Manager of Accounting

Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us.  Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

We are seeking a Manager of Accounting to join the Seattle office.  The Manager of Accounting is responsible for the oversight of client billing, financial reporting and the stewardship of trust accounts. They streamline processes, enhance reporting, and help to implement new technologies to boost efficiency. Their role includes managing the Billing Department's daily operations, supervising staff, and serving as a point of contact for senior management. They mentor their team, encourage professional development, and manage various projects. Additionally, they analyze financial data to support strategic decision-making and contribute to firmwide financial initiatives.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Director of Administration, Office Managing Partner, Finance Department, lawyers, administrative staff

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Manages the daily accounting functions including planning, prioritizing, directing workflow, acting as a resource for questions, and interfacing with senior management

• Manages the local billing team, providing mentoring, training and identifying professional development opportunities, conducts recruiting and performance evaluations and sets/delivers exceptional client service standards for the team

• Possesses a thorough understanding of bill generation, submission, and procedural cycles to coordinate billing activities, addresses inquiries, and optimizes workflows effectively. Overseeing proper setup for complex matters, auditing time/disbursements, generating and editing invoices, and maintaining accurate financial charges. 

• Develops and maintains consistent standards following internal guidelines and policies and assists with audits as needed.

• Works closely with several key firm clients and manages billing relationships with same

• Ensures that both internal and external customer questions or issues are responded to and resolved in an expeditious manner to deliver excellent customer service

• Develops ad hoc reports/charts/analysis

• Prepares and analyzes data to help guide financial decisions and direction

• Handles responses to partners for historical client accounting information

• Coordinates staff billing and ebilling activities, including overseeing monthly ebilling audit

• Oversees trust process, acting as a resource for trust account questions, including preparing for and responding to local bar association audit requests

• Prepares monthly financial reporting package with analysis for Director of Administration and Office Managing Partner; as well as ad hoc office level/timekeeper projection analysis

• Participates in collection meetings and strategy sessions for the office, including reaching out to clients to resolve issues with past due invoices or ebilling issues

• Develops training for the billing team, lawyers and Practice Assistants on billing specific software, including third party ebilling websites

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS REQUIRED

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting preferred

• 5-10 years of accounting and professional experience with 5 years’ experience as a manager, previous law firm experience desired

• Advanced level experience in 3E and Excel

• Familiarity with Electronic Billing Platforms 

• Familiarity with general ledger chart of accounts

• Ability to communicate and respond to inquiries/requests with diplomacy and tact

• Ability to oversee multiple functions while leading and directing the staff

• Must be able to work independently

• Ability to work with a high degree of accuracy

• Understanding of financial accounting systems preferably in a law firm setting

• Experience with Microsoft Office software including Excel

• Financial reporting and report-writing experience preferred

• Extensive prior professional services billing experience required

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Demonstrated ability to meet obligations with confidentiality, integrity and sensitivity

COMPENSATION SALARY

$111,000 - $167,000

The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors.

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ABOUT THE FIRM

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents in more than 40 offices. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world.  We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world. 

The industry recognition the firm has garnered emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals.

For more information or to view other job opportunities, please click here to go back to our careers page.

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It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

BENEFITS

K&L Gates offers our personnel a comprehensive suite of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time personnel include:

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, familial status, domestic violence victim status, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment, and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm’s policy to provide an environment that is free of prohibited harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is based on sex, race, age, disability, ethnic background, or any other category protected by law (including the categories listed above). The Firm complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact askHR@klgates.com.