Legal Finance Manager

We are looking to recruit a Legal Finance Manager for a Legal 500 firm based in Blackpool.

Your role encompasses overseeing and managing the day-to-day accounting and legal cashier operations. This will include ensuring efficient procedures aligned with regulatory requirements, maintaining financial records, and providing crucial financial support.

Key Responsibilities include:

- Managing the firm’s finances

- Preparing management reports, cashflows, expenses, budgets and other management information required by the directors

- Monitoring income and expenditure against budgets

- Maintaining office and client ledgers

- Daily banking and legal cashiering duties

- Process client and office payments, including fees, invoices and disbursements/anticipated disbursements

- Overseeing the firm’s credit control and updating policy/procedures

- Handle client and office bank accounts, reconciling them regularly

- Ensure compliance with legal accounting regulations, AML, Solicitors Accounts Rules and best practices and provide training on financial compliance policy

- Prepare and submit monthly financial reports

- Provide accountants with relevant information for annual financial accounts

- Manage petty cash and office expenses

- Handle and/or assist with month-end and year-end financial reports and reconciliations

- Invoicing clients for services rendered and chasing overdue payments owed

- Submitting quarterly VAT returns for the organisation through the government's online portal

- Bookkeeping and/or cross-checking or updating invoice records

- Maintain accurate and organised financial records

- Collaborate with legal professionals on financial matters

- Liaising with compliance officers, clients, operations team, auditors, accountants, regulators, suppliers and banks

- Stay updated on changes in financial and legal regulations

- Assisting with the annual professional indemnity insurance renewal process

- Contribute to the development of the firm’s financial policies and procedures and provide training to fee earners

- Meet with fee earners to review matter lists, billing and financial compliance and carry out staff performance reviews in line with the firm’s annual appraisal cycles

- Handling other non-finance administrative duties , including administrative tasks related to human resources

-To assist generally the Directors with any matter that may arise to ensure the smooth running of the department

Qualifications:

- Good academic background

- At least 2 years’ experience in legal finance and/or legal cashiering

- Knowledge of legal accounting software and IT skills

- Strong understanding of Solicitors' Accounts Rules and financial regulations relevant to the legal industry.

- Attention to detail and accuracy in financial record-keeping

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

- Ability to work effectively in a team, manage a team and develop/motivate staff

An attractive salary and benefits package is on offer including casual dress, employee mentoring programme, on-site parking and sick pay