Practice Group / Department:
Client Financial Decision Support Job Description
We’re Norton Rose Fulbright - a global law firm with over 50 offices and 7,000 employees worldwide. We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. At Norton Rose Fulbright, our strategy and our culture are closely entwined. We know that our expansion will mean little unless it is underpinned by truly global collaboration and we understand that pioneering work only takes place when our people have room to move and think beyond boundaries. As well as the relevant skills and experience, we’re looking for people who are innovative, commercial and value the work that they do.
The Role
This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual who wishes to be part of a progressive, proactive and customer-centric team. The successful candidate will play an integral part in driving forward the continuous improvement agenda for the Commercial Finance and Revenue Operations function and its collaboration with other business support professionals. You will be an experienced pricing professional, with strong communication and soft skills, excellent team leadership and able to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders alike.
In conjunction with Commercial Finance colleagues, the Senior Manager, Pricing and Commercial Insights will support the development and execution of the firm’s pricing agenda ensuring the necessary benchmarking, analytical tools and capabilities exist to support firm and finance departmental strategies.
The Commercial Finance and Revenue Operations function and our focus
Part of EMEAPAC Group Finance, the Commercial Finance and Revenue Operations function encompasses Client Financial Decision Support (which includes Pricing & Commercial Insights and Client Finance Support), Finance Business Partnering (strategic financial business management and financial planning and analysis activities), Finance Business Intelligence and Revenue Operations. The team supports NRF leadership and wider stakeholder groups to run a successful legal practice by providing financial leadership, timely insights and initiatives designed to improve commercial confidence and decision-making quality.
Key Responsibilities
*Management and development of the Pricing and Commercial Insights team, fostering an inclusive, collaborative and high-performance culture aligned to the aims of the wider Finance function. Ensuring consistent and excellent technical pricing and commercial guidance is delivered by the team across the business
*Advise Partners of ways to maximise the value of client relationships through different pricing techniques, modelling the financial impact and viability of proposed pricing arrangements and challenging key decision makers when appropriate. Supporting Partners with client facing engagements where needed
*Supporting the Head of Client Financial Decision Support and the Finance Director in developing and executing the firm’s new pricing framework
*Business partnering with Client Relationship Partners and the Client Development team to provide financial and commercial support, plan deployment and investment to help drive profitability
*Providing senior finance support on commercial improvement projects across EMEAPAC when and as required
*Maintaining a high level of visibility in serving as one of the firm’s senior subject matter experts for pricing and commercial related matters
*Leading on pricing team promotional efforts including presentations to key stakeholders to increase internal adoption and market awareness. Encourage broader and better use of the Firm’s tools to develop more profitable and consistent pricing approaches
*Developing and owning the provision of commercial training for all stakeholders involved in pricing proposals and approvals, advancing pricing as a strategic tool to build and enhance client relationships
*Assist Partners in the development of budgets and monitoring against actual performance for matters, particularly complex litigation work where more detailed project management support may be required. The Senior Pricing Manager will act as an advocate and agent for adopting effective legal project management discipline where necessary
*Support the Head of Client Financial Decision Support on the annual review of standard rates and cost rates to ensure profitability maximisation with appropriate consideration of practice mix and market realities as well as compensation and other costs
*Ensuring strong working relationships with other support functions, in particular Business Development and Bids leads to establish, promote and maintain policies and processes required for effective management of pricing for transactions, bids and panel appointments.
*Keep abreast of industry pricing practices, particularly for major competitors, and assess key trends. Providing thought leadership around the pricing of AI in the legal industry, ensuring Norton Rose Fulbright remains in the leading group of firms
*In conjunction with other business support professionals, provide advice to stakeholders in relation to improving matter financial performance through the provision of post matter financial analysis and associated pricing and business information
*Collaboration and support on any ad hoc commercial and pricing related initiatives as required by the Head of Client Financial Decision Support and the Finance Director
Key Skills and Experience
Essential:
*A minimum of 10 years relevant pricing experience, with at least five years experience in legal sector pricing
*Extensive experience of managing a team in a busy multi-jurisdictional professional services environment
*Strong commercial acumen and exceptional analysis and financial modelling skills
*Excellent written and verbal communication and has strength of personality to ensure the perspective of ’Finance’ is clearly communicated
*Excellent time management skills, able to manage stakeholders during times of conflicting deliverables. The ability to remain calm and focused under pressure
*Excellent soft skills including the ability to influence senior stakeholders and negotiate desired outcomes
*Hardworking, dedicated and an ambition to grow professionally
*A role model for junior staff who is committed to sharing knowledge and developing talentA collaborative team-player who is transparent and has a straight-forward approach. Experience of working with varied and cross-functional teams to deliver on bus