Lead Finance Business Partner

We are recruiting for a Lead Commercial Business Partner to join our Finance team in Bristol. This is a new and exciting role which brings the opportunity to be part of a growing commercial business partnering function. Key to the delivery of the firm’s profitability and pricing strategies, this role is an opportunity to have a real influence on the business.

You will be a true partner, building close relationships with senior management in order to gain a strong fundamental understanding of operations, analysing and modelling to identify opportunities, working with management to build plans to capitalise on these, and being a key part of delivery within a cross functional team.

Your Role

As a Lead Commercial Business Partner your day to day remit includes:

• To support the Head Of Commercial Business Partnering in coaching and developing a team of Commercial Business Partners, to ensure they are performing at the highest level as commercial trusted advisors, employee champions and change agents; meeting the firm's needs in a rapidly changing and demanding environment.
• To act as a key contributor within the Finance senior management team, leading and contributing expertise to key projects and providing direction on strategy and operational plans to colleagues
• To act as an effective deputy when the Head of Commercial Business Partnering is unavailable.
• To develop strong business relationships and to be recognised as a trusted commercial advisor to Group and Team Leaders.
• Responsible for sharing expertise and acting as a coach and / or mentor to support the development of Finance colleagues
• Plays a lead part in assigned fee-earning group’s management meetings
• To play a key role in onboarding partner lateral hires into the Firm

Collaboration

• To develop the relationship with the FP&A team to champion a cohesive delivery of finance support. To challenge existing ways of working to ensure the CBP team are ‘fit for purpose’ to achieve the aligned strategic goals.

Pricing, Profitability and Performance

• To deliver insight, analysis and recommendations to Group and Team Leaders in relation to current performance. To ensure monthly and quarterly reviews are delivered on a timely and consistent basis.
• To directly support partners in modelling strategic and tactical pricing proposals, supporting the Firm’s profitability. To drive consistency of approach and promotion of best practice in pricing for panel pitches and individual matters.
• To oversee consistent delivery of targets relating to all elements of the working capital cycle. To provide timely updates to Team and Group Leads on key areas of time recording, WIP creation and conversion. To ensure corrective action is taken.
• Takes a lead on the exploration and promotion of Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs) and how these are woven into pricing proposals, including adopting novel solutions to meet client needs while delivering improved profitability for the firm.
• Work with the Legal Project Management and Legal Technology teams to design and implement methodologies to ensure AFA matters meet projected cost bases and to monitor the efficiency of the work done on those projects.
• Attend client meetings to discuss Pricing and Value Add proposals
• Oversees budgeting process for all aligned Groups

Growth and Development

• To gain a deep knowledge and understanding of their aligned Group (s), using this to proactively identify internal / external influences, risks and opportunities and anticipate the needs of key stakeholders.
• Working with the Senior CBPs to spot trends and examples of poor practice or procedure across Group and challenging and coaching the Partners and senior management team to improve.

Your Skills and Experience

• An experienced Lead or Senior Commercial Business Partner with a track record of operating at a senior level within a Finance team. A Qualified accountant (CIMA, ACA, ACCA) with 7 years PQE, or equivalent
• Experience of leading and managing a high performing team of Finance professionals.
• Significant experience of driving improved business insight across a sizeable commercial organisation
• A broad base of knowledge gained across the finance function, including strong experience in an FP&A or business partnering role
• Demonstrate experience of driving profitability improvement by influencing senior stakeholder’s business decisions and working cross functionally
• Experience of presenting at board level meetings
• Proven ability to quickly build credible working relationships, based on mutual trust, with both internal and external clients at a senior level.
• Proven ability to influence, coach and challenge senior leaders.
• Demonstrates strong business/commercial approach and understanding of business needs
• Robust, resilient, approachable and diplomatic communication skills, with the ability to present complex ideas and confidence to deal with challenging senior leaders.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, able to prioritise and manage multiple workstreams, meet deadlines and be responsive to changing priorities
• Good IT skills with demonstrable experience of developing and maintaining complex financial models to drive commercial decisions
• Excellence in commercial judgement, extending full consideration to ensuring both the Firm and client are at the heart of decision making
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives and projects simultaneously
• A willingness to travel to different UK locations to support offices across Great Britain