Job Description

Role Description

This is a high-impact opportunity to lead and elevate the Accounts Receivable function at a fast-growing, globally distributed law firm operating at the highest levels of corporate and private client advisory. The firm operates across multiple jurisdictions and fee structures, with Partners and teams working across time zones in a fully remote environment.

As Accounts Receivable Manager, you will bring structure, clarity, and discipline to a complex legal billing environment, spanning fixed fees, retainers, contingency and success-based arrangements, while partnering closely with Partners and senior stakeholders to drive timely collections, improve realization rates, and strengthen financial controls.

This is not a pure execution role. You will be expected to redesign and modernize AR processes, introduce automation and controls, partner with IT and systems teams, and lead the transformation of how billing, collections, and reporting operate at scale. The role requires operational depth, strong judgment, and the ability to navigate sensitive Partner conversations around rates, write-offs, WIP, and collections with professionalism and political awareness.

• Lead the resolution, collection, and disposition of unpaid invoices across complex legal billing arrangements, including fixed fees, retainers, contingency matters, and success fees.
• Oversee the end-to-end AR lifecycle, including WIP management, billing accuracy, collections, write-offs, and realization tracking.
• Interface directly with Partners and senior attorneys, navigating sensitive conversations around client billing, rates, write-offs, collections status, and aging with tact and sound judgment.
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of invoices, including billable hours, matter-specific agreements, and Partner-driven billing structures.
• Provide coverage for AR billing specialists as required, ensuring continuity and quality of execution.
• Oversee month-end and year-end AR close activities, including reconciliations, aging reviews, and reporting.
• Monitor and analyze AR aging, realization rates, WIP, and write-offs, implementing targeted collection strategies to optimize cash flow.
• Manage and develop a distributed AR team operating across multiple time zones, setting clear expectations, review standards, and service-level agreements.
• Partner cross-functionally with Finance, Accounting, Operations, and IT to resolve billing issues, disputes, and system gaps.
• Design and implement improvements to AR processes, controls, and workflows — including automation opportunities — rather than simply maintaining existing processes.
• Operate within (and help build) a formal control framework, including segregation of duties across billing, collections, and cash posting, period locks, approval workflows, and review SLAs.
• Ensure general ledger AR accounts are reconciled accurately, with discrepancies identified and corrected promptly.
• Prepare and present AR, WIP, and collections insights to senior finance leadership and Partners, translating data into clear, actionable narratives.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards and revenue recognition principles (e.g., US GAAP; IFRS knowledge helpful).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in Accounts Receivable, ideally within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Strong understanding of legal billing concepts, including WIP, realization rates, write-offs, and partner-driven billing models.
• Advanced experience with QuickBooks Online (QBO) in a multi-entity or professional services context.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, Power Query, and complex reconciliations.
• Experience building or using Power BI dashboards to analyze AR, WIP, collections, and realization metrics.
• Comfort partnering with systems teams on billing and AR tooling, integrations, and automation initiatives.
• Experience with AI-enabled tools or automation in finance operations is desired.
• Full professional fluency in English (written and spoken).
• Experience working with fully remote, distributed teams across time zones (preferred).
• Proven ability to bring structure to complex, high-stakes environments with competing priorities.
• High emotional intelligence and confidence navigating senior Partner and executive-level stakeholders.
• Comfortable operating with autonomy, ownership, and accountability.
• A mindset geared toward process improvement, systems thinking, and continuous improvement — not just execution.

Benefits

• At Sterlington, we believe that world-class talent has no boundaries.
• We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where unique perspectives are valued and every individual has the opportunity to thrive.
• We encourage all qualified candidates to apply.

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