Legal Finance Assistant

Legal Finance Assistant

📍 London, UK (Hybrid – 2-3 days onsite)

🕒 Permanent

What we are looking for:

An opportunity has arisen for a junior financial analyst to join the accounting team. The role will assist with the preparation of the monthly management accounts and annual budget. The role will include elements of change as the current systems and processes are developed which will allow for a range of additional opportunities.

What you'll be doing:

Management accounting:

• Review monthly financial information discovering and documenting variances.
• Production of a range of journals including monthly accruals, prepayments, inter office and payrolls.
• Assist in maintaining the chart of accounts and be a key contact for changes.
• Assist in preparing a worldwide salary database including a mix of salary costs and headcounts.
• Assist with producing monthly reports for the senior members of the team to distribute to partners, directors and office managers.
• Assist with any ad hoc queries.
• Prepare the monthly reconciliations of a range of balance sheet areas including fixed assets, accruals, prepayments, salaries and taxes.

Budgeting:

• Assist with building the budget models, gathering and inputting data.
• Process the final data loads into the accounting system, including rates and general ledger data.
• Assist with the review process identifying variances and unusual information.
• Assist with any new developments such as template or system changes.

Financial accounting:

• Assist with the annual statutory audit requesting information from other areas of the business.
• Provide the reconciliations of accruals, prepayments, fixed assets and payrolls and be prepared to be the contact for any queries relating to these.

Other:

• Provide recommendations on change and improvements.
• Assist with any ad hoc projects and developments particularly to the accounting system.
• Be a key contact to the International finance teams.
• Assist with the preparation of data for a new global expense management system.
• Prepare the data required for the annual press releases.
• Assist with the preparation of a range of benchmarking surveys including PWC and Deloitte.
• Produce a range of national statistic surveys.

Skills & qualifications:

• Some experience with Accounts Payable and/or Billing.
• Legal or professional services experience is preferred.
• Excellent Excel skills, knowledge of Power BI and Expert would be preferable.
• Experience of dealing with senior management.
• Experience of working through change.
• Studying for an accounting qualification is desirable but not a requirement.

What we can offer you:

We offer a competitive benefits and wellbeing package for all employees.

Who we are:

Watson Farley & Williams is an international law firm advising on complex disputes and transactions through local knowledge and an integrated international network. We have a strong sector focus, combining our technical excellence with deep industry knowledge across Energy, Transport and associated Infrastructure.

The firm has achieved rapid expansion and year-on-year growth owed almost entirely to a focused strategy, strong leadership and the quality of its people. The next stage in the firm’s growth plan is to achieve full-service strength within core sectors across the global platform.

We strive for excellence in all that we do and view investment in our people as key to achieving our business goals and values, which rest on developing deep and long-lasting relationships externally and internally through respect, sharing, communication and integrity.

Our global practice is integrated across our offices in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and North America delivering consistently high levels of service across borders and locally through a deep understanding of local business customs and culture.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace to attract and retain the most talented people from all backgrounds and cultures. We believe in celebrating difference and that people from any background can rise to the top, ensuring opportunities to develop and progress are available for all.