Executive Assistant job with Freshfields

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Freshfields

Executive Assistant

London

Freshfields overview

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it most matters, wherever in the world that may be. The Firm has over 2,400 lawyers in 28 offices around the world, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments.

Our people make our firm - we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams.

We think and work globally - we don’t just say we are one firm; we act like one firm right across the world. We work wherever our clients need us. This is how we define ourselves, not by reference to where we have offices. Cross-border work isn’t just what we do, it is what we excel at. We understand what it really takes to work across different legal systems and commercial environments and to bridge language and cultural gaps.

We aim to add value in everything we do - we are passionate about helping our clients succeed. We use our experience and creativity to help clients make judgements and achieve their goals. In everything we do, we seek to make a real difference to the communities in which we operate.

Location Overview
London

Our London office is at the heart of our global network, in one of the most exciting world cities. London is arguably the world’s greatest financial centre: all of the world’s leading financial institutions have a significant presence here. It’s home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe’s largest companies. Our London team has a reputation that’s second to none. They’re the team the world’s leading businesses turn to for help with their most challenging problems. They work with colleagues around the world on complex, cross-border deals and disputes. Whether you join as a lawyer, a recent graduate or in a business services role, London is a great place to work. You will have the opportunity to work on challenging, engaging work that will give you the opportunity to make your mark and progress your career. We believe there is no better place to work.

Qualifications

Role summary

The Executive Assistant provides a high level of professional, client focussed support to partners, counsel, and senior associates and senior heads of business, and undertakes a wide range of activities . The Executive Assistant is expected to take on complex tasks, support projects, and provide transaction support, as well as playing a critical role in managing daily administration for fee earners. This role requires a proactive and highly competent Executive Assistant who will operate effectively in a pressurised and fast paced environment. Typically the Executive Assistant will offer tailored support to between one and three stakeholders.

Key responsibilities and deliverables

Engagement
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of clients, sector mandates, stakeholders and projects.
• Understand priorities, potential issues, sensitivities and key stakeholders/clients and practically apply this knowledge to support fee earners or senior directors across a range of activities.
• Act as the key liaison point between clients (both internal and external) and the department, taking full responsibility for handling incoming queries/issues. Assess, prioritise and follow up requests and actions, whilst managing clients’ expectations.
• Provide effective mailbox management on behalf of fee earners or senior directors; screen communications to act as a gatekeeper, draft responses where possible; ensure all requests are followed up in an accurate and timely manner and escalated when necessary.
• Manage fee earners or senior director schedules; coordinate and arrange meetings to best utilise time; proactively manage diary conflicts and ensure fee earners or senior directors are prepared in advance of meetings with all necessary documentation and details. Suggest and arrange client visits/other meetings.
• Arrange travel effectively and efficiently; plan for contingencies and anticipate additional requirements. Build extensive knowledge of fee earner or senior director preferences.
• Independently draft complex documents, including correspondence, reports, presentations, spreadsheets, data analysis. Proof reads work to ensure an accurate and high standard is maintained, demonstrating strong attention to detail at all times.
• Draft emails and letters on behalf of fee earners or senior directors, including internal and external communications.
• Establish and maintain an efficient, effective and up to date manual and electronic filing system and other administration systems with the ability to quickly store and retrieve key documents.
• Carry out advanced internet research to provide detailed information regarding clients and companies and analyse material to support the transaction team (Fee earner support only).
• Work flexibly and outside core hours as and when the need arises, often at short notice.
• Travel with stakeholders to attend client meetings and events (could include local/UK/overseas travel).

Team Support
• Act as an integral member of the team; maintain a high level of awareness of current priorities and support required.
• Provide support to the wider team, streamlining and distributing administrative tasks and managing resources in order to provide an effective and efficient service.
• Support projects and work streams; manage delivery of tasks to timescales.
• Assist with organisation, administration, co-ordination and logistics for both London and global events and external conferences as well as internal seminars/meetings, including attendance at these to provide support.
• Attend meetings / conference calls and take minutes in order to action follow up.
• Has full knowledge of work streams from inception to completion.
• Draft engagement letters / emails and manage uploading in a timely manner to meet the OFR process and comply with risk and compliance procedures. (Fee earner support only)
• Regularly facilitate knowledge sharing within the team and ensures relevant information is disseminated accordingly.
• Operate an effective aide memoire system to prompt team to meet all deadlines.
• Manages holiday and absence for the team, ensuring details are recorded correctly onto the HR system and certificates are received, raising issues with Head of Department as necessary. (Senior director/heads of business services support only)
• Co-ordinates seat moves for the team using the firm’s internal SML system and liaising with HR and Space Planning regarding timing and logistics. (Senior director/heads of business services support only)
• Monitors budgets and raises / settles invoices. (Senior director/heads of business services support only)
• Assists with organising training for the team and for the wider London office including compliance training. (Senior director/heads of business services support only)
• Involved in collating and analysing data, managing spreadsheets on behalf of the team and creating and running reports for the benefit of the team. (Senior director/heads of business services support only)
• Run firm wide projects on behalf of the team and liaises with service departments regarding impact and success of project. (Senior director/heads of business services support only)

Financial Management (Fee earner support only)
• Develop and maintain knowledge of fee earners’ workload and a high level knowledge of the firm’s billing processes and systems to assist in drafting time sheets from Outlook, ensuring detailed information is entered in a timely manner to meet 48 hour submission deadlines.
• Attend WIP meetings. Use the Desktop Matter Management tool (DTMM) to provide financial information and to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the client’s billing requirements.
• Provide first draft of bill narratives and complete amendments, assisting with editing and reconciling timelines, narratives and breakdowns.
• Liaise with Revenue Control team regarding outstanding bills and follow up on behalf of the fee-earner. Collate bills each month for Partner sign off.

Business Development
• Proactively build a professional network with stakeholders and their support assistants.
• Manage contacts in Outlook and ensures post meeting follow ups occur.
• Manage the production of marketing material through liaison with the MBD department, including production of pitches and client presentations. (Fee earner support only)
• Maintain partner biographies and CVs on Connect Bio Webform (for pitches) and on Freshfields.com. (Fee earner support only)

Key requirements

• Excellent academic background, educated to graduate level or has equivalent professional experience.
• Proven track record working at comparable level in a professional, service driven environment.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills.
• Strong evidence of business writing and numeracy skills.
• Previous experience supporting projects preferred.

Benefits

Our reward package is designed to offer you a competitive salary, a comprehensive range of employee benefits and the potential to receive an additional bonus each year, recognising the contribution you make to the firm.
You can choose from a variety of insurance policies, services and products to help you secure your financial future, protect your health and fitness, and make your life easier.

You will receive 26 days’ holiday each year, with the option to purchase additional days, plus free access to market-leading health and wellbeing websites and services.

As you would expect, we will support you through the major events in your life, so we offer competitive maternity, flexible working and leave policies.

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