.

HYBRID WORKING
We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING
In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.