ePMO Finance Analyst (12-Month Fixed Term Contract) in Manchester

Are you an experienced finance professional with a keen eye for detail and a passion for financial governance within a dynamic project environment? Freshfields is seeking a talented ePMO Finance Analyst to join our core Enterprise PMO team. In this critical role, you will be instrumental in ensuring robust financial governance of the firm’s Annual Investment Portfolio, collaborating with project managers and finance teams across various functions.

As an ePMO Finance Analyst, you will play a central role in supporting and assuring the financial management of Freshfields’ investments. Reporting to the ePMO Finance Manager, you will work closely with project managers and senior stakeholders to ensure our investment portfolio is managed with precision and transparency. Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing the monthly financial cycle for projects, encompassing accruals, cost reclassifications, capitalisation, and prepayments.
• Reviewing project transactional data to ensure accuracy and quality.
• Developing and maintaining project cost and forecast models for designated projects.
• Updating portfolio-level reporting with monthly actuals and forecasts, providing insightful movement analysis.
• Collaborating with senior functional resources to review project portfolios monthly.
• Supporting the forecasting and cost tracking for property projects.
• Contributing financial expertise to the annual investment budget process and accounting treatment assumptions.
• Providing crucial financial support and assurance for business cases and funding drawdowns.
• Assisting in delivering finance-related training to wider project resources.
• Supplying ad hoc project finance information to third parties, including tax and audit.

This role offers significant exposure, working on behalf of the Global Transformation Director who reports directly to Freshfields’ Senior Leadership and Managing Partners.

We are seeking a proactive, resilient, and adaptable finance professional with strong communication and analytical skills. The ideal candidate will possess:

• At least 3 years of experience in finance roles, with a degree or equivalent qualification.
• Proficiency in financial software tools and a solid understanding of cost ledger coding.
• Comprehensive knowledge of key accounting mechanisms such as accruals, prepayments, capitalisation, and amortisation.
• The ability to analyse large volumes of data using tools like MS Excel and Power BI, drawing clear and actionable conclusions.
• Excellent presentation skills, capable of producing professional reports and communicating complex financial data to diverse audiences, including non-finance professionals.
• A strong initiative to identify and implement process improvements.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and management skills across various seniority levels.
• The ability to manage time effectively and adapt to changing business priorities, working autonomously when required.
• A "can-do" attitude with strong problem-solving capabilities.

Experience working in a PMO function or a dedicated project finance role, an understanding of project benefits, and knowledge of project lifecycles or management principles are desirable. Proficiency with the Office365 platform, particularly advanced Excel skills, and an understanding of how AI might leverage process improvements are also highly valued.

Join Freshfields and become part of a global, forward-thinking organisation that champions innovation, collaboration, and a people-first approach. We are committed to fostering an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone feels they belong. As an ePMO Finance Analyst, you will benefit from extensive opportunities for continuous learning, professional development, and career advancement within a leading international law firm. We empower our people with the tools and support needed to excel, ensuring you can make a tangible and impactful contribution to our strategic financial governance.

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered on the basis of their merit alone. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK in the role in question and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing. Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only if and when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case-by-case basis and take a number of relevant factors into account (e.g. the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.