The posting
Company Description
About the Firm
We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.
Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.
Our one firm global strategy is focused on targeted growth led by the needs of our core clients, those who we can best support with the breadth and depth of Clifford Chance expertise, across the sectors and geographies, which matter most to them.
You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.
Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.
Job Description
The Finance team has the vision to be one global team connected within a robust control environment, collaborating to deliver value for clients and colleagues across the Firm.
We consider three end-to-end business cycles in the One Finance Team: Order to Cash (O2C), Record to Report (R2R), and Procure to Pay (P2P) which are supported by the specialist. This role is for the O2C business cycle.
Based in Luxembourg and reporting to the commercial Manager in Luxembourg you will be expected to support the Commercial teams in Luxembourg and Brussels, and work closely with Partners, Lawyers, and Practice Group Leaders from both offices.
You will play a key role in supporting colleagues across the matter lifecycle and in connecting specialists to support on matter delivery.
The specific aim of the role is to maximize billing and collections and minimize financial risks whilst aiming to achieve billing and collection targets and to minimize WIP and Debtors balances. A further key aspect of the role is to create and maintain a robust control environment around revenue control, ensuring existing and new international accounting standards (IFRS) as well as local LUXGAAP are met.
In managing working capital the role also involves assisting with billing and collection forecasts and the resolution of key issues. Therefore, the ability to understand the importance of billing and collection targets and their achievement in relation to the financial management of a large professional services firm is essential.
Key responsibilities:
- Be the end-to-end trusted advisor and business partnering support to the Partners you work with
- Analysis, preparation for, ownership and leadership of, Partner WIP and Debt meetings
- Proactive working capital management for the portfolio of matters and Partners you support
- First point of contact for Partners and a point of escalation for colleagues on commercial issues
- Highlight opportunities to leverage and proactively engage with the commercial support network (including Commercial Pricing Specialists, Legal Project Managers and Resource Managers)
- Building a network and working with Clients on commercial issues as a Financial Lead for local, regional and globally strategic clients
- Management of the workflow between Commercial Assistants
Training Commercial Assistants to ensure delivery of high-quality output and consistent service
Qualifications
What we are looking for
- A degree or equivalent qualification in Accounting, Finance, Business or a related field.
- Fluency in English and French, with strong written and verbal communication skills in both languages.
- Solid experience in a commercial finance role, ideally covering billing and collections within a professional services environment.
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, with a good understanding of working capital management and the order-to-cash process.
- Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, with the ability to quickly understand new concepts, systems and processes.
- High attention to detail and a proactive, solution-focused approach.
- Confidence working with and influencing stakeholders at all levels across the Firm.
- Advanced MS Office skills, particularly Excel.
- Experience with FIS GetPaid, InTapp Open and Oracle would be an advantage.
- Ability to work independently while remaining connected to both local and global teams.
- A flexible, can-do attitude and openness to change.
Additional Information
At Clifford Chance, we forge an inclusive culture, where diverse perspectives are recognised and valued. It’s a culture where everyone has equal access to opportunities to thrive and succeed. We are guided by our values-based Code, which sets high standards of conduct and has a principle focused on being inclusive.
We comply with the law and regulations in every location where we operate and we are committed to delivering fair and equal access to all applicants and employees irrespective of background. This applies across all aspects of employment from recruitment and selection to development, progression, and day-to-day working life.
Our global network of affinity, faith and support groups are open to all. These communities help to create an environment where everyone at the firm can feel they belong and can reach their full potential.
Find out more about our inclusive culture here.
