Commercial Finance Manager

About Smokeball
Join an award-winning legal tech company that’s transforming how law firms work by boosting their organization, productivity, and profitability with software they actually love. Smokeball is a global, community‑driven company united by a love for the law and a mission to help small and midsize firms thrive. We’re passionate about what we do and our clients know it! If you’re looking for a company that truly cares about its clients and its people, you’re in the right place.

The Role

• Job Title:
  
  Commercial Finance Manager
• Department:
  Finance
• Reports To:
  
  VP of Finance
• Manages:
  Order to Cash Analyst, Collections Analyst
• Location:
  
  Chicago, IL
  - This is a hybrid role, 2 days per week in office

We are seeking an experienced Finance Leader who can design, refine, and execute scalable systems and processes within our Order‑to‑Cash (O2C) cycle. This role is not about chasing invoices, it’s about building a robust framework that ensures accuracy, efficiency, and reliability across financial operations. You will lead a small team focused on invoicing, billing inquiries, and past‑due resolution, while driving systemic improvements that improve cash collection on recurring revenue streams.

Architect and enforce commercial controls: Develop and communicate policies for commercial transactions that balance deal velocity with strong internal controls.

Optimize invoicing processes: Ensure all orders are invoiceable, resolve exceptions, and enforce cutoff timelines to meet close requirements.

Drive systemic improvements: Partner with Sales, Client Success, and Systems teams to identify root causes of billing issues and implement long‑term fixes.

Establish monitoring cadences: Track stalled invoices, blockers, and escalations; implement controls for credit memos, credit holds, refunds, and corrections.

Enhance data integrity: Collaborate across departments to improve data hygiene and reduce defects impacting invoicing and collections.

Manage risk and compliance: Review receivable write‑offs, enforce collection processes, and escalate accounts past due for suspension.

Standardize commercial terms: Work with Sales and Client Success to reduce DSO and improve contract consistency across customer cohorts.

Leverage technology: Utilize ERP, CRM, and middleware tools to automate workflows and improve reporting accuracy.

Commission and accrual management: Calculate attainment, post accruals, and manage payout processes.

• Strategic mindset: Ability to distinguish between edge‑case transactional issues and systemic process gaps.
• Leadership experience: Proven ability to lead teams and influence cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Process design expertise: Skilled in building scalable systems, policies, and controls that align with growth objectives.
• Technical proficiency: Healthy familiarity with Net Suite, Stripe, Leap Fin, and CRM/ERP systems.
• Analytical capability: Strong understanding of internal controls, risk mitigation, and financial systems optimization.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years in finance or accounting with deep knowledge of O2C cycles; MBA or CPA preferred.
• Communication skills: Ability to articulate complex issues and gain buy‑in for change initiatives.
• Automation and improvement: Demonstrated success in process improvement and leveraging technology for efficiency.

• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Strong leadership and team management abilities.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to articulate how business operations impact invoicing and cash collections.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to challenge status quo and influence peers to improve business processes.
• Familiarity with subscription and usage billing models.
• Knowledge of applicable accounting standards and practices.

$140, base salary, plus thirdly bonus

Ben Pomeroy: Hi, I am Ben and I’ve worked at Smokeball for three years. I oversee the North American Finance team and help tell the financial story of the company each month as well as guide the strategic decision making within our region. Our team consists…