Lewis Silkin is a UK top-100 commercial law firm with offices in London, Oxford, Cardiff and Hong Kong. The firm is recognised by clients and industries alike as being distinct: for its deep understanding, insight and advice to creative, innovative and brand-focused businesses; for its market-leading international practice in employment, immigration and reward; and for delivering pragmatic, commercial advice in a refreshingly human way.
With 59 partners and more than 300 staff, the firm is structured around two key divisions.
In employment, immigration and reward, it is consistently top-ranked, and was named HR Law Firm of the Year 2015 by the Legal 500. With over 100 lawyers, Lewis Silkin’s employment and immigration team offers an unrivalled service supporting clients, including many of the world’s leading businesses, on their HR, employment and immigration law needs domestically and internationally.
The creators, makers and innovators team is made up of leading advisers for creative, innovative and brand-focused businesses, offering a deep understanding of the industry sectors in which clients operate combined with real expertise across a wide range of legal services. From start-ups to multinationals, the firm’s comprehensive and commercially focused advice helps clients succeed in an increasingly complex and converged international marketplace. |
The Finance Department supports all aspects of the firm’s financial requirements from the provision of strategic support through to detailed transactional recording, with a key focus on providing excellent customer service to our internal clients. The department is comprised of a central finance team and an operational finance team comprising cashiers, credit control & billing. |
The Finance Systems Manager is a key role within the central finance team with responsibility for driving forward progress on all matters related to the firm’s Elite 3E accounting system, both within the team and across the wider business, by actively engaging with all stakeholders. As a senior member of the team, the Finance Systems Manager will be pro-active in sharing knowledge across the wider business, together with identifying and implementing systems improvement initiatives.
The Finance Systems Manager will have a leading role in development and roll-out of further improvements/customization of Elite 3E across the wider business as well as supporting the data analysis requirements of the Finance team and senior management team.
Working collaboratively with team members, responsibilities will include:
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Lead roll-out of further Elite/Microsoft Reporting Services customisation/improvement projects planned (EDG install, Auto-bill solution to ensure a paperless billing process from proforma to bill distribution utilising standard 3E workflows,budgeting module, automated supplier invoice processing, automatic feed from HR database, upgrade client interest calculator).This includes scoping and re-design of workflows, consultation with the wider business and Finance team (pre and post rollout, incl training), programming of agreed workflow changes into Elite and associated testing.
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Management of the development and maintenance of all aspects of the Elite 3E system from day-to-day and strategic perspective.This includes masking, database management and administration, interface with other systems (eg Intapp Time, CRM system, Client and Matter Opening, HR system and Sharepoint document management system) and ensuring all Elite system set-up documentation kept up to date. Liaison with IT team on technical infrastructure aspects of above listed systems.
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Support Finance team and senior management team with 3E data extraction either direct from 3E or via Microsoft Reporting Services, including analysis and presentation utilising ad-hoc reports, SQL queries, design and creation of new automated reports.
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Review current systems processes and procedures and propose improvements to workflow and reporting processes to improve service and information delivery to enable internal and external clients gain maximum benefit from 3E and Microsoft Reporting Services functionality.
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Support central finance team with production of monthly financial results pack, with year-end analysis requirements (WIP and debt etc) and resolution of Elite balancing issues.Support HR team with preparation of detailed reports for Partner/Associate appraisal purposes.
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Lead Elite training initiatives for the Finance team and the wider business.
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Management of short-term external consultancy resource for specific project initiatives.
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Work closely with IT team on technical systems initiatives and management of relationship with Thomson Reuters / Elite.
The Finance Systems Manager will also be involved in other ad-hoc projects as and when they arise.
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Experience and Skills Required
The Finance Systems Manager will be a professional, self-motivated and positive individual who is able to demonstrate:
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an ability to actively engage and build relationships across the business, influence key business initiatives through strong verbal communication skills and a pro-active approach to ensuring the needs of the business are met.
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strong track record of development and delivery of finance systems improvement projects from technical (incl programming) and user perspective in a service–sector business.
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strong track record of supporting data analysis requirements of the wider business through creation of new user-friendly reports and ad-hoc data queries.
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excellent knowledge of practice management systems, database query and interrogation techniques.
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hands-on experience of development and maintenance of financial reporting platform (eg SSRS) including resolution of basic ‘first level’ technical issues.
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experience of implementation of cost allocation and budgeting models within Elite or similar package.
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excellent organisational skills with a proven track record in forward planning and managing their own time to ensure deadlines for a wide variety of activities are met in a timely and effective manner.
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excellent project management skills, communication and presentation skills.
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team player attributes with an enthusiastic and flexible approach and a ‘can do’ attitude.
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strong accounting knowledge (with legal sector knowledge desirable).
TECHNICAL SKILLS REQUIRED
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Extensive experience of Elite 3E/Enterprise.
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Extensive experience of SQL Server (incl advanced data interrogation techniques).
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Advanced technical knowledge of Microsoft Applications (Microsoft Reporting Services SSRS/SSIS/SSAS and Excel in particular).
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Advanced knowledge of VB.NET (for 3E customisation projects)
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Good working experience of Crystal Reports
PACKAGE
Base salary will be in accordance with market rate and dependent on skills and experience. There will be an annual salary review on 1 June each year |