Commercial Pricing Specialist, APAC

at  Clifford Chance

Job Description

SKILLS:

• A commercially focused individual with a proven ability to influence Partners and senior stakeholders.
• A strong communicator who can explain commercials with sufficient gravitas to influence Partner decisions.
• A commercially astute and strong negotiator who can hold/protect margin in contract discussions whilst taking on responsibility for liaising with client procurement functions.
• Able to work autonomously but under firm guiding principles.

EXPERIENCE:

• Experience of providing matter pricing support within a law firm or professional services environment.
• You will have experience of scenario modelling/compiling pricing proposals and understanding the levers to deliver client value and commercially viable pricing.
• You will have experience of supporting and/or leading client negotiation.

KNOWLEDGE

• You will be a finance/procurement expert who understands and can balance the sensitivities of dealing with Partners and clients on matter pricing.

QUALIFICATIONS

• You will ideally have a commercial/accounting/finance degree
  Company Description

WHO WE ARE

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.
Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.
You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.
Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.
Additional Information

THE ROLE

The Commercial Pricing Specialist role sits under the Order to Cash – Commercial Finance function within the Finance team, servicing our global network. The team are regarded as the experts in their field providing high quality reporting and analysis. This position can be based in Singapore, Hong Kong, or Sydney.
You will work closely with the Head of Commercial; Commercial Pricing Team; Global Commercial Director; Director of Commercial Finance; APAC Partners, Practice Area Leaders and Regional Business Managers; colleagues across the Finance and other Business Professional functions (including Business Development, Best Delivery, and Innovation), as well as Clients.

The role of Commercial Specialist is primarily focussed on:

• Supporting the Global Commercial Director, Director of Commercial Finance and APAC Chief Financial Officer in pushing the Firm’s strategic pricing objectives, commercial standards and pricing governance.
• Supporting Partners with client and matter pricing support, as well as driving pricing initiatives within APAC.
• Raising commercial awareness with Partners and influence their pricing decision making on strategic client fee deals (both panels and matters).
• Delivering pricing support, reporting and analysis with a focused, co-ordinated and consistent approach.
• Producing pricing models and negotiation strategies for strategic client fee deals and provide support throughout the pricing process.
• Supporting the design of client pricing proposals and submission of pricing proposals to the Global Pricing Committee.
• Client facing, engaging with client procurement in client fee negotiations and supporting the Partners throughout.
• Raising commercial awareness with the broader business and delivering Commercial Awareness training to fee earners and business professionals

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Working with Partners to support and, in some instances, lead negotiations on behalf of the firm.
• Influence Partners on how to formulate pricing and how to develop a negotiation strategy.
• Identify opportunities to improve commercials on current client, work type and matter opportunities.
• Guide on participation in competitive tendering processes.
• Undertake internal client, worktype and matter pricing review benchmarking.
• Contribute to the evolution of the commercial pricing function and work within a global commercial pricing community.
• Ensure adherence to the firm’s commercial standards and pricing governance.
• Continually refine governance tools and processes in line with market developments.
• Develop and submit pricing proposals (both panel and matters) to the global pricing committee.
• Work with Partners to increase the variety of alternative fee arrangements the firm is offering to clients.
• Deliver commercial awareness training to fee earners and business professional groups.
• Responsible for training and upskilling individuals across the network so as to extend the coverage of the global pricing community.

Team:

• Work as part of a highly skilled and knowledgeable global commercial team creating a “go to”, trusted and highly valued function.
• Report to the Commercial Finance lead, and work closely with Global Commercial Finance team, Business Development and Best Delivery colleagues

Qualifications