Head of Finance (m/d/w) - Frankfurt

The Finance team has the vision to be one global team connected within a robust control environment, collaborating to deliver value for clients and colleagues across the Firm. The Head of Finance leads and manages the German Accounting, Controlling, Commercial Management and overseas the finance areas including: budgeting and forecasting, management re-porting, working capital analysis, cash management, accounting policies and procedures, internal financial controls, adherence to SAR rules, statu-tory accounting, internal and external audits, payroll and working closely with global tax team and German tax partner.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitoring, Reviewing and Reporting the Financial Performance of the German offices to the Local, Continental Europe and Global Management
• To ensure that the German offices adhere to the Clifford Chance accounting policies and procedures
• Point of contact for the German offices within Continental Europe and Global Finance team on all group reporting matters and ensure that the weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reporting requirements are followed in line with global requirements.
• Create an environment for professional development of staff with sufficient training and on-the-job support. Ensure that their three conversations are completed in a timely and diligent fashion
• Manage cashiering and client money based on up to date SOPR (Solicitors Overseas Practicing Rules)
• Manage monthly reviews of the management accounts
• To ensure that Audit recommendations (internal and external) are implemented
• To ensure that the annual budgeting and forecasting process meets global deadlines and that relevant German stakeholders have been appropriately involved
• To manage treasury control, cash flow and funding requirements in conjunction with the Global Treasurer.
• To support local heads with setting and controlling of their budgets
• To manage relationships with the firms external auditors and bankers
• To manage the relationship with the colleagues in Delhi and optimise the use of the service
• Actively participate in the global and regional committees and ensure continued improvement of working practices and control mechanisms, each with a focus on optimising and ensuring efficient processes
• To assist German management with ad hoc projects/requests requiring financial analysis, e.g. business cases for new offices or lateral partner hires
• To provide training for lawyers and secretaries on financial matters as necessary
• Be an active member of the Business Professional Leaders team in Germany and the Continental and Global Finance teams.
• To work on and support German Strategy as part of the One Firm Strategy

Key Requirements

Skills

• You share and live the successes, vision and values of One Finance.
• You set up projects that add value and support the achievement of the firm’s commercial objectives, while promoting and investing in the Finance team.
• Experience of Oracle Financials or a similar application
• Preferable prior use of Hyperion or a similar budgeting and reporting system
• Fluent in German and English
• Being proactive
• Having a high level of organisation skills
• Meticulous attention to details
• Excellent communication skills
• Analytical and conceptual thinking and working combined with a "we can do it" mentality
• Well-developed influencing and persuasion skills
• Being able to build relationships at all levels

Experience

• 10-15 years of Accounting experience: Experienced Financial Manager or Controller
• Ideally within a professional services environment with prior experience of management and statutory accounting/reporting, having completed five or more year end processes
• Previously managed accounting and/or controlling teams and ensured – through appropriate delegation – that all operational financial activities were completed accurately and on time

Knowledge

• Awareness and knowledge of international tax issues in the context of a global firm in the professional service sector being an advantage

Qualification

• Educated to degree level with a recognised accounting qualification