Sr Strategic Finance Analyst

DLA Piper is, at its core, bold, exceptional, collaborative and supportive.  Our people are the backbone, heart and soul of our firm.  Wherever you are in your professional journey, DLA Piper is a place you can engage in meaningful work and grow your career.  Let’s see what we can achieve. Together.

Summary

The Sr Strategic Finance Analyst, working in collaboration with and in support of the firm’s strategic initiatives, is part of the Financial Planning & Analysis (“FP&A”) Revenue team, focusing on developing robust multi-year financial models and enabling advanced financial analysis and reporting. This position is across the revenue and expense FP&A teams, accounting, and business practice groups to deliver actionable insights that drive growth, profitability, and operational efficiency. The Sr Strategic Finance Analyst will report to the Sr Manager, Strategic Finance and will be expected to present and discuss analysis to Finance leaders. The analysis will be part of Finance’s ability to directly inform strategic decisions and support the firm’s profitability initiatives.
Location

This position is located in our Short Hills office and offers a hybrid work schedule.
 
Responsibilities        

• Develop and enhance profitability models across business lines, regions, customers and other defined segments.
• Conduct analytics including return on investment (ROI), revenue, expense, margin, and lawyer unit economics.
• Independently create dynamic P&L and key lawyer metrics analysis capabilities.
• Create detailed multi-year financial forecasts and scenario modeling capabilities to support risks and opportunities discussions with leadership.
• Incorporate peer benchmark survey results into all presentations, analysis and reporting where applicable.
• Support capacity modeling planning and Expense FP&A team reviews to ensure linkage between revenue and expense plans.
• Automate data extraction feed into models to eliminate manual culling of data.
• Participate in peer data survey submissions as needed.
• Implement modeling best practices, including automated checks to ensure accuracy of results and forecasts produced.
• Collaborate with FP&A, finance data analytics, and business units to identify growth opportunities and cost optimization strategies.
• Support Lateral Hiring model and visualization enhancements.
• Perform financial analysis to support pricing strategies, client profitability, and resource allocation.
• Create executive-level presentations, reports and dashboards.
• Present profitability analysis to Finance leadership and Practice Group leadership as needed.
• Utilize financial tools and systems to improve forecasting accuracy, delivery and decision-making.
• Leverage Excel, Power BI, and Power Query to analyze and visualize data.
• Apply AI tools including Microsoft Copilot to streamline modeling workflows, audit modeling mechanics, automate data preparation, and enhance presentations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
   

Desired Skills   

Strong analytical and quantitative skills. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including advanced financial modeling, Power BI and Power Query. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines. Collaborative, agile and curious mindset with an eagerness to learn. Short Hills, NJ is the regular office.  Travel requirements: about 10% occasional travel to Reston, VA or New York City offices as requested.
Minimum Education                        

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field.
   

Preferred Education

• Master’s degree in Finance, Finance Analytics, Financial Engineering or in a relevant discipline, such as Statistics or Engineering.

Certificates

• CFA Level I or FMVA certification preferred.
• Master of Science in Finance.
• MBA in Finance/Data Analytics.
• Exposure to financial planning systems and ERP tools preferred.
• Experience with SQL, Python, R, and / or Microsoft Copilot (and Agents) preferred.
• Prior experience at a Private Equity firm or Investment Bank preferred.
   

Minimum Years of Experience  

• 4 years’ experience in Finance or FP&A. (Prior internship experience in private equity/investment banking may be considered in lieu of full-time experience depending on candidate’s other qualifications).

Essential Job Expectations

While the specific job requirements of a DLA Piper position may vary depending upon scope of the job and area of specialty, there are certain universal requirements that are expected of all DLA Piper employees, which include but are not limited to:

• Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and third parties.
• Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner.
• Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product.
• Successfully meet deadlines, expectations, and perform work duties as required.
• Foster positive work relationships.
• Comply with all firm policies and practices.
• Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as (a) working at a computer for extended periods of time, including on-screen reading and typing; (b) participating in digital/virtual conference calls; (c) participating in meetings as needed.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned.
   

Our employees are expected to embrace and uphold our firm values as a part of our DLA Piper culture. We are committed to excellence in how we represent our clients and develop our people.
Physical Demands

Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.    

Work Environment    

The individual selected for this position may have the opportunity for a hybrid work arrangement comprised of remote and in-office work, the requirement for which will be determined in coordination with the hiring manager or supervisor and may be modified in the firm’s discretion in the future. 
Disclaimer    

The purpose of this job description is to provide a concise statement of the work elements and to organize and present the information in a standardized way. It is not intended to describe all the elements of the work that may be performed by every individual in this classification, nor should it serve as the sole criteria for personnel decisions and actions. The job duties, requirements, and expectations for this position may be modified at the Firm’s discretion at any time. This job description does not change the at-will nature of employment. 
 

Application Process     

Applicants must apply directly online instead of sending application materials via email. 
 

Accommodation    

Reasonable accommodations may be made upon request to permit individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions and responsibilities of the position or to participate in the job selection process. If you have a request for an accommodation during the application process, please contact [email protected]. 

Agency applications will not be considered.     

No immigration sponsorship is available for this position.    
The firm’s expected hiring range for this position is $98,990 - $131,164 per year depending on the candidate’s geographic market location.
 

The compensation offered for employment will also be dependent on other factors including the candidate’s experience, skills, educational and professional background, and overall qualifications. We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k).

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DLA Piper is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Job applicant poster viewing center.