Head of Operational Finance

Fieldfisher is a European law firm with market‑leading practices in technology, financial services, energy & natural resources, and life sciences. With offices across Europe, China, and the US, we are known for our collaborative culture, entrepreneurial mindset, and commitment to delivering exceptional client service.

Following continued growth, there is an ongoing need to modernise and evolve the finance function to support a dynamic and expanding partnership. We are seeking a commercially focused Head of Operational Finance to join our London office, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing operational finance across the firm, working closely with the Head of Commercial Finance and Head of Pricing to drive transformation across processes, systems, and reporting. The role will play a key part in enhancing efficiency, improving insight, and supporting strategic decision‑making across the European finance function.

You will lead the Financial Controller, Group Accounting, Finance Projects, and wider operational finance teams, with the core function primarily based in Belfast and senior leadership in London.

• Oversee the production of monthly management accounts, including P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow, working closely with UK and international teams
• Review and present financial performance, variance analysis, and key insights to senior stakeholders, including Partners and budget holders
• Lead the preparation of annual financial statements and manage the audit process, including Audit Committee engagement
• Ensure robust financial controls, including reconciliation of control and intercompany accounts
• Enhance management reporting, focusing on automation, KPIs, and delivering actionable commercial insights
• Support budgeting and forecasting processes in collaboration with Commercial Finance
• Provide analytical support for strategic decision‑making and performance tracking

• Oversee partner accounting, including capital, drawings, and current accounts
• Work closely with Partnership Tax to ensure alignment on partner financial positions and obligations

• Act as the key finance lead for systems, driving improvements in Microsoft Dynamics and Power BI reporting
• Partner with finance projects and IT teams to enhance data quality, reporting, and dashboard capabilities
• Identify and implement opportunities for automation and technology‑enabled efficiencies, including AI
• Support system integration and finance set‑up for new office openings and initiatives
• Lead and develop operational finance teams across locations, including regular engagement with the Belfast team
• Build strong relationships across European finance teams, supporting a more integrated finance function
• Promote best practice, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing across teams
• Support training, development, and embedding ESG principles within the function

• Partner closely with the CFO and finance leadership on strategic initiatives and transformation programmes
• Collaborate with wider business services teams to align finance with firm‑wide objectives
• Engage with senior stakeholders, including attendance at board meetings where required

• Professionally qualified accountant with strong experience operating in a senior finance role within a law firm environment
• A solid understanding of legal finance operations, including the link between operational finance, client accounts, and partnership structures
• Experience gained either leading finance within a smaller, growing firm or operating as a Financial Controller within a larger, more complex organisation, with a desire to step into a broader, more strategic role as part of a progression towards CFO level
• Strong technical and commercial capability, with the ability to interpret financial information and translate it into clear, actionable insight for senior stakeholders
• Proven track record of improving processes, enhancing reporting, and driving efficiencies across finance functions
• Effective leadership skills, with…