Finance & Compliance Manager - Legal Practice (onsite) in Windsor

Our client, a long-established, reputable, growing legal firm at £8 million turnover, two offices with 40 employees, specializing in commercial, family, divorce & property / residential conveyancing law, based in Windsor, Berkshire, with an additional office in Surrey, are actively seeking to replace a Finance & Compliance Manager to deal with all day-to-day finance responsibilities effectively up to Trial Balance level, in addition to satisfying legal SRA & COFA compliance responsibilities within this multi-partner firm.

This role will also involve managing an Accounts Assistant who will focus on the ledgers, and be involved with their continued development, as the firm expands in the future. This role is pivotal in both assuming all accounting responsibilities internally within the firm and both offices, but more so ensuring regulatory compliance with SRA (Solicitors' Accounts Rules) & COFA - ensuring the firms' commitment to both legal & professional sector standards and obligations, but also working closely with Partners and fee-earners, overseeing billing, reporting, risk management and legal compliance.

This is a full-time, onsite role suited to those with directly relevant legal sector experience either in a finance or Practice Manager capacity in the UK, either AAT / ACA / CIMA / ACCA part-qualified or active studiers, along with those qualified by experience - though current / recent experience in a UK legal firm is essential for this role, to ensure demonstrable knowledge of SRA & COFA regulations, which this firm holds to exacting standards and keen for this recognition to continue.

Candidate Responsibilities:

• Ensure full compliance across the spectrum of SRA rules, GDPR, AML, COFA and other regulatory frameworks within UK legal finance and compliance standards.
• Assume full ownership of the finance / accounts department, including income, expenditure and budget control.
• Take ownership of both ledgers - AP & AR - managing the Accounts Assistant and the full billing cycle, ensuring accurate, timely invoicing.
• Monitor payments and assume ownership of aged debt and all outstanding balances in credit control, along with the Accounts Assistant.
• Provide regular reports and commercial insights into the financial health of the firm, reporting into the Managing Partners and liaising effectively and professionally with all fee-earners.
• Produce regular financial reports to support overall firm strategic decision-making.
• Ensure full compliance with all SRA legal commitments / standards from an accounting perspective and also full legal operational compliance.
• Posting of monthly journals (accruals, prepayments, payroll).
• Process VAT returns.
• Manage payroll processing and PAYE / NI payments, perform bank reconciliations.
• Manage SAR audits and liaise effectively with HMRC and Banks.
• Manage professional indemnity insurance and other business-wide policies.
• Provide support to fee-earners with client onboarding and KYC processes.
• Act as the main contact for finance audits and regulatory reviews.

Candidate Requirements:

• Part or fully qualified AAT / ACA / CIMA / ACCA - or qualified by experience.
• Applicants must have current or recent experience within a UK legal firm either as a Practice Manager or Finance Manager - with knowledge and demonstrable experience applying COFA / SRA rules within a finance & compliance context.
• Be an effective, strong communicator, with the soft skills to work effectively and professionally with both Managing Partners and fee-earners across the business.
• Have experience of dealing with both AP / AR ledgers end-to-end, ideally in a sole finance role or as part of a small finance team for a legal firm in UK.
• Be confident and willing to take ownership of the finance function, up to Trial Balance level - with an outsourced audit firm contracted for Year-End accounts.
• Be based in or near Windsor, Berkshire with a willingness to work fully onsite.