Billing Assistant - Bristol, United Kingdom - Simmons & Simmons LLP

Simmons & Simmons LLP

Verified Company

Bristol, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

Main Purpose of the Role:

The role is responsible for delivering an efficient and effective bill processing service, ensuring a high-quality service in day to day work.

The role requires accuracy, strict compliance with VAT legislation and adherence to the firm's policies and procedures, in relation to billing, credit notes, time write-offs, transfers, and the maintenance of the firm's financial data.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Building strong relationships to influence and improve the firm's lock-up cycle:

Delivering draft billing reports to Matter Partners (MPs) and following up on a timely basis to ensure that regular billing patterns are established, and where possible monthly billing cycles, taking care that any special client billing requirements are observed.
Accepting responsibility and taking ownership of minor operational issues, finding practical solutions and escalating problems where appropriate.
Interacting with a wide range of contacts at different levels, requiring an awareness of own impact on others and an adjustment of behaviour accordingly.
Providing commercial and legislative advice to Matter Partners and Matter Fee Earners as appropriate.

Providing a quality service and ensuring that the team processes and objectives align with business needs

Consistently sharing knowledge and skills with colleagues across offices.
Ensuring that all processes are carried out accurately and in a timely manner, in line with agreed service levels.
Adhering to agreed best practices, policies and processes whilst adapting to local requirements.

Using technical expertise to provide a seamless billing service, and ensuring compliance with the relevant Customs & Excise legislation, the provisions of the Solicitors Accounts Rules and Money Laundering regulations

Ensuring that draft bills and engrossed invoices are issued in line with the firm's policies and procedures, meeting all legislative regulations.
Resolving issues whilst ensuring that no significant delays occur.
Ensuring that relevant authorisation is obtained where appropriate, in line with the firm's policies.
Maintaining a report of cancelled and reissued invoices, and logging of information for use in the financial audit.

Issuing ad hoc reports for both internal and external reporting needs.

Person specification:

Education / qualifications / experience:

Experience in a Law firm environment with experience of billing processes preferred.
To be able to demonstrate experience of building successful relationships.

Knowledge and technical skills:

Excel skills to Intermediate level.
Very good working use of Microsoft office.
Ability to advise on system functionality and transactions.
Ability to advise the business on, and ensuring compliance with, GAAP, VAT legislation and the provisions of the Solicitors Accounts Rules and Money Laundering requirements.

General skills:
Self-management

Hands on individual who is proactive.
Service orientated.
Highly organised with the ability to manage a fastpaced workload.
Able to prioritise workload to meet daily, weekly, monthly, and annual deadlines.
Strong attention to detail.
Ability to make appropriate decisions seeking advice and escalating issues where necessary.
Must be open to change.

Communication skills

Good negotiation and influencing skills.
Strong interpersonal skills. Ability to communicate effectively by adapting style of written and oral communication appropriately.
Confident and professional approach.

Teamwork and relationship skills

A team player who works collaboratively with others to provide quality support to the department and the firm.
Ability to interact with colleagues of all levels.

Other requirements: