Finance Business Partner

The team

At RPC, the Finance team is at the heart of the firm's success, delivering end-to-end financial management and business partnering expertise globally. From precision billing and seamless cashiering to insightful financial planning, robust accounting, and innovative finance systems, we ensure the firm runs smoothly, strategically, and sustainably. We're not just about numbers — we're about powering smart decisions and enabling growth.

The role

This is a key commercial role in the finance team, as we are building our business and commercial finance skillset at a key time for the firm as a new Managing Partner taking the helm in May, and a Finance Transformation Programme currently underway which is focused on delivering financial best practice and efficiency across the firm. It's an exciting time of strategic change for the firm, and the role of the finance function within it.

This role will be aligned to the leaders of the legal teams across both practice teams and sectors.

This individual will be responsible for supporting their business stakeholders to manage the financial performance of their practice(s), including in day-to-day management of financial performance against plans, and ad hoc analysis and modelling to optimise service, sector, and team performance.

Reports to

• Head of Business Finance

Key internal relationships

• Chief Financial Officer
• Partnership Executive Committee
• FP&A team
• Business services teams

Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Supporting business stakeholders to manage the financial performance of their practice(s), including in day-to-day management of financial performance against plans, and ad hoc analysis and modelling to optimise service, sector, and team performance
• Revenue, cost and KPI oversight by practice team
• Partnering with the business finance team and CFO to define, prepare, deliver and evolve relevant and impactful reporting and analysis of practice group financial performance to practice group business leaders, to drive understanding of group key profitability drivers, revenue streams and profitability
• Developing a strong and credible business partnership with practice group business leaders to drive efficiencies and business performance
• Management and review of aged WIP & debt, overseeing quarterly review process
• Working with the wider Finance team and practice group business leaders to support the delivery of the financial planning cycle including practice group annual budgets, re-forecasting and business planning
• Contributing to the education, mentoring and development of the Finance Team

Key objectives

• Become a trusted consultant to business leaders on the financial performance, course correction initiatives, and implementation of financial strategies
• Lead change in practice group approaches to financial management
• Support the development of financial best practice within the practice teams they support
• Be an ambassador for Finance's role and contribution to the firm's strategic goals

Knowledge, skills and experience

• Professional and self-motivated
• Ability to actively engage and build relationships with key stakeholders across the business, influence key business initiatives through strong verbal communication skills and a pro-active approach to ensuring the needs of the business are met
• Team player attributes with an enthusiastic and flexible approach and a 'can do' attitude
• Demonstrates a growth mindset and is committed to lifelong learning to build knowledge and expertise.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, adept at communicating financial topics to non-finance professionals
• Proven experience working within a partnership-structured business environment7+ years' experience of development and delivery of client service excellence in the context of financial analysis, commercial support and forecasting initiatives in a service-sector business
• Knowledge of finance systems application including data extraction and presentation of finance information to the wider business
• Sound knowledge of financial controls
• Strong organisational skills with a proven track record in forward planning and managing own and others' time to ensure deadlines for a wide variety of activities are met in a timely and effective manner
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy balanced by ability to see big picture
• Strong commercial awareness and readiness to challenge
• Strong IT skills and excellent working knowledge of the development of financial models in Excel and presentation tools
• Develops, influences and shapes client relationships to deliver strong results and innovative solutions for clients.
• Track record of establishing a successful business partnering function, or the clear potential to build one from the ground up.
• A collaborative and influential leader within a team who coaches and develops junior team members to achieve their full potential.
• Committed to being part of a supportive, inclusive and collaborative firm culture.