Financial Controller

Job Description - Head of Accounts, Legal Sector

Financial Integrity and Regulatory Compliance

The Organisation
A well-established law firm with a strong reputation in its field.

The Role
This leadership role involves overseeing the financial management of the firm and working closely with senior stakeholders to ensure regulatory compliance and financial best practice. Responsibilities include:

• Leading financial operations and reporting in partnership with senior management.

• Ensuring full compliance with legal sector accounting regulations and working in tandem with the firm's compliance officer.

• Liaising with financial institutions and external credit providers to maintain adequate firm financing.

• Overseeing billing and debt recovery processes; preparing detailed client billing reports on a quarterly basis.

• Supervising the finance team, including cashiering, credit control, and accounts support staff.

• Managing payroll and expense processing.

• Ensuring timely payments of all taxes including VAT, payroll, and partner tax obligations.

• Producing financial forecasts and reports as required by stakeholders such as banks, creditors, and key clients.

• Delivering monthly management accounts to leadership.

• Managing aged debts and ensuring effective credit control.

• Monitoring cash balances and preparing cashflow projections.

• Performing weekly reconciliations of client accounts and tracking any residual balances.

• Coordinating with external auditors on the completion of statutory accounts and regulatory audits.

• Providing financial support and insights to both internal and external stakeholders.

• Building effective relationships across the firm to support finance-related decision-making.

Requirements

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) - essential.

• Strong knowledge of sector-specific accounting rules and regulations (e.g. Solicitors Accounts Rules).

• Demonstrable experience leading a finance function within a professional services environment, ideally legal.

• Advanced Excel proficiency.

• Familiarity with legal practice management and payroll systems (e.g., case management and payroll platforms).