Personal Assistant

**Key Competencies**
- 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
- Strong IT skills

**Administration / Secretarial work**
- To provide general administrative support to colleagues where directed by the partners
- 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 fee earner (or as otherwise directed) and ready to be dispatched at the end of each day
- To manage the electronic diary of Head of Department to ensure they 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 organise meetings as directed by the partners, and to prepare the room in advance if required and tidy up afterwards
- 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 partners

**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 required. For example, providing cover for reception

**Safety awareness**
- To monitor visitor access and maintain security awareness, following appropriate policies and procedures
- To ensure that their working environment is safe and clean and to eliminate potential slip and trip hazards
- To report any potential safety hazards to line manager
- To ensure that files are kept out of public view (i.e. not left in reception or other client areas)

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

Expected hours: 36.25 per week

Work Location: In person

Benefits Include

**How to Apply**:
Postal Address:
Mrs Diane Powell, HR Manager, Poole Alcock LLP, The Dowery, 22 Barker Street, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 5TE