Senior Finance Manager – UK

The role

The Senior Finance Manager for the UK has responsibility for the management and statutory accounting and the financial reporting for the UK LLP firm and other UK subsidiary entities that make up the UK practice. In addition, the role has forecasting and budgeting responsibilities along with an important role supporting the Head of UK Finance.  The role also oversees the accounting and reporting for centrally managed cost base across the international firm which includes the business services functional areas.

Leading a team of qualified and part qualified accountants, this role is pivotal in continuing to drive improvements in the financial control, financial data quality and reporting for the UK business and centrally managed costs.

The role will focus on enhancing the financial control and governance for the UK practice as well as driving excellent financial data quality. The role will also develop, automate and implement financial management reporting to facilitate decision making and to ensure the business performance is clearly understood along with the key drivers through analysis and insight.

The role requires a combination of technical accounting and softer skills and success in this role demands a strong analytical orientation coupled with exceptional communication and presentation skills as well as a highly developed collaborative nature.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
UK Practice

• Support the Head of UK Finance through the provision of financial reporting, analysis and meaningful insight including the development and implementation of a high-quality monthly reporting suite.
• Support the forecasting and budgeting process for UK including the development of scenario modelling.
• Responsibility for the balance sheet and cashflow reporting and forecasting and associated reconciliations, controls and reporting to ensure completeness and accuracy.
• Manage and effectively deliver the month end and year end close process.
• Act as a key point of contact for external auditors and lead the year end audit for the UK
• Preparation of the year end statutory consolidation information for UK LLP and review of consolidation information for UK LLP branch entities

Centrally Managed Costs and Business Services

• Working alongside the Business Services and Costs Finance Business Partner, develop and automate the monthly Service Director reporting to ensure consistent, succinct and insightful reports so the performance of the unit is easily understood, and the data supports decision making
• Develop and implement reporting of centrally procured costs and firmwide costs to provide meaningful insight into the key cost drivers.
• Support the budgeting and forecasting for each of the business service areas and centrally managed costs.
• Management accounting and reporting of DLA’s Investment Pool
• Partnering with the tax team to deliver the Network Co-ordination Charges and Transformation recharges from the UK in an efficient and compliant manner

ABOUT YOU

• Qualified Accountant (ACA / ACCA or equivalent)
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and experience
• Audit practice background preferred
• Experience of successfully leading, managing and developing a team
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with all levels within the organisation
• Great organisational skills and ability to work to tight deadlines
• Strong problem solver with intellectual curiosity and a “can-do” attitude
• Highly analytical and numerate with excellent attention to detail
• Be comfortable operating in sometimes ambiguous situations, demonstrating a flexible and collaborative personal working style
• Ability to deliver continuous process improvements and value

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.