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

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, imburse.
• Ensure no/minimal onshore activity where offshore capability and process is available.  

Business Partnering:

• Collaborate with budget holders (business professionals and GPG for the US and Brazil markets) providing financial insights and early escalation of risks that impact profitability.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that financial considerations are integrated into all aspects of the firm's operations.

Audit and Internal Controls:

• Coordinate with external auditors to manage the audit process, ensuring that all financial records and practices comply with regulatory requirements.
• Implement and maintain robust internal controls, conducting internal audits as necessary and making improvements to enhance the firm's financial integrity and operational efficiency.

Escrow, Client Monies and Cashiers:

• Oversee the management of Escrow accounts and client monies in compliance with SRA Accounts Rules/OPR, ensuring that all transactions are accurately processed and recorded.
• Work with global/offshore teams to monitor cash flow and managing banking relationships to ensure the firm's financial stability and liquidity.
• Ensure global processes and offshore resources form part of working practices embedded within the Americas finance team for all accounts payable, expenses, cost recoveries, cash flow, bank account funding, and cash pooling.

Month-End Close Activities:

• Lead the month-end close process, ensuring all financial transactions are accurately recorded and reconciled.
• Work with global/offshore teams to prepare and review journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations, and financial reports to ensure timely and accurate month-end closing.

Process Improvement:

• Identify opportunities for process improvements within the finance function and the Americas, implementing best practices to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Lead initiatives to streamline financial processes, reduce costs, and improve overall financial performance.

Leadership and Team Development:

• Function as a mentor, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
• Develop and mentor the finance team, providing guidance and support to help them achieve their professional goals. Encourage continuous learning and development, ensuring the team remains motivated and engaged.
• Ensure the global One Finance Team + is consistently adopted in all workings of finance team

Influencing Across a Matrix Structure:

• Effectively influence and collaborate across a matrix structure, working with various departments and teams to achieve common goals.
• Navigate complex organizational dynamics, ensuring alignment and cooperation among distinct functions to support the firm's strategic objectives.

Continuous Improvement:  

• Identify opportunities for process improvements and implement changes to enhance efficiency and accuracy, working closely with the Delhi team.
• Provide support to Finance Forward programme and other global initiatives.
• Maximise use of standard offshore processes to enable effective, high quality onshore business partnering.
   

Your experience

• CPA/CMA qualified accountant with 10+ years of experience in a dynamic growing work environment, in a similar role, preferably within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Exceptional diligence and organisational abilities to juggle multiple deadlines and deliverables.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret financial data and generate actionable insights.
• Critical thinking skills and the ability to manage complex commercial and control under time bound conditions.
• Excellent leadership and influencing skills, able to communicate clearly with a wide stakeholder group from team members to office managing partners.
• Ability to motivate and develop a diverse team, be initiative-taking and focus on positive outcomes in line with global finance goal for standardisation and simplification, attract and retain key talent.

Clifford Chance US LLP offers a comprehensive benefits and compensation package. The salary range for this role is $220,000 - $285,000. The actual salary will be commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and relevant experience.

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.
 

Equal Opportunities

At Clifford Chance, we forge an inclusive culture, where all perspectives are recognised and valued. It’s a culture where everyone has equal access to opportunities to thrive and succeed, irrespective of background. We are guided by our values-based Code, which sets high standards of conduct and has a principle focused on being inclusive.

We are an equal opportunity employer and provide consideration to all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We comply with the law and regulations in every location where we operate and across all aspects of employment, from recruitment and selection to development, progression, and day-to-day working life.  

Find out more about our inclusive culture here