Head of Accounting, Control, and FP&A, Americas Finance

Company Description

Who we are

As a global law firm our work spans jurisdictions, cultures, and languages – and so do our people.

Our culture is collaborative and inclusive, where diverse perspectives are recognised and valued. Where performing to your highest ability, unlocks equal access to opportunities to learn, thrive and grow. 

We combine deep legal expertise and commercial intelligence to grow, transform, protect, and defend our clients' businesses, across every critical moment.

We operate in the sectors and regions that matter to our clients. With forward-thinking insights and innovative, tech-enabled solutions that combine deep knowledge of their sectors and markets.

You’ll build connections and work with colleagues as one global team. You’ll unlock opportunities for clients, across borders, cultures, legal and commercial disciplines.

Join us to work with colleagues as one global team – empowering each other to be exceptional and create advantage for our clients.
 

Job Description

The role

Clifford Chance is one of the world's leading law firms. The firm's vision is to be the leader of the elite global law firms and aims to achieve this through its focus on client service excellence.  

The firm has unrivalled scale and depth of legal resources across the key markets of the Americas, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Europe.  The core areas of commercial activity are organized by 12 Global Product Groups ("GPGs") (antitrust, capital markets, corporate transactions and advisory, debt finance, disputes, funds and asset management, private equity, project development and finance, real estate, restructuring and insolvency, structured finance, tax pensions employment and incentives).

This is a key role designed to support the Chief Financial Officer, Americas ("RCFO, Americas") in achieving the firm's strategic objectives around growth and operational excellence. The Americas business currently has four locations with incomes of circa +$600m pa and 700 FTE, with ambitious growth plans over the next couple of years. 

The role will oversee the financial operations of the Americas, ensuring accurate financial accounting and reporting (management accounts and statutory accounts), effective planning and business partnering, and robust internal controls.

This role involves managing budget and planning processes for the Americas market, investment appraisals, and business partnering to support strategic decision-making, in line with global budgeting instructions and process. The role holder will also ensure compliance with reporting and audit requirements and manage risk associated with Escrow, client monies and cashier functions.

As an inspiring leader, the role will focus on developing and nurturing the finance team to achieve their full potential and effectively influence across a matrix structure.

Financial Reporting:

• Review and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financials, ensuring they accurately reflect the Americas financial position to key stakeholders. This includes but not limited to overseeing/working closely with offshore finance team, for the preparation of accounts and management reports and conducting detailed financial analysis to provide insights into the Americas performance. 
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with global policies for all key metrics and systems updates (including charge out rates, recovery rates, utilisation, associate bonus schemes data collection and reporting).
• Provide insightful financial analysis and reporting to senior management, highlighting key trends, risks, and opportunities. Support strategic decision-making by delivering clear and actionable financial insights.

Budgets and Forecasts:

• Lead the annual budgeting process, supporting the setting of financial targets and monitoring performance against these targets throughout the year.
• Work closely with product groups and department heads on financial forecasts to support business planning, analysing variances between actual results and budget/forecast to provide actionable insights and recommendations.

Investment Appraisal:

• Evaluate investment opportunities by preparing detailed financial models, conducting cost-benefit analysis, and performing risk assessments.
• Provide recommendations to senior management on potential spend or investments, ensuring that all proposals are thoroughly vetted and aligned with the firm's strategic objectives.

Onshore support global finance processes:

• Ensure prompt adoption and successful roll out of key finance process.
• Manage resource that acts as expert and champion for digital/technology/process including payment processes, approvals, imbur