Billing Manager - Chicago - Sidley Austin LLP

The Billing Manager coordinates and manages the efforts of the billing team. The Billing Manager is responsible for workload management, ensuring the timely and accurate issuance of invoices in accordance with our clients’ deadlines and our internal accounting period close calendar.  Workload management includes ensuring the client and partner billing assignments are appropriate, there is sufficient vacation/leave coverage, and that special projects are prioritized and staffed aptly.  The Billing Manager is also responsible for staff recruiting, training and development.

This position is highly visible and requires a strong leader with the ability to prioritize, plan, and direct the department.  The Billing Manager must be comfortable interacting with partners and senior management by demonstrating strong interpersonal communication skills, both written and verbal, and must be able to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced environment. 

• Manage daily activities and operations of the billing staff, including workload balancing and lawyer assignments. Resolve any problems or issues, as needed.
• Ensure accurate and efficient preparation of client invoices. Follow up with the Billing Partners and/or their delegates in order to resolve client billing issues and ensure invoices are approved and billed. 
• Ensure billing staff follow up on and resolve rejected invoices, unallocated and unapplied balances and bill packet preparations.
• Have a comprehensive understanding of complex billing arrangements, Outside Counsel Guidelines (OCGs,) and e-billing challenges.
• Provide targeted training to billing staff regarding the preparation of client proformas, advanced electronic billing functions, rate code procedures, client arrangements, unallocated fund allocations and unbilled time statuses.
• Provide mentoring, coaching and career development direction for the members of the department to provide service excellence to all internal and external clients. Complete annual performance reviews for the billing staff.
• Work in a collaborative fashion with other departments within the revenue cycle (client arrangements, pricing, e-billing, cash applications, cost recovery, collections) to minimize potential delays in the billing/collection cycle
• Identify and evaluate ways of streamlining the billing process and ensuring best practices are implemented. Develop process improvements where appropriate.
• Develop, test and implement new processes and procedures to improve accuracy, efficiency and reporting abilities. Utilize billing staff to assist, as appropriate.
• Monitor adherence to Accounting policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned. 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the Duties and Responsibilities (Duties) above satisfactorily and meet the requirements below.  The requirements listed below are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.  If you need such an accommodation, please email staffrecruiting@sidley.com (current employees should contact Human Resources). 

Education and/or Experience: 

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or other Business field, or equivalent work experience
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in role with significant operational and supervisory responsibilities
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing with senior management
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and Adobe Acrobat

Preferred:

• Work in a law firm or other professional services firm
• Experience with eBililng Hub, and electronic billing vendor sites
• Experience with Elite 3E

Other Skills and Abilities:

The following will also be required of the successful candidate:

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good judgment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Able to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities

Sidley Austin LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer