Head of Finance

Harper May is currently working with a leading Law Practice company based in Central London. The company is currently seeking a Head of Finance to lead their team. This company have extensive experience providing advice on a wide range of complex legal matters, including commercial litigation, insolvency litigation, corporate law, property litigation, directors' duties, and disqualification.

They will foster a culture which recognizes and rewards effort, efficiency, and excellence; encourages honesty, transparency, personal growth, and development; promotes diversity and equality of opportunity at all levels, and creates a happy and supportive working environment in which the staff and Members can thrive.
Key responsibilities:
• Lead Chambers' anti-fraud activities and ensure policies and procedures are kept up to date.
• Preparation of chambers monthly management accounts and KPI dashboard for the Executive Committee;
• Preparation of supporting accruals and prepayments schedules and maintaining the fixed asset register;
• Preparation and interpretation of the annual budget; preparation of quarterly forecasts (including a comparison of actual income against the original budget for the previous quarter). • Preparation of financial projections and information to support business planning and investment appraisals;
• Continuous improvement of effective management information and decision support analysis;
• Analysis of trends in MoC work done and on chambers' receipts charge (and an assessment of the impact of these findings);
• Preparation of annual and quarterly MoC receipts charge calculations (and regular reviews to keep them up to date);
• Preparation of MoC quarterly VAT reports and year-end accounts pack;
• Management of chambers' annual audit process and preparation of the annual audit report pack for auditors;
• Responsible for VAT returns, P11d submission, PAYE Settlement Agreements, and corporation tax returns;
• Preparation of the monthly payroll for sign-off of the Chambers' director and preparation of payroll journals;
• Management of chambers pension administration;
• Oversee the weekly fee note process; MoC daily payment allocation, and manage financial communication between law firms and MoC;
• Oversee and authorize day-to-day banking activities;
• Oversee the purchase ledger activities and month-end procedures and reconciliations;
• Oversee weekly bank and monthly credit card reconciliation process;
• Assist with VAT queries specific to clients and transactions;
• Chase aged debt and act as an escalation point to resolve payment queries;
• Contribute to new supplier contract negotiations;
• Constant focus on cost management;
• Promote financial literacy within the company;
• Support members and staff with finance-related questions;
• Support or lead ad hoc projects - there will be a number of these

Desired Skills and Experience:
• Professional knowledge. The Head of Finance will be educated to degree or equivalent level and be in possession of a suitable accountancy qualification (CA/ACCA/CIMA).
• Experience of leadership and management. They will have invested (and will continue to invest) personal time and energy to develop this knowledge and any related skills. They will be a role model, setting the standards expected from the rest of the staff. They will be comfortable working under pressure in a fast-paced and demanding environment, capable of identifying those who may be struggling and need assistance.
• Commercial awareness. The Head of Finance will have an in-depth understanding of market and client price points and the ability to balance the financial needs of the business, the members, and the clients.