Reporting Analyst

IBB is Heathrow’s closest major law firm and a Thames Valley heavyweight. It is a full-service firm, working for clients all over the South East of England. IBB has three offices, one in each of Uxbridge and Reading for corporate, charity, employment, IT/IP, real estate, private client and community legal services, the other in South Bucks for private clients. IBB boasts one of the region’s largest real estate teams outside of London and a corporate team working with UK headquarters of multinationals and large SMEs based in the South East. IBB handles complex work with great attention to detail and high quality client service. The firm has a clear vision to understand what our clients want and to deliver the best service possible through our legal professionals, support staff and technology. IBB’s partners are recommended in the legal directories as leading individuals in their fields and there are six accredited commercial mediators and one accredited family mediator within the firm. IBB is also ISO 9001:2000 and Lexel-accredited.

IBB offers all its staff exceptional opportunities in an exciting and supportive working environment. Our culture encourages our individuals to develop expertise and eminence in their own professional area. To do this requires the hard work and dedication of leading individuals throughout our Business Support teams.

What we look for

As a growing firm, we recruit professional business support staff at all levels. We look for individuals who:

• Flourish in a challenging professional environment
• Actively seek to add value in all that they do
• Are eager to work hard, learn new skills and take ownership of their career
• Embrace the ethos of IBB and share our core values
• Have a record of academic excellence and personal achievement
• Are excited about the prospect of being a part of IBB

We value the skills, knowledge, expertise and relationships that quality individuals bring to the firm. At the same time, we are sensitive to the challenges involved in making a transition to a new firm, and we therefore invest considerable time and resources to facilitate your integration in to the firm.

The purpose of this role is to manage the provision of a complete finance service to fee earners in the practice. IBB has a mix of private and legally funded practice areas.

To support the Finance Controller in directing and controlling the financial management of the practice; to ensure compliance with the solicitors accounts rules and budgetary limits.

• Preparation of the monthly management accounts with commentary including the posting of journals and processing accruals and prepayments.
• Producing monthly management account packs and statistics including departmental performance analysis
• Responsible for a number of balance-sheet reconciliations
• Preparation of VAT returns ensuring compliance with all VAT regulations and requirements and provide advice and guidance as required
• Assist in preparation and reconciliation of monthly payroll in conjunction with outsourced payroll provider
• Assist the Finance Controller in working with Group Heads to build annual budgets in line with business plans and Finance timetable
• To assist in the monitoring and control of expenditure within the parameters of the approved budget
• Assist in preparation of year-end Partnership accounts and audit
• Assist with cash collection and firmwide expenditure by:-

1. Updating cash flow daily / weekly
2. Monitoring overhead expenditure against budget (e.g. travel accommodation, entertaining, training, disbursements etc.)

• Liaison with other Business Support Groups e.g. marketing, to provide profitability analysis and key account management (KAM) analysis. At times liaising with IT to gather raw data which can then be manipulated as required
• Building financial models and reports for non-finance senior management 
• Completion of a wide range of annual industry benchmarking surveys which can later be analysed and reported to Partners
• Deal with ad-hoc reporting and business analysis requests

Education

• Degree level educated (Preferred)

Skills

• At least 2 years general accounting experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A high level of IT proficiency - Advanced excel skills (e.g. pivot and Vlook up tables); Outlook, MS Word and knowledge of Financial reporting systems
• Good time management skills
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively independently or as part of a team
• Strong interpersonal skills (confident in liaising with senior stakeholders)
• Willingness to proactivity take ownership of own learning and development
• Commercial awareness