Finance Applications Manager

About the role

The Finance Applications Manager oversees the implementation, support, and strategic optimization of specific business applications within the organization. Key responsibilities include enhancing user experience, aligning systems with business objectives, and managing a portfolio of enterprise financial applications.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the key technical and business liaison to the Finance organization on all financial applications, building strong working relationships with the CFO, Controller, billing leadership, and finance operations teams.
• Translate business needs into technical solutions, advocate for finance stakeholders within IT, and ensure that financial systems strategy, roadmap, and day-to-day support are aligned with the priorities of the Finance department.
• Coordinate, oversee, and delegate the firm’s technology department resources as well as vendors, contractors, and consultants, acting as a project manager while also working with dedicated project managers on larger projects.
• Work closely with related teams to ensure optimal system configuration and performance, upgrade and modernize applications, support cloud migration, and align feature adoption with business requirements.
• Lead the selection, deployment, management, and continuous optimization of applications, focusing on improving end-user experience and aligning with organizational goals.
• Lead team initiatives to monitor, troubleshoot, support, document, and maintain all required systems. Perform systems administration functions for in-house, cloud-based, or custom solutions including addressing day-to-day runtime issues, regular upgrades/patching, and testing. Ensure 24x7 high availability, performance, and sufficient capacity for efficient day-to-day operations.
• Develop and maintain a roadmap for systems including upgrades, adoption of new features, replacement of related servers, and cloud migration where possible. Meet regularly with vendors and internal system owners to stay abreast of new features, plan upgrades and adoption strategies, understand client upgrade requirements, and evaluate licensing changes.
• Communicate effectively with non-technical customers and sponsors. Collaborate with business units to gather requirements, recommend solutions, and deliver enhancements or new applications that optimize usability and efficiency.
• Evaluate and recommend steps required to upgrade/replace/migrate enterprise systems, coordinating the development and execution of complex project plans as needed.
• Aid in implementing disaster recovery and business continuity plans for enterprise applications.

Requirements

• 5+ years progressive experience working with enterprise software services
• Bachelor degree in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, or equivalent experience
• Deep expertise in configuration, customization, workflows, and administration of Aderant Expert
• Familiarity with competing platforms (Elite 3E, ProLaw) for industry context
• Understanding of legal billing concepts: WIP, eBilling, LEDES formats, matter management, and trust accounting
• Financial & Accounting Systems - General Ledger and accounts payable systems (Chrome River, Concur, or similar)
• Financial reporting tools familiarity for industry context (Iridium BI, Aderant Spotlight, Power BI for Finance)
• Budget and forecasting applications (Big Hand, etc.)
• SQL Server administration and advanced concepts
• SSIS/SSRS for ETL and reporting
• Integration platforms and middleware (e.g., Boomi, etc.)
• APIs and web services
• Data warehousing concepts and dimensional modeling
• Power BI (increasingly important for finance dashboards)
• SSRS and report development
• Aderant's reporting ecosystem
• ITIL framework and service management practices
• Change management and release management processes
• Testing methodologies (UAT coordination, regression testing)
• Project & Portfolio Management - Project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid)
• Vendor management and SOW experience
• Understanding of SOC 2, data privacy frameworks
• Financial controls and audit support (segregation of duties, access reviews)
• Disaster recovery and business continuity planning for financial systems
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies to recommend innovative solutions that elevate the user experience. Continuously develop technical and professional skills.
• Demonstrate leadership experience supporting legal industry applications or working in a law-firm environment required.
• Exceptional communication, relationship building, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strategic thinker with analytical problem-solving abilities and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining delivery focus and quality.

Qualifications

• Legal Time & Billing Platforms (Essential)- Aderant Expert – Deep expertise in configuration, customization, workflows, and administration
• Familiarity with competing platforms (Elite 3E, ProLaw) for industry context
• Understanding of legal billing concepts: WIP, eBilling, LEDES formats, matter management, and trust accounting
• Financial & Accounting Systems- General Ledger and accounts payable systems (Chrome River, Concur, or similar)
• Financial reporting tools familiarity for industry context (Iridium BI, Aderant Spotlight, Power BI for Finance)
• Budget and forecasting applications (Big Hand, etc.)
• Database & Integration Technologies- SQL Server administration and advanced concepts
• SSIS/SSRS for ETL and reporting
• Integration platforms and middleware (e.g., Boomi, etc.)
• APIs and web services
• Data warehousing concepts and dimensional modeling
• Reporting & Analytics- Power BI (increasingly important for finance dashboards)
• SSRS and report development
• Aderant's reporting ecosystem
• Application Lifecycle & Delivery- ITIL framework and service management practices
• Change management and release management processes
• Testing methodologies (UAT coordination, regression testing)
• Project & Portfolio Management- Project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid)
• Vendor management and SOW experience
• Security & Compliance- Understanding of SOC 2, data privacy frameworks
• Financial controls and audit support (segregation of duties, access reviews)
• Disaster recovery and business continuity planning for financial systems

Skills

• Staying current with industry trends and emerging technologies to recommend innovative solutions that elevate the user experience. Continuously developing technical and professional skills.
• Demonstrating leadership experience supporting legal industry applications or working in a law-firm environment.
• Having exceptional communication, relationship building, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Being a strategic thinker with analytical problem-solving abilities and attention to detail.
• Having proven ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining delivery focus and quality.

Benefits

Nixon Peabody offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. Additional contingent compensation may be available based on performance, location, and other factors.

Pay

In accordance with applicable Federal and State laws, the anticipated annual salary range for this position, depending on location, is as follows:

• Rochester, NY: $124,000 to $190,850
• Boston, MA: $136,500 to $210,100
• Chicago, IL: $136,500 to $210,100
• Los Angeles, CA: $136,500 to $210,100
• Washington, DC: $136,500 to $210,100
• New York, NY: $150,000 to $231,000
• San Francisco, CA: $150,000 to $231,000

Schedule

This role is available on a remote basis.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Nixon Peabody is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer: Disability / Veteran. Nixon Peabody is committed to creating a fair workplace and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.