Personal Assistant

**Nature & Scope**

Provides support to the Head of Department to enable them to deal with clients efficiently and effectively and to include effective management of the department. Delivers high level of customer service to clients. Projects a professional image to visitors and telephone callers at all times by greeting, welcoming, and directing them appropriately. Works collaboratively with colleagues to facilitate the smooth running of the Litigation Department.

This role reports to the Head of Department

**Key Competentices**
- A warm and friendly personality
- Committed to the role and a career within the firm
- Reliable
- Excellent organisational skills including secretarial skills
- Ability to multi-task and to organise a busy personal workload
- Ability to work effectively with others in scheduling and managing workload
- Attention to detail
- Experience handling confidential materials in a sensitive and professional manner
- Excellent communication skills both written and oral
- Ability to work on own initiative
- Able to organise meetings and manage diaries effectively
- Able to screen calls, enquiries and requests appropriately
- Deal with external organisations effectively both written and oral
- Excellent IT skills

**Key Accountabilities**

**Administration / Secretarial work**
- To provide general administrative support to colleagues where directed by line manager
- To prepare correspondence and documents as directed by line manager by audio typing and copy work
- To organise post and ensure this is signed by line manager (or as otherwise directed) and ready to be dispatched at the end of each day
- To manage the electronic diaries of Head of Department, and fee earners as directed by line manager, and to ensure that Head of Department and fee earners are aware of upcoming tasks/appointments
- To manage incoming post and filing (hard copy and electronically) as directed by line manager, including scanning and time recording where appropriate
- To manage files so that documents are readily accessible
- To ensure that confidential information is not passed on to third parties without permission from line manager
- To ensure that the relevant case management systems used are updated promptly and accurately.
- To ensure that client files, both paper and electronic are organised and stored correctly and securely.
- To handle information in a manner consistent with the firm’s policies relating to data protection and information security
- To assist fee earners (and secretaries) in managing their workload and to constantly improve the way we work.
- To organise meetings as directed by Head of Department and Fee Earners, and to prepare the room in advance if required and tidy up afterwards
- To provide administrative support to the Head of Department in relation to management tasks, to include but not limited to:
(a) Maintaining spreadsheets in relation to department’s figures and forecasts

(b) To monitor and record data including:
a. Internal referrals to and from the department

b. Matters marked as high risk

c. Client feedback

d. Any other department KPI as directed by Head of Department

(c) To respond to client feedback as directed by Head of Department

(d) To be the initial point of contact for clients wishing to raise formal complaints with the Head of Litigation Department.

(e) To collate forecast and matter list data from fee earners on a monthly basis

(f) To assist with the allocation of matters referred to the department

(g) To produce data required by the Head of Department for inclusion in monthly Ops Board reports

(h) To assist with the monitoring of credit control

(i) To assist the Head of Department and HR manager in organising cover for fee earner and support staff absence
- To liaise with clients and third parties on behalf of the Head of Department
- Deal with client enquiries as effectively as possible in the absence of the Head of Department

**Handling inbound telephone calls**
- To ensure that calls are answered promptly (preferably within three rings) and professionally
- To deal with enquiries effectively and where necessary, in the absence of the fee earner
- To take accurate messages and pass them on to the correct recipient in a timely manner
- To promptly direct callers to the appropriate member of staff if they are not the intended recipient
- To co-ordinate a high volume of calls during peak periods, prioritising work and situations

**Greeting visitors**
- To greet visitors efficiently, and in a positive, professional and friendly manner
- To project a positive and professional image to visitors to the office, including personal presentation
- To make visitors feel welcome

**Collaborative working**
- To maintain good working relationships with colleagues
- To use Departmental and office directory to ensure efficient transfer of calls, both internally and to all other office locations
- To backfill other administrative functions within the office as requ