UK Head of Finance and Operations

Bird & Bird LLP; Greater London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - GBP 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international law firm is seeking a UK Head of Finance and Operations in London. This senior role involves strategic financial leadership and operational oversight, driving profitability across the firm's largest office. The candidate should possess proven influencing skills, excellent communication abilities, and experience in leading effective teams. The position offers competitive benefits including private medical cover and various lifestyle perks, contributing to a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Private medical cover

Life assurance

Critical illness cover

Regular health assessments

Cycle to work scheme

Discounted gym memberships

Electric vehicle scheme

Qualifications

• Proven influencing skills to build strong business relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• A collaborative style with a focus on client service.
• Commercial experience with a willingness to embrace innovation.
• Strategic vision with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Lead Finance and Operations for the UK office.
• Work with the London Management Team to increase profitability.
• Deliver finance messages to London Heads of Department.
• Oversee London support operations and manage budgets.
• Coordinate with Facilities and IT for operational efficiency.

Skills

Proven influencing skills

Excellent communication skills

Collaborative and flexible style

Commercial experience and entrepreneurial vision

Strategic vision

Developed leadership ability

Experience in leading effective teams

Education

Degree level education or equivalent qualification

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to lead Finance and Operations for the firm's UK office, as UK Head of Finance and Operations. This senior role combines strategic financial leadership, operational oversight and trusted partnerships with senior stakeholders to drive profitability, performance and sustainable growth in London.

Bird & Bird's Finance team mission is to provide world class finance support to the business. In London, the team comprises circa 60 finance professionals across a wide range of areas including management and financial accounting, transaction processing, partner accounting, tax, treasury, pricing and commercial decision support. Our 34 international offices have their own professionals providing local expertise and support. Collaborative across the network, the team is focussed on driving efficiency, adding value and profitable growth.

Key Responsibilities

UK Head of Finance

• Be the Head of Finance for the UK, the firm's largest office, a £100m plus business.
• Be a member of the London Management Team (LMT), which is made up of Head of Country, two Partners and Head of HR who together have responsibility for the London office.
• Work with the LMT and the Heads of each London Practice (London HODs) to:
• Increase profitability of the office as a whole and each Practice Group
• Ensure the right size and shape of each practice - partners, associates and all other fee earners
• Optimise pricing of each partner, including setting hourly rates, ensuring fixed/capped fees are appropriately managed and accounted for, success fees are used to a sensible extent, structured wisely and accounted for appropriately (all in coordination with the Head of Pricing)
• Promote work generation for other partners, other offices and other practices
• Encourage the right partner behaviour

• Determine and deliver the finance messages, consistent with the global CFO's, to the London HODs and the London Partners as a whole.
• Provide the right level of constructive challenge to the Head of Country and London HODs.
• Be respected, trusted and consulted by all the London Partners.
• Analyse and manage the financial aspects of all London plans.
• Work as part of the Global finance team. We work well together already, but are in the process of implementing more global finance processes. Play a leading role in these initiatives.

UK Head of Operations

The London office is managed by the LMT who have responsibility for London operations. This role will coordinate London operations (in conjunction with LMT and the London HODs) to ensure a smooth integration between the London support operations and our lawyers. This aspect of the role is likely to evolve over time, but will include the following responsibilities:

• Oversee London support operations including coordinating with Facilities and IT.
• Oversee Business Support operation including line management of two Lead Business Support Managers.
• Direct budgets and allocate resources for London support departments.
• Work with the LMT to develop and implement London operating policies to support the Firm's global policies and objectives.
• Work with London HODs to ensure that the support departments provide the necessary infrastructure and core processes for the legal departments to operate most effectively.

What you'll bring

• Proven influencing skills, with the ability to build strong business partnering relationships with senior management.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to present figures in a way which is meaningful to partners.
• A collaborative and flexible style with a strong focus on client service.
• Commercial experience and entrepreneurial vision, with a willingness to embrace innovation.
• Strategic vision and the ability to synthesise the bigger picture from commercial data, but with the attention to detail required in a law firm.
• Developed leadership ability, particularly gained in an organisation and/or sector experiencing transformational change.
• Educational background to degree level or equivalent qualification.
• Experience in leading effective teams in a complex business environment. Previous law firm experience would be advantageous but not essential. However, experience within a professional services environment and a practical understanding of partnerships is required.

What's in it for you

We provide comprehensive support for our colleagues' health and wellbeing, including private medical cover, life assurance, critical illness cover, and regular health assessments. In addition, we offer a range of lifestyle benefits designed to help our team live their best lives, such as a cycle to work scheme, access to online GP appointments, discounted gym memberships, and an electric vehicle scheme.

To apply, click on the 'apply' button to submit your details.

Bird & Bird up a world of possibilities for lawyers and professionals everywhere. Working for a leading international law firm like Bird & Bird means working alongside people who are truly collegiate in the way they work with everyone. We work as one global team, with over 70% of work involving people from across the firm. And that's only increasing! It's this common purpose and shared approach that makes for a more productive and collaborative place to work. Your firm. Your future.

As a disability and neurodiversity inclusive employer we want to ensure that you have a barrier-free recruitment experience at Bird & Bird. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please provide details to your recruitment contact who will be in touch to discuss any details provided and understand more about your individual adjustment needs.