Director of Revenue

Please note that Jackson Walker is not currently accepting search firm submissions in connection with this opening.

FLSA: Exempt

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer

Department: Accounting

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Revenue is a senior finance leader responsible for the Firm’s end-to-end revenue cycle, including billing, electronic billing, accounts receivable, collections, cash application, and related revenue operations. The Director leads the teams and processes that convert time and other billable activity into accurate client invoices and ultimately into cash, with a focus on timeliness, accuracy, client service, realization, accountability, and continuous improvement.

The position partners closely with firm leadership, attorneys, practice and office leadership, Accounting and Finance, and other administrative teams to identify and resolve revenue-cycle issues, strengthen processes and controls, and improve financial performance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Revenue Cycle Leadership

• Lead and oversee the Firm’s revenue-cycle operations, including billing, electronic billing, accounts receivable, collections, cash application, and related activities.

• Provide leadership, direction, coaching, and development to revenue-cycle managers and team members; establish clear priorities, service expectations, performance standards, and accountability.

• Partner with attorneys, practice and office leadership, and Finance leadership to address billing and collection issues, remove obstacles, and improve the conversion of work in process and receivables to cash.

• Lead Billing & Collection Committee meetings; own the supporting reports, agenda, action items, assignments, and follow-up necessary to drive resolution of identified issues.

• Develop, maintain, and reinforce revenue-cycle policies, procedures, controls, documentation standards, service levels, and consistent practices across the Firm.

• Use revenue-cycle data and reporting to identify trends, recurring issues, bottlenecks, risks, and opportunities for improved performance.

• Lead cross-functional initiatives involving revenue processes, financial systems, workflow design, automation, reporting, and change management.

Billing and Electronic Billing

• Oversee the full billing lifecycle, including time-entry compliance and follow-up, prebill production and review, billing edits and approvals, invoice generation, electronic submission, and delivery to clients.

• Monitor billing performance, unbilled inventory, prebill turnaround, billing cycle times, invoice rejections, deductions, and other key indicators; identify root causes and implement corrective actions.

• Oversee electronic billing activities, including client and matter setup, submissions, rejections, appeals, resubmissions, troubleshooting, and compliance with client-specific requirements.

• Work closely with Financial Applications and other technology resources to improve billing workflows, strengthen system controls, eliminate unnecessary manual processes, and expand effective use of automation.

• Coordinate processes for rates, special billing arrangements, billing adjustments, write-downs, write-offs, credits, and other exceptions in accordance with Firm approval requirements.

• Serve as a senior escalation point for complex billing matters involving attorneys, clients, billing personnel, systems, or client requirements.

Accounts Receivable and Collections

• Lead the Firm’s accounts receivable and collection processes, establishing disciplined and consistent practices for follow-up, escalation, documentation, and resolution of outstanding balances.

• Review accounts receivable aging, collection activity, payment trends, unapplied cash, credit balances, and other account information to identify issues requiring action.

• Partner with billing attorneys, relationship partners, practice leadership, and management to develop and execute collection strategies for significant or delinquent accounts.

• Maintain appropriate client contact regarding invoices and outstanding receivables when direct involvement is appropriate, while supporting strong attorney-client relationships and professional client service.

• Oversee collection escalations, including demand-letter processes and coordination of bankruptcy-related receivable matters, consistent with Firm policy and appropriate legal guidance.

• Monitor collection results and revenue-cycle metrics and provide meaningful reporting and recommendations to Firm leadership.

• Identify recurring causes of delayed payment, short payment, disputes, deductions, and write-offs and coordinate process improvements to reduce their frequency and financial impact.

Cash Application and Related Revenue Operations

• Oversee cash-application processes to support timely, accurate posting of client payments and resolution of unidentified or unapplied receipts.

• Ensure appropriate review and resolution of credit balances, unapplied cash, duplicate payments, refunds, and other client-account exceptions in accordance with Firm procedures and controls.

• Coordinate with Accounting and Finance to support accurate revenue and receivable reporting, reconciliations, month-end processes, and appropriate segregation of duties.

• Support effective client and matter financial setup and maintenance so that billing terms, rates, electronic billing requirements, contacts, and other revenue-related information are captured accurately at the outset and maintained over the life of the matter.

Reporting, Controls and Process Improvement

• Develop and maintain meaningful billing, work-in-process, accounts receivable, aging, collection, realization, cash, and other revenue-cycle reporting for attorneys and Firm leadership.

• Establish and monitor internal controls and quality-control procedures throughout the revenue cycle, escalating significant financial, compliance, service, or operational risks as appropriate.

• Analyze workflows and performance data to identify opportunities to shorten billing cycles, reduce invoice rejections, accelerate collections, improve realization, improve data quality, and increase operational efficiency.

• Lead the documentation and standardization of revenue-cycle processes and promote consistent execution across offices and teams.

• Evaluate and implement practical uses of technology, reporting tools, and automation to improve scalability, visibility, accuracy, and service delivery.

• Coordinate training and guidance for revenue personnel, attorneys, and other stakeholders on billing requirements, revenue-cycle responsibilities, systems, and processes.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

• Minimum of 5 years’ progressive experience leading billing, collections, revenue operations, or related finance functions in a law firm or comparable professional-services environment.

• Demonstrated knowledge of the law-firm revenue cycle from time entry and work in process through billing, electronic billing, accounts receivable, collections, cash application, and reporting.

• Strong working knowledge of legal billing requirements, client billing guidelines, electronic billing platforms, rates and fee arrangements, and financial systems used in a law-firm environment.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams, establish accountability, manage competing priorities, and deliver consistent service across multiple offices and stakeholder groups.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret financial and operational data, identify root causes, and translate findings into practical action.

• Ability to establish credibility and productive working relationships with Firm leadership, partners, attorneys, clients, and business professionals and to communicate sensitive financial matters with judgment, professionalism, courtesy, and tact.

• Demonstrated ability to lead process improvement and systems initiatives, including workflow redesign, automation, controls, and change management.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to present revenue-cycle information clearly to different audiences.

• Ability to organize and prioritize numerous responsibilities and complete work under time constraints and recurring monthly deadlines.

WORK CONDITIONS:

This position operates in a professional office environment with limited exposure to excessive noise or temperature variations and routinely uses a computer, telephone, and other standard office equipment. The role requires extended computer use, review of detailed financial information, and communication with Firm leadership, attorneys, clients, and business professionals. Work may occasionally require more than 40 hours per week or irregular hours to meet recurring monthly deadlines and other business needs.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities, or requirements.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. It is our intention that all qualified applicants are given equal opportunity and that employment decisions be based on job-related factors.