This is a new role which has been created to provide targeted and expert support to their secretarial population, who would benefit from greater support around training, development and performance. There will also be an element of resource management across all teams and offices.
The Secretarial Manager will be responsible for line managing all Secretaries in London and Reading, with the exception of the Executive Assistant to the CEO and COO.
Responsibility for other administrative roles such as the Receptionist and Office Coordinator will not fall under the Secretarial Manager's remit. The Secretarial Manager will report to the Head of Administration.
Initially, the Secretarial Manager role will not be exclusive of secretarial responsibilities. As the role and firm grows, we expect secretarial responsibilities to decrease, but this will be a matter for discussion and agreement between the Secretarial Manager and Head of Administration.
The company headcount is currently 89 (expected to increase to 92 in September 2024), with 11 secretaries, 2 of whom are based in Reading. As this role will manage secretaries across both offices, travel to the Reading office will be required at least once a month. This may increase with time, depending on the size of the team in Reading.
The Secretarial Manager's main role includes, but is not limited to:
- Secretarial:
- Working for up to four fee earners on a daily basis with additional fee earners visiting on a regular basis on a mix of workplace law
- Monthly billing (producing and amending billing guides, transferring time as required, creating invoices and sending to accounts for adding to billing system)
- General typing - audio (limited) and copy typing (letters, emails, witness statements, attendance notes etc.)
- Typing of legal documents including, but not limited to, ET1 and ET3 forms o Preparation of court bundles and visa applications
- Opening new client files, sending out new engagement forms and dealing with Money
Laundering Regulations o General administrative duties such as, photocopying, filing, answering calls, booking appointments, couriers and taxis, diary management
- Resource management:
- Allocate secretarial work across all offices
- Ensure sufficient levels of cover are available during unplanned absence/holiday
o Responsible for the recruitment of administrative/secretarial employees in conjunction with the HR Manager and Head of Administration.
- Manage all secretarial employees including:
- Implement and manage secretarial and administrative procedures across the team and firm o Act as a first line of support for secretaries and deal with issues/questions as they arise, escalating as appropriate
- Support the team during any system/process changes, acting as a positive role model o Ensure secretaries complete their file opening administration tasks
- Hold and lead monthly Secretary meetings and ensure effective communication both ways with management
- Share knowledge and experience with the secretarial population to further their career progression
- Motivate and inspire the secretarial population to help them reach their potential and work together to achieve the firm's goals
- Act as an advocate for the secretarial population
o Gather feedback and carry out performance reviews in conjunction with the Head of Administration
- Liaising with other areas of the firm including:
- Accounts for the smooth running of the billing process and working with the team to develop effective solutions to issues as they arise
- Practice Team Leaders to:
- Ensure resources are available and equitably delivered according to need
- Manage inductions for all new fee earning and secretarial starters o IT to:
- ensure the appropriate level of training and support for new software and processes
- feeding back on technology issues and helping IT create solutions
- HR to:
- ensure people management best practices are implemented and the secretarial team remain engaged, motivated and supported
- work together in designing and implementing a performance review programme including the creation of a competency framework
- manage people related issues such as performance, conduct, capability, in line with the firm's policies and culture
- carry out probation reviews in conjunction/with support from the Head of Administration
- Process improvement o Proactively work with Team Leaders, Head of Administration and other relevant stakeholders to identify areas for improvement and potential solutions
- Seek feedback on processes/practices/systems that are working well and those that may require improvement
- Actively consider how the secretarial population can continually deliver value and work together
- Understand strategic business requirements to identify solutions and improvements to the overall secretarial function
- Keeping up to date with industry changes and consider how the firm should respond to such
changes
Role Requirements
- Minimum of five years' prior experience in a secretarial or similar role
- Excellent attention to detail
- A flexible, 'can and will do' attitude
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Ability to communicate clearly and in a professional manner
- Excellent client care approach
- Ability to work in a fast paced environment and manage a busy workload
- Being able to manage client and colleague expectations effectively
- Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills
- Being able to work independently and part of a team
- Ability to multi-task and manage sensitive documents
- Strong IT skills
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.
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