European Director of Finance at Award Winning US Law Firm £Flexible

One of the world’s largest law firms that provides a broad range of services to meet the needs of businesses across a multitude of industries, financial institutions, governments and individuals is looking to recruit a new European Director of Finance to be based out of their London office.  This US law firm require London to play a key role in serving the legal needs of their broad and diverse international client base.  The ideal candidate will be responsible for directing the accounting operations of the London and other European offices. This will include; overseeing financial reporting, internal controls, intake, payroll, billing, collections, cash applications, accounts payable, cash management, client account maintenance, tax and regulatory compliance.  This position reports to the Director of International Operations and the Chief Financial Officer (firmwide).  Duties will include to manage and ensure effective and efficient accounting operations including payroll, accounts payable, VAT, billing, accounts receivable and cash management in London and across Europe, to act as primary accounting liaison between the London and other European offices and the firmwide Accounting and Finance organization, ensuring the effective implementation and management of firmwide accounting policies and procedures, to ensure that strong and effective controls are in place to safeguard firm resources and enforce firm policies and procedures.  Regularly monitor, update and maintain appropriate internal controls as required in all European offices., to recruit, induct, train and supervise Accounting Managers and staff in London and other European offices., to fulfil the role of COFA for the London office, ensuring the firm’s compliance with SRA accounts rules, undertaking file reviews, maintaining a register of breaches and liaising with the firm’s auditors in relation to the SAR annual audit, to prepare ad hoc reports and slide presentations, as requested, and to provide the London Managing Partner with regular financial and management information and to be responsible for local cash management, including maintaining bank accounts and authorised signatories, the recording of all cash receipts and management of the petty cash and client trust processes and procedures.  Applicants must have at least 8 years management experience from within a finance department, preferably a law firm with US law firm experience being desirable.  Applicants need to be fully qualified (ACA or ACCA).  The firm is ideally looking for someone that knows how to manage and run a department, the finance function is hugely successful and well run so someone who can step in and hit the ground running to oversee the already smooth process without much disruption is ideal.   Strong people management skills, both internally and externally and both upward and downward are essential as it will be key to this hire.  Salary is flexible however will be more than competitive.