About Ashurst:

Ashurst is a leading global law firm with a history spanning almost 200 years, and clear strategy for our future growth. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing exceptional standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law.  To find out more please visit here

Our people are our greatest asset. We bring together lawyers of the highest calibre with the technical knowledge, industry experience and regional know-how to provide the incisive advice our clients need.  How we share our knowledge across our business, and with our clients, is critical in delivering value to our clients.

We currently have 27 offices in 16 countries and a number of referral relationships that enable us to offer the reach and insight of a global network, combined with the knowledge and understanding of local markets. With 420 partners and a further 1,450 lawyers working across 10 different time zones, we are able to respond to our clients wherever and whenever they need us.

Our clients value us for being approachable, astute and commercially minded. As a global team we have a reputation for successfully managing large and complex multi-jurisdictional transactions, disputes and projects, and delivering outstanding outcomes for clients in innovative ways.

Ashurst regards an inclusive and diverse environment as critical to its business success.  Accordingly, the firm encourages applications from candidates representative of all talent pools.  Find out more about our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy on the "About Us" section of our website.     

In order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks.  These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations.

Business Area: Central Management

Role: Senior Finance Operations Consultant

Location: Based in Ashurst’s Glasgow office.

Regular visits to the firm's London office will be required and possibly occasional visits to other offices

Reporting to: Operations Programme Director

Hours of work - Monday to Friday, 9:00 - 5:30, however will be required to work such hours as are necessary to carry out all duties 

Department/ Role Overview:

Ashurst is transforming the way it delivers Business Services and has set up a major transformation programme to deliver the changes.  The Senior Finance Operations Consultant will join this programme and will support the delivery of several workstreams.

As a design lead you will work with the Programme Team and Finance Operations to develop standardised global processes and services and where appropriate, to transfer these processes to our Global Delivery Centres in Glasgow and Brisbane.  Together with the WS Project Manager and the Change Team, you will also be responsible for implementing the changes within the Financial Operations Team and the Firm.

Finance Operations includes accounts payable, cashiering, procurement and working capital management.   

Main responsibilities:

• Work with the business analysts, shared service design leads and the Working Group to deliver the detailed ‘to be’ designs for processes and the organisation.
• Ensures the ‘to be’ design is signed off by the Working Groups and senior stakeholders within Finance
• Act as a lead in the identification and transfer of any services into the Global Delivery Centre
• Work with IT to ensure the system architecture supports the ‘to be’ design
• Work with the Head of Comms and Change to ensure that the change can be implemented successfully (identify people, operational and structural challenges)
• Work with the Head of Comms and Change to define the change plan
• Help deliver the change plan
• Define the benefits and work with the Programme Director and Finance to ensure there is a benefits realisation plan in place
• Escalation point for issues pertaining to their area of expertise
• Develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders and manage their needs and concerns
• Champion the programme within Ashurst and with their peers

Essential skills and experience:

• Significant process improvement experience of a substantial scale
• Experience of having transformed P2P and O2C in a global organisation. This includes policy, process, system and organisation.
• Strong change management skills to delivery transformation and operational excellence across the team
• Excellent communicator at all levels, both orally and in writing
• Tactful and diplomatic and able to maintain team working and interpersonal skills even under pressure
• Possesses customer service attitude and skills – customer first.
• Possesses problem solving and decision making skills.
• Has high personal standards in terms of integrity / trust.
• Effective planning and time management skills
• Strong negotiation and persuasion skills
• Appreciation of cultural sensitivities and differences in working across boundaries

Desired skills and experience

• Experience of ERP and Finance system implementations in a P2P or O2C transformation
• Experience in utilisation of Lean Six Sigma methodology
• Preferably professionally qualified accountant
• A strong understanding of a professional services environment
• Strong working knowledge of VAT