Overview: Salary: c. $250,000 - $300,000 with some flexibility depending on experience Location: Sydney CBD Flexibility : Hybrid flexibility, with strong office presence encouraged early Industry: Legal / Professional Services Focus: Commercial finance leadership, partner engagement, profitability, team uplift and future finance function design Background: Must have Partnership Exposure – so law firms, chartered accounting or other partner-led professional services environments The Opportunity This is one of those roles where the title only tells part of the story. On paper, it is a Head of Finance role for a large national law firm. In reality, it is a genuine opportunity to work directly with the National Managing Partner and help shape how finance supports the next stage of the firm’s evolution. The firm has grown steadily over recent years, with a broader national footprint, a more complex operating environment, and increasing demand from the partnership for sharper commercial insight. Finance has done a lot with a lean structure, but the business has reached the point where the function needs more leadership capacity, more commercial rhythm, and more strategic firepower. That is where this role comes in. This is not simply a “keep the lights on and close the month” finance seat. Yes, the fundamentals matter. Controls, reporting, cash, compliance and financial discipline all need to be well managed. But the real value in this appointment sits in the commercial layer: profitability analysis, partner conversations, practice group performance, structural improvement, business insight and helping senior leadership make better decisions. You will be working closely with a National Managing Partner who recognises the firm needs to progress and is looking for a finance leader who can work alongside him to help make that happen. There is also a clear future build piece. The current structure is lean, and part of the opportunity will be helping design what the next version of the finance function should look like. That may include strengthening the qualified finance layer, creating more depth beneath this role, and ensuring the function has the right capability to support a business of this scale. For someone who enjoys professional services, partnership dynamics, commercial influence and the occasional need to say “we probably need to do this differently”, this is a very strong brief. Role Profile Reporting closely to the National Managing Partner, you will lead the finance function and act as a senior commercial adviser to the firm. Your remit will include: Leading the national finance function, setting clear standards across reporting, governance, controls, performance and stakeholder service. Providing commercial finance leadership to the partnership, including profitability analysis, practice group insight, performance trends and clear decision support. Partnering with the National Managing Partner and senior leadership team on structural improvement, business planning and longer-term finance priorities. Improving visibility across revenue, profitability, cash, working capital, cost drivers and emerging financial risks. Leading and developing a diverse finance team while assessing the future structure required to create greater depth, capability and succession across the function. Overseeing core finance operations, including month-end, reporting, budgeting, forecasting, compliance and cash management. Supporting partner finance, partnership-related analysis and clear communication with a broad partner group. Working across a complex national structure with multiple entities, intercompany arrangements and a broad stakeholder environment. Playing a key leadership role in longer-term finance transformation, including future systems review and potential system change over the coming years. This role will suit someone who can operate across both the commercial and operational layers of finance. You do not need to be the person processing every journal, but you do need to understand what good looks like, know where the risks sit, and be able to build the right structure around you. Successful Candidate Profile We are looking for a senior finance professional who understands partner-led environments and knows how to influence smart, capable, sometimes demanding stakeholders. The ideal background will include: Senior finance leadership experience within a law firm, professional services firm, partnership, chartered accounting firm or similarly stakeholder-heavy environment. Strong commercial finance capability, including profitability analysis, management reporting, budgeting, forecasting and performance insight. Confidence working directly with partners, executives, practice leaders or other senior fee earners. The ability to challenge constructively. This firm does not need a passenger, but it also does not need a bulldozer. Firm, diplomatic and commercially credible is the brief. Experience leading and developing finance teams, including building capability, improving accountability and mentoring emerging talent. Strong understanding of professional services economics, ideally including revenue, matter/client profitability, WIP, cash, recovery, utilisation, partner reporting or similar commercial drivers. The confidence to assess a finance function and identify what needs to change structurally, operationally and commercially. A collaborative leadership style. The finance team is diverse, capable and established in parts, but will benefit from someone who can coach, involve, guide and lift standards. This could suit someone already operating as a Head of Finance, Finance Director, Financial Controller or senior finance 2IC in a larger professional services environment who is ready for broader ownership. It may also suit someone coming from a larger law firm, global professional services firm or accounting practice who wants more direct influence, more access to decision-makers and a genuine opportunity to help shape the future rather than simply execute decisions made elsewhere. Why This Role Is Worth Considering Direct access to the National Managing Partner and genuine senior leadership visibility. A commercial finance mandate, not just an operational reporting role. A national law firm environment with scale, complexity and a steady growth profile. A finance function that has clear scope to evolve, rather than one that is already fixed in place. The opportunity to shape future finance capability, including structure, people, process and systems. A partnership that listens to advice, thinks about it properly and values strong commercial input. A role where finance can influence the direction of the firm, not just report on what happened last month. Apply Now If you meet the key criteria and believe you're a strong fit for the role, please apply now or contact Liam Hassell at Recruitment Labs on 61 for a confidential discussion. Please note: candidates must be currently based in Australia with full Australian working rights to be considered. About Recruitment Labs Recruitment Labs is a specialist accounting & finance search firm built on a simple belief: the right hire can change everything. We partner with businesses across Australia and New Zealand to build teams that are aligned to your strategy, culture and commercial goals. We understand how the best finance functions fit together, where the real difference-makers are, and how to build high-performing teams. Visit us: . SCR-liam-hassell-1
