Executive Assistant - Private Client, Norwich

Executive Assistant - Private Client, Norwich (0231)

An Exciting Opportunity to join an award winning firm in the heart of the fine city of Norwich as an Executive Assistant in our Private Client team.

The role

This role provides comprehensive Executive Assistant services to the local team. To succeed in the role, you will work closely with Team Leaders and Regional Executive Services Managers and utilise the internal resources available to you including the Document Production team, Administrative Assistants and Business Services. While you will have a degree of autonomy in how you structure your day, you will still be an integral part of the team you work in. You will be expected to be aligned with the values of the firm, have a good level of client knowledge, strong relationships across the business and, where appropriate, with clients.

The person

Given the challenges of this role, it is likely that your background and experience will include having spent some time working in a professional services environment. You may additionally have experience of providing executive services level support to lawyers or similar professionals. You will be a natural organiser who thrives in a role that requires multi-tasking and working with a variety of people across the business.

The role additionally requires someone who:

• will manage multiple lawyers and delegate where appropriate using the support teams available;
• is confident in setting and prioritising their own work agenda;
• is organised and methodical in how they approach their work;
• has good written as well as verbal communication skills;
• has excellent attention to detail, communicates effectively and works well within a team;
• is confident and able to build sustainable relationships with internal and external clients; and
• is willing to take on new responsibilities and challenges, whilst remaining resilient.

The activities

• Manage and attend team and project meetings, taking minutes where required, preparing meeting arrangements including booking travel (this may include overseas travel), rooms, catering, accommodation, desks, equipment and updating internal business development calendars;
• plan, arrange and attend events including liaising with business support teams and updating attendee lists or reports;
• engage in networking in order to build relationships and raise the business profile, to include use of external media platforms such as LinkedIn;
• manage email bounce backs, processing feedback forms and logging referrals and activities;
• support lawyers with legal directory submissions and updating lawyer biography/CVs and sector pages;
• assist with updates and newsletters to clients, including adding to mailing lists.

Client service

• Deliver outstanding client service by looking for improvements, speaking up and taking responsibility;
• receive verbal and written instructions and see them through to conclusion;
• work proactively and use own initiative to progress tasks;
• undertake client/matter creation and updating tasks, alerts, reserves, estimating tools and ensuring these are kept up to date and accurate throughout matter life;
• ensure compliance process is followed, including carrying out conflict checks, matter risk assessments and liaising with Central Inception team and clients for ID;
• use our digital technology to update and manage in-house data systems such as Collaborate, Volume Control and Dialogue;
• participate in the running of helplines, websites, phone calls and logging referrals, which may include liaising with clients, counsel and other professionals;
• be a point of contact to assist with client and matter contact queries;
• initial drafting of correspondence and legal documents;
• coordinate file reviews.

Diary management

• Coordinate diary appointments ensuring papers, itineraries and all other arrangements are in place;
• add key dates and reminders to diaries and matter files.

Finance and billing

• Hold regular financial housekeeping meetings with lawyers, printing billing guides and preparing breakdown of costs and liaising with the finance team;
• help prepare and despatch client invoices with covering correspondence;
• liaise with counsel and experts regarding fee notes and outstanding bills;
• deal with general day to day client and finance queries;
• prepare finance forms including generating purchase orders;
• update internal reporting systems;
• manage standard annual rate review letters and terms of business;
• complete timesheet input for sickness/holidays/own time where appropriate;
• manage lawyer/business support expense claims.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

The benefits

As you'd expect, we offer a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits. Click here to find out more about our core benefit offering.

If we offer you a role, we will conduct comprehensive pre-employment screening. This screening will include, but is not limited to, a basic DBS, verification of your right to work, a three year employment history and a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability for the role. Full details of our pre-screening employment process are available upon request.

The firm

Mills & Reeve is centred on achieving more for clients, their businesses and the wider communities we serve. Our clients and their industries benefit from our knowledge and learning, and receive consistent experiences with no surprises. We tell them what they need to know when they need to know it.

We build personal relationships, with advice individually tailored to individual need. And if clients need things we don't offer, we draw on our network to give recommendations. Our 1,250 plus people and over 750 lawyers share one vision – achieving more for clients.

By joining Mills & Reeve, you'll have the chance to build your skills and experience within a firm that's not only ranked in the top 50 UK law firms, but also one that truly values their people. Our mantra is “Achieve more. Together.”, which we feel embodies our purpose and is more than just a catchphrase! We're also ranked in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, and were recently awarded Platinum Investors in People.

and finally

Everyone at Mills & Reeve brings a unique perspective and ideas to the team and we do everything we can to help each person to thrive. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment, are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, and want to achieve the right balance for both our people and the firm. We encourage everyone to ask if they feel they need any workplace adjustments, and will do our best to support with these.