Manager of Accounting

Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard‑working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas to join us. Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

We are seeking a Manager of Accounting to join our Seattle office. The Manager of Accounting is responsible for the oversight of client billing, financial reporting, and the stewardship of trust accounts. They streamline processes, enhance reporting, and help to implement new technologies to boost efficiency. Their role includes managing the Billing Department’s daily operations, supervising staff, and serving as a point of contact for senior management.

They mentor their team, encourage professional development, and manage various projects. Additionally, they analyze financial data to support strategic decision‑making and contribute to firm‑wide financial initiatives.

Director of Administration, Office Managing Partner, Finance Department, lawyers, administrative staff

• Manages the daily accounting functions including planning, prioritizing, directing workflow, acting as a resource for questions, and interfacing with senior management.
• Manages the local billing team, providing mentoring, training and identifying professional development opportunities, conducting recruiting and performance evaluations, and setting and delivering exceptional client service standards for the team.
• Possesses a thorough understanding of bill generation, submission, and procedural cycles to coordinate billing activities, address inquiries, and optimize workflows. Oversees proper setup for complex matters, audits time/disbursements, generates and edits invoices, and maintains accurate financial charges.
• Develops and maintains consistent standards following internal guidelines and policies and assists with audits as needed.
• Works closely with several key firm clients and manages billing relationships with the same.
• Ensures that both internal and external customer questions or issues are responded to and resolved expeditiously to deliver excellent customer service.
• Develops ad‑hoc reports, charts, and analysis.
• Prepares and analyzes data to help guide financial decisions and direction.
• Handles responses to partners for historical client accounting information.
• Coordinates staff billing and e‑billing activities, including overseeing monthly e‑billing audit.
• Oversees trust process, acting as a resource for trust account questions, including preparing for and responding to local bar association audit requests.
• Prepares monthly financial reporting package with analysis for Director of Administration and Office Managing Partner; as well as ad‑hoc office‑level/timekeeper projection analysis.
• Participates in collection meetings and strategy sessions for the office, including reaching out to clients to resolve issues with past‑due invoices or e‑billing issues.
• Develops training for the billing team, lawyers and Practice Assistants on billing‑specific software, including third‑party e‑billing websites.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting preferred.
• 5–10 years of accounting and professional experience, with 5 years’ experience as a manager; previous law firm experience desired.
• Advanced level experience in 3E and Excel.
• Familiarity with Electronic Billing Platforms.
• Familiarity with general ledger chart of accounts.
• Ability to communicate and respond to inquiries/requests with diplomacy and tact.
• Ability to oversee multiple functions while leading and directing staff.
• Must be able to work independently.
• Ability to work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Understanding of financial accounting systems, preferably in a law firm setting.
• Experience with Microsoft Office software, including Excel.
• Financial reporting and report‑writing experience preferred.
• Extensive prior professional services billing experience required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to meet obligations with confidentiality, integrity and sensitivity.

$111,000 - $167,000

The compensation salary for this…