Overview
We have an exciting opportunity for a proactive and highly competent Executive Assistant who can operate successfully in a pressurised and fast-paced environment, to provide client and business focussed secretarial and administrative support to a small group of partners. Working in our Commercial Real Estate team. The individual will need to be able to adapt to different working styles of partners. It will include undertaking complex tasks and projects, providing high-level and flexible organisational support and playing a critical role in working with partners, clients and the department to help support the partners deliver to the highest standard. Reporting to the Secretarial Team Leader, the individual needs to be flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the business. A degree of flexibility around working hours is expected.
Responsibilities
- Act as a professional and client service focussed ambassador for partners internally and externally.
- Take full ownership of diaries, proactively managing all appointments, meetings and related logistics, working with partners to ensure that their schedules run smoothly and that they are where they need to be, at the scheduled meeting time, and that they are prepared for each meeting.
- Proactively manage diary conflicts and take appropriate action on queries or clashes.
- As agreed with each individual partner, manage inboxes responding to emails on their behalf, drafting emails appropriately, forwarding any client critical emails to other fee earners and secretaries in the team to action and respond and highlight any urgent/important emails that partner needs to respond to.
- Demonstrate commercial and financial management understanding, by handling complex compliance and billing matters.
- Take full ownership of tasks and manage workload against deadlines and business needs, working effectively and collaboratively with central support departments to efficiently deliver to deadlines.
- Coordinate the billing process on behalf of the partners, proactively organising WIP and other financial management meetings, working with the wider department and billing team to ensure billing processes meet deadlines.
- Take ownership of financial and matter management processes for the team, for example coordinating chasing up unpaid bills.
- Work in partnership with partners, building highly effective relationships with each of them, ensuring good working practices are put in place and adopted.
- Arrange regular catch ups with each partner to review their diary and commitments, to ensure that a good understanding of partners’ clients and priorities is developed to help the partners make the best use of their time.
- Introduce and implement best practice around key operational processes to enhance partner effectiveness and department performance.
- Attend meetings and take minutes if required and follow up on designated actions to ensure completion ahead of the next meeting.
- Liaise with the Marketing & Business Development team and key contacts, proactively coordinating BD activities, playing a key role in the organisation of events, seminars & conferences for the team.
- Arrange travel requirements, understand individual’s personal preferences and manage all arrangements from start to finish (including journey details, accommodation, visa requirements, currency) and update diary to reflect all information.
- Develop a thorough understanding of the partners’ practice area(s), clients, priorities, the teamworking practices, and goals.
- Be a role model, work closely with the Secretarial Team Leader, be seen as a change agent and show a willingness and confidence to make suggestions for change where appropriate.
- Build strong relationships internally and externally.
Qualifications / Skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
- Organised manner with ability to prioritise workload.
- Motivated and pro-active with a ‘can-do’ approach.
- Can adhere to tight and demanding deadlines.
- Ability to interact with people at all levels.
- Self-motivated individual with a proactive approach.
- Calm and efficient under pressure.
- Flexible as regards to time and duties.
- Proficient in use of MS Office (specifically Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
- Excellent administration, organisational and prioritisation skills with ability to manage time efficiently.
- Good attention to detail. Accurate and thorough.
Hours, Reporting & Travel
Reports to: Secretarial Team Leader
Hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm (flexibility required).
Arrange travel requirements, understand individual’s personal preferences and manage all arrangements from start to finish (including journey details, accommodation, visa requirements, currency) and update diary to reflect all information.
Equal opportunities
Forsters LLP is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for everyone.
We strive to attract and encourage applications from all candidates regardless of their gender, age, race, nationality, marital status, disability, sex, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. If you require any support or adjustments in the application or hiring process, please let us know.
Why Forsters?
We are renowned for our private wealth and real estate focus, together with our strong corporate and commercial and dispute resolution teams. We work alongside individuals, families and businesses across a wide range of complex matters and situations. We work to build closer connections with our clients to deliver exceptional results through genuine relationships, a sharp focus on what matters to them and the flexibility to adapt our advice to their situation.
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