Chief Financial Officer

Company: Marten Law LLP
Location: Seattle
Posted on: November 15, 2024

Job Description:

Overview:Marten enjoys a national reputation as a leader in environmental, energy, and natural resource law. Our team of lawyers includes recognized authorities in air quality, water resources and water quality, climate change, wind and solar development, endangered species, forestry, public lands, fisheries, environmental cleanup, and environmental and energy project review and permitting. The firm has grown from its roots in the Pacific Northwest and today practices globally.All of that said, the firm has never employed a Chief Financial Officer. It has grown to the point where it recognizes that need and it is highly focused on growing its practice nationally and internationally. This is therefore a challenging opportunity to professionalize a business that has grown organically and needs greater structure and financial management.The successful candidate will be a member of the firm's management team, reporting to its equity owners and senior management team. The CFO will be expected to serve on its Executive Management Team and to manage other professionals. This position will be based in Seattle. The successful applicant will be expected to work in the Seattle office five days per week and to occasionally travel.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Communicate business insights to our owners and management team in a way that helps them improve the firm's profitability.
• Provide leadership in the development and continuous evaluation of short and long-term strategic financial objectives (including the development of appropriate performance metrics).
• Supervise and mentor members of the accounting department.
• Maintain open communication with senior management and equity partners so that they are up to date with all pertinent business issues.
• Develop, evaluate and implement financial management tools, including tools using the firm's cloud-based legal accounting/firm practice management software platform to timely report performance on all key law firm metrics, including profitability, forecasting, utilization, A/R, A/P, unbilled work in progress, budget to actual on both hours and expenditures, as well as other key client data.
• Oversee payroll reporting and related tax compliance. Work with outside CPA firm on all federal, state and local tax reporting and compliance requirements.
• Ensure effective internal controls and timely production of financial statements.
• Review and manage large accounts receivable and unbilled work in progress to maximize collection and billing efforts.
• Maintain positive relationship with firm's primary financial institutions in order to maximize the firm's cash management and keep all loans, lines of credit and other financial obligations current and in conformity with the agreements and restrictive covenants.
• Ensure the firm has adequate insurance protection for the risk tolerance defined by the firm's objectives.
• Protect firm assets by ensuring that internal accounting controls are present where appropriate and that such controls are monitored and enforced.Position Responsibilities:
  • Financial reporting - both internal and external
  • Forecasting, budgeting and planning
  • Financial transaction analysis and reporting
  • Managing vendor relationships and other firm contracts
  • Client pre-bill and invoice creation, editing, and submission via USPS, email, and/or client websites
  • Overseeing payables and receivables
  • Insurance
  • Banking - including credit cards, operating and trust accounts transfers, ACH payments, etc.
  • Tax planning and compliance (in coordination with outside tax accountants)Specific Requirements:
    • Experience growing a multi-state and/or international professional service firm.
    • Strong strategic-thinking ability and business acumen, sound and consistent business judgment, entrepreneurial mindset.
    • CPA or MBA from a leading business program strongly preferred.
    • Minimum of 10 years of experience; preference for law firm leadership background.
    • High level of professional integrity and accountability.
    • Outstanding communication skills (written, verbal and presentation) with the ability to successfully advise senior management and favorably reflect the firm's image to outside parties.
    • Exceptional ability to build credibility quickly and develop and maintain effective working relationships with individuals at all levels within the firm.
    • Demonstrated ability to prioritize, move things forward and get things done.
    • Positive, upbeat personality with creative problem-solving skills.
    • Extensive experience and understanding of time and billing software systems required; strong preference for significant experience with SurePoint LMS or other Microsoft SQL based law firm management software such as ProLaw or Juris.
    • Advanced Excel skills.
    • Experience with creating and using budgeting and forecasting models to prepare annual operating budgets, model year-end discretionary expenditure scenarios and prepare pro forma financials for strategic planning.
    • Demonstrated success influencing decisions based on the use of data and other analytical tools.You can expect the following:
      • Rapid growth.
      • An opportunity for incentive compensation if certain growth objectives are achieved.
      • An exempt position, in-office, working Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and some work outside normal business hours.
      • Working directly with the firm's ownership and executive team.
      • A minimum annual salary and bonus structure of $250,000 or more commensurate with experience.
      • A full benefits package, which includes medical and dental insurance, paid time off, a 401(k) with employer match, family leave, a transportation subsidy, health club and internet subsidy, an employee assistance program, life insurance, and long-term and short-term disability policies.You can expect a respectful, diverse working environment:
        • Marten recognizes the importance of recruiting talented professionals from the widest possible range of backgrounds. Environmental issues cannot be decoupled with discrimination issues, and we believe a core tenet of addressing systematic racism and discrimination is through representation. We continue to work towards our goal of employing a more representative, diverse staff through our hiring process. We evaluate each applicant as an individual, and consider not only their experience, but also their potential.
        • The firm is an equal opportunity employer. We believe every employee has the right to work in an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination. Consistent with applicable laws, the firm makes all decisions involving any aspect of the employment relationship without regard to race; color; gender orientation and identity; religion; age; marital status; national origin, citizenship or immigration status; the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability; genetic information; honorably discharged veteran or military status; family relationship or status; political ideology; status as a victim of violent crime including domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, or stalking; off-duty use of illegal substances; or any status or characteristic not listed above that is protected by applicable local, state, or federal law. Discrimination and/or harassment based on any of those factors are inconsistent with our business philosophy and will not be tolerated.Applicants must be able to pass a background check and drug test and are expected to be truthful in all respects throughout the interview process.
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Keywords: Marten Law LLP, Lacey , Chief Financial Officer, Executive , Seattle, Washington