At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic finance team, driving profitability and strategic pricing initiatives.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking firm in Bristol with a focus on growth and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and opportunities for career advancement.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive environment that values innovation and teamwork.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by influencing business decisions and shaping financial strategies.
- Qualifications: Qualified accountant with 7 years PQE and experience in leading finance teams.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
We are recruiting for a Lead Commercial Business Partner to join our Finance team in Bristol. This is a new and exciting role which brings the opportunity to be part of a growing commercial business partnering function. Key to the delivery of the firm’s profitability and pricing strategies, this role is an opportunity to have a real influence on the business. You will be a true partner, building close relationships with senior management in order to gain a strong fundamental understanding of operations, analysing and modelling to identify opportunities, working with management to build plans to capitalise on these, and being a key part of delivery within a cross functional team.
Your Role
- To support the Head Of Commercial Business Partnering in coaching and developing a team of Commercial Business Partners, to ensure they are performing at the highest level as commercial trusted advisors, employee champions and change agents; meeting the firm's needs in a rapidly changing and demanding environment.
- To act as a key contributor within the Finance senior management team, leading and contributing expertise to key projects and providing direction on strategy and operational plans to colleagues.
- To act as an effective deputy when the Head of Commercial Business Partnering is unavailable.
- To develop strong business relationships and to be recognised as a trusted commercial advisor to Group and Team Leaders.
- Responsible for sharing expertise and acting as a coach and/or mentor to support the development of Finance colleagues.
- Plays a lead part in assigned fee-earning group’s management meetings.
- To play a key role in onboarding partner lateral hires into the Firm.
- To develop the relationship with the FP&A team to champion a cohesive delivery of finance support.
- To challenge existing ways of working to ensure the CBP team are ‘fit for purpose’ to achieve the aligned strategic goals.
- To foster excellent inter team working relationships, developing established ways of working with the Business Development, Legal Technology and Legal Project Management teams, to leverage combined commercial support.
Pricing, Profitability and Performance
- To deliver insight, analysis and recommendations to Group and Team Leaders in relation to current performance.
- To ensure monthly and quarterly reviews are delivered on a timely and consistent basis.
- To directly support partners in modelling strategic and tactical pricing proposals, supporting the Firm’s profitability.
- To drive consistency of approach and promotion of best practice in pricing for panel pitches and individual matters.
- To oversee consistent delivery of targets relating to all elements of the working capital cycle.
- To provide timely updates to Team and Group Leads on key areas of time recording, WIP creation and conversion.
- To ensure corrective action is taken.
- Takes a lead on the exploration and promotion of Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs) and how these are woven into pricing proposals, including adopting novel solutions to meet client needs while delivering improved profitability for the firm.
- Work with the Legal Project Management and Legal Technology teams to design and implement methodologies to ensure AFA matters meet projected cost bases and to monitor the efficiency of the work done on those projects.
- Attend client meetings to discuss Pricing and Value Add proposals.
- Oversees budgeting process for all aligned Groups.
Growth and Development
- To gain a deep knowledge and understanding of their aligned Group(s), using this to proactively identify internal/external influences, risks and opportunities and anticipate the needs of key stakeholders.
- Working with the Senior CBPs to spot trends and examples of poor practice or procedure across Group and challenging and coaching the Partners and senior management team to improve.
- To build and maintain strong internal and external networks across the Firm and Finance profession.
- Assist in delivering fee earner commercial training programmes.
Your Skills and Experience
- An experienced Lead or Senior Commercial Business Partner with a track record of operating at a senior level within a Finance team.
- A Qualified accountant (CIMA, ACA, ACCA) with 7 years PQE, or equivalent.
- Experience of leading and managing a high performing team of Finance professionals.
- Significant experience of driving improved business insight across a sizeable commercial organisation.
- A broad base of knowledge gained across the finance function, including strong experience in an FP&A or business partnering role.
- Demonstrate experience of driving profitability improvement by influencing senior stakeholder’s business decisions and working cross functionally.
- Experience of presenting at board level meetings.
- Proven ability to quickly build credible working relationships, based on mutual trust, with both internal and external clients at a senior level.
- Proven ability to influence, coach and challenge senior leaders.
- Demonstrates strong business/commercial approach and understanding of business needs.
- Robust, resilient, approachable and diplomatic communication skills, with the ability to present complex ideas and confidence to deal with challenging senior leaders.
- Strong project management and organisational skills, able to prioritise and manage multiple workstreams, meet deadlines and be responsive to changing priorities.
- Good IT skills with demonstrable experience of developing and maintaining complex financial models to drive commercial decisions.
- Excellence in commercial judgement, extending full consideration to ensuring both the Firm and client are at the heart of decision making.
- Ability to manage multiple initiatives and projects simultaneously.
- A willingness to travel to different UK locations to support offices across Great Britain.
Your Team
Our Finance and Procurement team are key to strategic decision making, providing key management information, data and analysis to ensure our business runs smoothly and that we comply with all our statutory and regulatory obligations. To do this effectively, these teams take responsibility for billing, payments, credit control, purchasing, client accounting, commercial business partnering, reporting, sourcing, buying and more.
Lead Finance Business Partner employer: TLT LLP
Contact Detail:
TLT LLP Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Finance Business Partner
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the finance industry. Attend events, join online forums, or even hit up LinkedIn. The more connections you make, the better your chances of landing that Lead Finance Business Partner role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company and its culture, and think about how your experience aligns with their needs. Be ready to discuss how you can drive profitability and improve business insight – they’ll want to see your commercial acumen in action!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your soft skills! As a Lead Commercial Business Partner, building relationships is key. Practice articulating how you've influenced senior stakeholders and fostered collaboration in previous roles. They’ll be looking for someone who can communicate effectively and build trust.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team. Let’s get you that dream job!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Finance Business Partner
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Lead Finance Business Partner role. Highlight your relevant experience and skills that align with the job description, especially your ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive profitability.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you've made a difference in previous roles. Use metrics where possible to demonstrate your impact on profitability and business insight.
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We want to see who you are beyond your qualifications. Share your passion for finance and how you can contribute to our team culture at StudySmarter.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure it gets into the right hands and shows your enthusiasm for joining our growing team!
How to prepare for a job interview at TLT LLP
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Lead Finance Business Partner, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive profitability in previous roles. Prepare examples of how you've influenced pricing strategies or improved financial performance.
✨Build Relationships
This role is all about collaboration. Think about how you can showcase your ability to build strong relationships with senior management. Prepare anecdotes that highlight your experience in coaching and mentoring others, as well as how you've successfully navigated cross-functional teams.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Be prepared to discuss your approach to strategic planning and operational improvements. Think of specific instances where you've identified opportunities for growth or efficiency. Highlight your experience in presenting at board level and how you've influenced decision-making processes.
✨Demonstrate Adaptability
The finance landscape is always changing, so it's crucial to show that you're adaptable. Prepare to discuss how you've responded to changes in the market or within your organisation. Share examples of how you've challenged existing practices to ensure your team remains 'fit for purpose' in a dynamic environment.