Administrative Assistant (Real Estate) - Manchester

DAC Beachcroft has an exciting opportunity for an Administrative Assistant to join our Real Estate cluster on a full-time, permanent basis in our centrally located Manchester office. The role provides administrative and file management support across the team. Work will come either directly from the lawyer or through the work allocated by the Hub Leader (HL)/Practice Assistants (PA)/Legal Support Assistants (LSA). The role is accountable for establishing and maintaining an ongoing service-based relationship with the team they support recognising and translating the needs and expectations into a responsive service.

Key Responsibilities

• Client Relationship Management
  • Taking instruction to undertake admin tasks relating to client relationship management.
  • Responsible for ensuring current knowledge of client specific protocols and processes, and building these into current practices.
  • Assisting the lawyers, HL/PA/LSA as directed in the organisation of internal and external events, seminars and conferences, responsible for arranging registers of delegates; booking travel; printing/sending materials.
• Administrative
  • File management – updating and maintaining all files, ensuring documents are filed correctly and named in line with the business wide naming convention and the correct folder structures are adopted (both electronic and paper).
  • File opening and closing – matters are set up on the relevant document/case management system. Undertake all file closing/archiving procedures ensuring compliant at all times.
  • Make room and taxi bookings as requested, organising hand deliveries and courier requests, and other adhoc requests.
  • Printing/copying/scanning of documents flowing to Office Services for support with high volume jobs, as appropriate.
  • Sending large electronic documents via ShareFile.
  • Submitting documents for signature by clients via DocuSign.
  • Dealing with incoming post - scanning, saving to the file and circulating to the relevant fee earners.
  • Updating of Workflow Tracking Schedules.
  • Collating and indexing legal documentation, deeds scheduling and deeds management.
  • Typing of standard letters i.e. payment of invoices, acceptance of events.
  • Uploading documents to PDF docs and editing documents using the same.
• Communication
  • Liaising with fellow team members on workloads and ensure deadlines are consistently met.
  • Answering internal calls for other members of the team.
  • Liaising with and taking direction from your HL, PA LSA and lawyers.
• Financial
  • Assisting with billing as required.
  • Dealing with matter related finance administration to include BACs, TTs etc.
  • Assisting with expenses as required.
• Processing
  • Responsible for managing priorities and workloads to ensure deadlines are met. Liaising with HL where challenges arise.
  • Responsible for creating and uploading information to client data rooms, in line with instructions from lawyer, HL PA or LSA.
  • Production of court bundles, both paper and electronic copies, ensuring the master bundle is correctly prepared in line with lawyer instructions and court rules and instructions provided to Office Services to complete printing/copying of master bundles; suitable delivery methods pre-booked as needed.
  • Checking client and internal data for accuracy.
  • Ensuring compliance with firm wide/department policies and procedures.
  • Responsible for checking post and/or emails and dealing with as appropriate ensuring all client related correspondence is appropriately filed in firm’s document management systems.
  • Online applications e.g. Companies House, Land Registry, Searchflow, forms.
  • Undertaking searches and completion of requisite forms and submissions.
• Customer Service
  • Attending team meetings.
  • Liaising with lawyers and HL to take instruction and liaise on work requirements.
  • Consistently and appropriately update service users on progress where appropriate.
  • Regularly offer assistance wherever possible.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Relevant office-based administration experience.
• An aptitude for administration management and processes, with experience of working with document management/case management systems.
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• An effective communicator with the ability to liaise with internal and external clients in a professional manner; striving to provide exceptional service at all times.
• Good organisational skills and ability to manage own time effectively within a fast-paced environment.
• Conscientious, taking personal responsibility for own work and accountability for its delivery and quality.
• Positive can-do attitude with the ability to adapt to change.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Customer/client service focused.
• Proactive, professional and flexible approach to work.
• Keen to develop over a period of time with a willingness and ability to learn.
• Excellent team player, sharing in team goals to provide excellent quality and efficiency of service, with a willingness to take on new responsibilities and challenges.