Head of Finance

Location: Hertfordshire

Head of Finance

This role reports to the Managing Partner and work directly with the partnership. You will lead a small finance team and work alongside practice leaders, rather than through layers of management. You will have the firm's practice-management and accounting systems, and the authority to improve reporting, controls, and cash routines. The setting is an established regional law firm serving business and private clients, with a preference for practical outcomes and sound professional standards.

Key responsibilties:

Produce monthly management accounts and a rolling forecast the partnership can use within agreed deadlines.
Improve cash by shortening work-in-progress, billing, and debtor cycles without harming client relationships.
Report practice-level profitability so leaders know which work creates value and which needs a different approach.
Lead the annual budget and scenario plans that support measured, sustainable growth.
Keep financial controls, compliance, and audit readiness fit for a regulated professional practice.
Give fee earners plain-English guidance on pricing, matter economics, and lock-up.
Build a small finance team that partners rely on for practical advice, not just reports.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).
Led finance in a partnership or professional-services firm, not only in a large corporate function.
Produced management accounts, forecasts, and cash reporting that a leadership team actually used.
Improved WIP, billing, debtors, or lock-up in a fee-earning business.
Explained financial choices clearly to non-finance partners and changed how they worked.
Comfortable doing the detailed work as well as leading it.

Why this role

Direct influence on how the partnership allocates time, people, and investment.
Breadth across reporting, cash, pricing, controls, and people leadership.
A stable client practice where finance advice is expected to be practical and proportionate.
Room to raise the standard of financial information as the firm grows