Commercial Finance Business Partner

The role

DLA Piper, a leading global law firm, is looking for a commercially minded professional to join as a Commercial Finance Business Partner who will be a key part of our Finance Business Partnering team sitting within the Finance function.

The firm is split across seven practice groups, each with a presence throughout the International offices. Each group is a separate area of law with its own management structure. The Finance Business Partner team work closely with the business to provide budget assurance, performance improvement, strategic financial leadership and proactive financial support to the International Group Heads and Group Head of Operations in managing their Practice Groups. 

The firm’s increasing focus on finance business partnering has only enhanced the demand for commercial finance support and analyusis. The wider commercial finance team 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.

The successful candidate will become part of a team which is responsible for providing commercial finance support to the firm’s senior leadership. They are also heavily involved in the budgeting and reforecasting processes. The team works collaboratively with other functions such as HR, Marketing, Knowledge Management, Innovation and is also delivering commercial financial training across the firm. The main purpose of this appointment is to support the team on day to day activity as well as providing financial analysis and data across the Firm’s groups. 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.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The main purpose of this appointment is to support the team on day to day activity as well as providing financial analysis and data across the Firm’s groups. 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.

• Proactively working with finance business to provide financial expertise and support, e.g. effective and regular presentations for partner meetings, identifying initiatives to improve financial performance relating to profitability, working capital and financial efficiency
• Support the annual planning and budgeting process for the practice groups and support the delivery and maintenance of group led strategic plans
• Contribute to the wider commercial review and playback of the budget to the Finance Leadership Team and contribute to the presentation of the firmwide budget for approval by Executive and Board
• Enabling the finance business partners and practice groups to achieve their objectives, make decisions and plan appropriately through the effective understanding and use of financial analysis
• Interpretation of monthly finance MI into insightful commentary, analysis, and articulation of required management actions 
• Working on ad-hoc projects including financial modelling for required initiatives, such as lateral hires, partner promotions, practice area and geographic expansion 
• Working with colleagues across the Finance function in supporting the delivery of the finance curriculum agenda for the lawyers and partners
• Providing necessary financial support to ensure strategic business development, client retention and increased client profitability within the practice groups
• Work in conjunction with the finance business partners and credit control to ensure visibility of any issues within the practice groups and assist in finding a resolution. 
• Providing finance support to the wider Commercial Finance team

ABOUT YOU

• ACCA / ACA / CIMA qualified 
• 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 departments senior leadership
• 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
• 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

THE DEPARTMENT

The firm has recently been through one of the biggest change programmes we have ever embarked upon. We replaced our finance system with world class technology and developed the way we work together to drive tangible benefits for the firm and our clients. 

The Programme (known as Vector) was a step change to our ways of working and our systems – all with the aim of making DLA Piper even more successful and sustainable. Supporting our aspiration to be an industry leader, future proof, drive efficiency and be client focus. Vector was designed to transform our Finance function, with industry-leading systems and improved ways of working.

In addition to the implementation of a new finance system we will focus on the following priorities:

Process improvements: Supporting the business through improved processes, efficiency, and enhanced operational services to our clients. Review the services being provided by the finance teams and understand what is and isn’t working to drive consistency and efficiency across finance
Business partnering: This role will be the support to the finance business partner team and business, supporting it to achieve its strategic ambitions. Increased focus on finance business partnering and engagement with the wider business services teams to support the firm’s strategy.
Enhance MI & reporting: Analytics which provide insight to and help drive business performance. Review and reduce the number of reports shared. Ensuring what is distributed is timely, accurate and relevant to the business needs.

This is an exciting time to join Finance, it’s a great platform to contribute your know how, excerise you business partnering skills and grow your career.

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.