Director of Finance & Accounting Systems

The Finance & Accounting Department of Arnold & Porter is seeking a Director of Finance & Accounting Systems to provide strategic leadership for the firm’s financial systems, applications, and technology-driven transformation initiatives. This role may be based in Boston, Chicago, Houston, New York, or Washington, DC, or performed 100% remote within a firm-approved U.S. state working East Coast or Central hours as part of the “Gideon” office.

The Director will serve as the strategic leader responsible for the architecture, governance, and continuous improvement of the firm’s finance and accounting technology ecosystem. This role drives system modernization, process optimization, automation, and data integrity across financial platforms while ensuring strong internal controls and compliance standards.

Working closely with Finance & Accounting leadership, IT partners, and cross-functional stakeholders, the Director will lead a portfolio of transformation initiatives, manage a team of systems professionals, and deliver scalable solutions that support the firm’s operational and strategic priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Chief Financial Officer and Finance & Accounting leadership, driving modernization of financial systems, reporting, and technology capabilities aligned with firm priorities and industry best practices.
• Lead the department’s systems transformation strategy, including roadmap development, prioritization of initiatives, and disciplined execution of technology programs.
• Develop and manage project plans, timelines, milestones, and OKRs to ensure finance technology initiatives are delivered on time and within budget.
• Maintain documentation and governance artifacts such as process maps, requirements documentation, functional designs, and testing plans to support accountability and audit readiness.
• Oversee the firm’s core Finance & Accounting systems and platforms, ensuring operational reliability, data integrity, internal controls compliance, and alignment with cybersecurity standards.
• Act as the primary liaison between Finance & Accounting, IT, and external vendors, coordinating system enhancements, upgrades, issue resolution, and operational support.
• Evaluate and implement automation, AI, and emerging technologies to improve efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and user experience across finance operations.
• Manage the department’s technology-related budget, including vendor contracts, cost management, and resource allocation to maximize value for the firm.
• Define and monitor operational performance and adoption metrics, using data insights to drive continuous improvement and prioritize initiatives.
• Lead training programs and change management efforts to support successful implementation and adoption of finance systems across the department and the broader firm.
• Provide leadership to a distributed team of systems and technology professionals, fostering collaboration and high performance in hybrid and remote work environments.
• Travel occasionally as needed to support firm initiatives and departmental priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Information Technology, Accounting, or Finance concentration preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in systems implementation, business analysis, project management, process improvement, or product ownership supporting finance or accounting operations.
• Experience within a law firm or professional services environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions and lead initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Strong knowledge of financial and ERP systems, including experience with Aderant Expert or similar professional services platforms.
• Experience with data analytics, business intelligence, and reporting tools used for governance, metrics tracking, and decision support.
• Advanced technical proficiency including relational database design, T-SQL, Excel formulas, Power Query, and Python.
• Familiarity with BI and cube reporting tools such as Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Litera Foundation Finance / BigSquare, Microsoft Analysis Services, or comparable platforms.
• Experience with budgeting and forecasting platforms such as BigHand Intellistat or similar systems.
• Proficiency with Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office, and collaboration and project management tools such as MS Project and SharePoint.
• Knowledge of data governance frameworks, internal controls, and cybersecurity best practices relevant to financial systems.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and influence senior leadership.
• Strategic thinker with strong judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously while maintaining the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality.
• Proven leadership and change management experience, including guiding teams through organizational transformation and mentoring team members.
• Strong financial acumen and experience working with financial data, budgets, and reporting in professional services environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in vendor and contract management, including negotiating and managing third-party relationships.
• PMP certification or equivalent project management credential preferred.

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The anticipated base salary for this position is $235,000 to $265,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

The firm may provide a discretionary bonus annually.

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