About us

New Era Lawyers is a Sunshine Coast based law firm practising across corporate advisory, financial services, commercial law, intellectual property, commercial litigation, real estate, and tax and structuring. We act for private and public companies, fund managers, credit providers, property developers and statutory bodies, and we work closely with start-ups in technology, financial services, food and agribusiness.

About the role

This is a senior, broad-ranging role with genuine ownership of the firm's operations, finances and infrastructure. Reporting directly to the managing director, the Practice Manager is the operational and commercial backbone of the practice, balancing day-to-day management with the strategic projects that support the firm's growth. It's a role for someone who can move fluently between the detail of trust reconciliations and the bigger picture of firm strategy, systems and risk.

Key areas of responsibility include:

Financial management & trust accounting

• End-to-end management of the firm's trust and general accounts, including trust compliance, reconciliations, audits and statutory reporting in line with Queensland legal trust accounting obligations
• Oversight of billing, WIP, debtor management, cash flow, budgeting and management reporting to the directors

Risk, compliance & governance

• Maintaining the firm's regulatory and professional compliance framework, including QLS obligations, professional indemnity, file and record-keeping standards and conflict management
• Supporting the firm's response to evolving regulatory obligations, including the incoming AML/CTF (Tranche 2) reforms - contributing to risk assessments, policies and program implementation
• Developing and refining internal policies, procedures and controls as the firm scales

People & culture

• Leading the firm's HR function - recruitment, onboarding, payroll coordination, performance, professional development and workplace culture
• Supporting the directors with workforce planning and team structure

Systems, technology & operations

• Administering and optimising the firm's practice management system (Lexis Affinity) and supporting matter, document and workflow management
• Driving process improvement and the firm's broader digital and automation initiatives
• Managing facilities, IT liaison, vendor and supplier relationships and procurement

Strategy & growth

• Partnering with the managing director on operational strategy, reporting and continuous improvement
• Identifying and implementing efficiencies that support sustainable growth

About you

You're an experienced operator who thrives on complexity and variety, and who can hold both the fine detail and the strategic view. You'll bring:

• A minimum of 2 years' trust account experience within a law firm or professional services environment, with strong command of legal trust accounting obligations and reconciliations
• Proven experience managing the operational, financial and compliance functions of a practice or professional services business
• Sound understanding of regulatory and risk frameworks relevant to legal practice (exposure to AML/CTF obligations highly regarded)
• Experience with legal practice management software (Lexis Affinity experience highly regarded)
• Strong financial literacy across budgeting, billing, cash flow and management reporting
• Demonstrated people-leadership and HR management capability
• Excellent judgement, organisation and the ability to prioritise across competing demands
• Confident communication skills and the ability to work autonomously and take initiative

Why join us

• A genuinely broad, senior role with real autonomy and influence over how the firm runs
• A fun, supportive and professional team
• A beautiful Sunshine Coast location - lunch breaks at the beach or along the Maroochydore foreshore
• The opportunity to shape the operations of a growing, forward-thinking firm

How to apply

Please email your cover letter and resume, including three professional referees, to admin@neweralaw.com.au.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Pay: $80,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person