Farrer & Co is synonymous with the highest quality legal advice and service. We advise individuals, families, businesses, financial services, educational and not-for-profit organisations on every aspect of the law, wherever the need arises. From our offices in London we work with trusted professionals around the world to deliver a seamless international service. Our clients present us with complex and varied challenges. Whether that's a complicated family trust issue, a multinational corporate transaction, or an emerging threat to their reputation, they need clear thinkers who can advise on the best solutions, fast thinkers when speed is of the essence and agile thinkers who can produce a fresh approach to get the job done. That's why they choose us. Our clients value our in-depth knowledge, technical excellence and diversity of disciplines. But what really binds our long-standing relationships with them is our approach: pragmatic, plain speaking and always steadfast in our values, which we hold dear. Values which mean we gain our clients' trust, always strive to do the right thing, and aim for the best results for them. Superb client service sits at the heart of everything we do. We are modern lawyers with timeless values. The Team The team is responsible for the development and overall control of all matters relating to the firm's financial policies, financial affairs and administration. Scope The Finance Assistant is an integral member of the team delivering accurate and high-quality financial analysis, reporting and advice to the wider business. They provide support primarily to the Management Accountant and Senior Finance Manager but also to the wider Finance team including the CFO. Responsibilities Maintain financial records to assist the Management Accountant in the preparation of the monthly management accounts. Help to manage the firm’s monthly balance sheet position through the Practice Management System (Aderant) including maintenance of appropriate controls and undertaking reconciliations to supporting ledgers. Assist Business Services Directors and other Managers on various accounting queries including Client/Sector billing analysis for Business Development and analysis of other expenditure and budget activity. Assist fee earners with various queries in relation to obtaining and understanding relevant personal statistics from the firm’s financial information systems, including conducting inductions for new joiners. Maintain and update accurate fee earner records in the financial systems (Aderant), including rates and personal targets, liaising with HR to verify relevant data and explaining adjustments to fee earners where necessary. Responsible for completing monthly, quarterly and annual legal industry benchmark surveys and Office for National Statistics submissions. Support the Management Accountant and Senior Finance Manager with ad-hoc requests for financial analysis including quarterly finance presentation slides, client performance and profitability, pricing for pitches and appraisal and promotion assessment data. Contribute to the smooth running of the overall Finance department which includes providing cover for colleagues as necessary, looking for opportunities to improve processes and proactively engage with change projects to deliver improvements to the wider business. Skills and Experience Part-qualified accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA) preferred or looking to study towards CIMA or ACCA. Experience of working in professional services, particularly legal industry preferred but not essential. Excellent organisational skills and able to effectively manage workloads particularly in times of conflicting deadlines and busy periods. Ability to work without supervision, proactive and prepared to use initiative. Confident, with excellent communication skills and a sensitive approach to confidential information where necessary. Special aspects The normal hours of work are 9.30am – 5.30pm but it is essential to be committed, flexible and prepared to work beyond the normal office hours when necessary and in response to client demand. Farrer & Co operates an agile working framework under which members of the firm are expected to spend at least 40% of their working hours in the office. This is a minimum expectation: individuals may elect or be asked or expected to work more frequently in the office, depending on circumstance. Farrer & Co is an equal opportunity employer which welcomes applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We look to employ the best candidates regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other protected characteristic. We are keen to ensure candidates have the best interview experience possible. If you require any adjustments during the interview or application process, please let the recruitment team know. Comments Farrer & Co conducts a pre-employment screening which consists of a Criminal History Background and Credit Check for successful candidates.