Head of Partnership Accounts

Our client, a prestigious international law firm, is seeking a Head of Partnership Accounts to lead a high-performing sub team within their Partner Financial Affairs function. This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of a broad and impactful portfolio of work, supporting the firm\’s global partnership structure.

This is a global position overseeing the partner finance and partner accounts functions across 30 offices in 20 countries. You\’ll be joining a collaborative and well-established team of 10 professionals (5 Tax Advisers and 5 Partnership Accountants), reporting directly to the Head of Partner Financial Affairs. The wider Accounts department comprises around 70 individuals, based in London.

The Head of Partnership Accounts will be responsible for managing the full partner accounting function. This includes determining how, when, and how much partners are paid, overseeing all calculations, tracking and posting profit allocations, managing capital contributions and partner loans, and handling financial processes for joiners and leavers. The role involves regular calls and meetings with partners to explain financial structures and decisions. This is a hands-on position, and the firm is clear that applicants will need to be comfortable and happy to get involved in the detail and day-to-day work.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of 5 Partnership Accountants.
• Oversee all partnership accounting workstreams including:
• Drawings and distributions
• Capital contributions
• Cashflows and annual statements
• Profit allocations
• Partner joiners, leavers, and secondees
• Monitor team capacity and delegate effectively through weekly meetings.
• Manage team development, appraisals, and career progression.
• Act as the primary contact for internal departments such as Partner HR.
• Handle day-to-day accounting for selected offices, including those with complex structures.
• Lead reviews of key deliverables and support team members to meet deadlines.
• Drive new office set-ups and coordinate strategic projects to improve systems and processes.

Experience required

The successful person must come from a law firm background-this is non-negotiable with a wealth of experience in Partnership Accounts as well as having experience managing or supervising staff.

The Head of Partnership Accounts will be expected to manage workflows, triage new work, and contribute directly to the preparation and review of financial materials. While the firm is open to people who are not currently at head-of-level, they must be technically strong and confident in their ability to lead and support the team.

Personality fit is crucial. The firm is looking for someone who is grounded, collaborative, and eager to drive the team forward without upsetting the existing dynamic. The right person will be open-minded, respectful, and enthusiastic about contributing to a well-established team.

They are looking for someone who is down-to-earth, a team player and someone who will see this as a long-term role and will be committed to the development of the team.

The standard hybrid policy is three days in-office, but flexibility is possible for the right person.

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