Practice Manager at Quramo Advisory

An exciting Opportunity In A Fast Growing Professional Services Firm

Our client is a fast-paced, rapidly growing pan-African professional services firm 

The organisation is an Africa-focused professional services firm, headquartered in Lagos, with an office in Abuja and a network of growing relationships across the continent. Working in tandem with its sister firm, which provides legal and advisory services, it is the result of a carefully cultivated 25-year vision.

Services rendered cover legal, Tax Advisory, Business Advisory Services, Family Office Services, as well as Wealth Management & Estate Planning.

The work place embodies open communication, a collegiate atmosphere and encourages team-work with recognition for high performance. The firm currently operates in Sub Saharan Africa.

Purpose of the Role

• The practice Manager role is to ensure consistency, dependability and scalability of ALP’s services
• The Practice Manager, therefore, cost effectively coordinates the Firm’s daily administrative and financial operations whilst ensuring minimal interruptions to value creating activities

Job summary

Business Development Key Result Areas

• Articulate and implement effective strategies, programmes and activities aimed at meeting client expectations, enhancing ALP’s brand equity and ultimately increasing the revenue generating capacity of the Firm.

Administrative Key Result Areas

• Manage the front desk and reception area to ensure that the ‘first (offline) point of contact’ between the office and external parties is above industry standard
• Plan and manage the Firm’s office supplies and inventory to ensure uninterrupted work flows
• Maintain all the firm’s assets and plan replacements to ensure seamless transitions to new from old and/or temporary to permanent
• Develop a robust disaster recovery plan that aims to ensure the protection of lives and property as well as minimal interruption to business operations
• Organise logistics and hospitality arrangements for out-of-station staff and the Firm’s non-resident guests
• Manage relationships with all third-party suppliers and premises management vendors
• Maintain the Health and Safety Policy, undertake all Health and Safety training and undertake risk assessments
• Manage the office premises
• To ensure that the work environment is always conducive

Finance Key Result Areas

• Interface with external auditors and tax consultants
• Report on the implications of financial reviews and projections and highlight issues of strategic importance, as a basis for sound decision making
• Supervise the head of finance in reviewing expenditures on a periodic basis as well as the preparation of expense reports
• Prepare expenditure forecasts using general and payroll ledgers and other reliable sources
• Oversee and approve the preparation of bank reconciliations on a periodic basis
• Make recommendations to the partner(s) in charge on how to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of operational budgets
• Assist client facing staff with the preparation of the optimal fee-to-expense model for projects and engagements, thus providing budgetary and administrative control to ensure that projects/engagements are executed profitably  
• Oversee the Firm’s financial and strategic planning system for effective monitoring and control of its profitability.
• HR Key Result Areas
• Develop policies, direct and coordinate HR activities, such as recruitment, compensation, staff relations, welfare, training, and staff engagement
• Generate/source and analyse wage and salary reports and data to determine competitive compensation plan
• Develop and maintain a human resources system that meets top management information needs
• Keep records of staff transactions such as hires, promotions, transfers, performance reviews, and terminations etc
• Advise management in appropriate resolution of employee relations issues
• Create and implement exercises aimed at entrenching the corporate culture   

IT Key Result Areas

Ensure that information technology and software applications are the dominant overlay on the Firm’s processes in line with global best practices     
Supervise the head of IT to ensure that the verification of technical specifications, fit into the ALP environment. Also supervise the head of IT in assessing cost, vendors, and support issues.
Compliance Key Result Areas 

• Define, implement and monitor the Firm’s overall compliance framework and internal controls and set guidelines for the development of supporting policies and procedures.
• Develop the Firm’s SOPs that encompass all back-office, middle-office and front-office processes
• Ensure prompt reporting of risk exposures (risks within the premises, information risk etc) and provide advice on possible resolution of critical issues.
• Foster and maintain business relationships with relevant regulatory bodies and other institutions and ensure the business is abreast of regulatory changes impacting its operations
• Advise and provide opinions to the partners on good governance and best practices in internal control

Competency and skills Requirements

• The disposition to challenge and reprimand unproductive behaviours of staff members
• Demonstrate ownership of the department’s direction and objectives and present a phased roadmap for implementation to the partners. Also provide updates on a monthly/quarterly basis
• Continuously review the Enterprise Support department’s activities and make recommendations for improvement to the partners
• Deep knowledge of the local and global legal service industry
• Extensive knowledge of practice group processes and goals
• Ability to think strategically and holistically and to appreciate the systemic impact of various policies, issues and solutions
• Experience in building professional business relationships
• Strong problem solving and analytical abilities
• Strong project management & planning skills
• High integrity level and excellent decision-making ability
• Confidence and exceptional attention to detail
• Good leadership and supervisory skills
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, presentation and persuasive skills
• Ability to be organised, diplomatic and influential
• Self-motivated and possessing strong drive and resourcefulness and a commitment to achieving agreed objectives

Minimum Qualifications

• First degree in business, Law, accounting or other finance related discipline.
• Eight (8) years cognate experience in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment with at least five (5) years in a related senior management capacity.