Personal Assistant - Real Estate

Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 17:00 (35 hours per week). Happy to talk flexible working.

Location: London

Benefits:

• Annual leave starting at 25 days
• Birthday privilege day and Christmas shutdown
• Holiday buy, sell and carryover scheme
• 2 charity volunteering or pro bono days
• Optional private medical insurance via BUPA
• Annual fitness allowance
• Flexible pension scheme
• ISA saving scheme and independent financial advice
• Electric or hybrid vehicle lease scheme
• Medicash EAP with access to counselling
• Enhanced family leave policies
• Access to 10 days fully subsidised emergency or back‑up care per year
• Life assurance
• Group income protection
• Annual travel season ticket loan
• Hybrid working and dress for your day policy
• Bespoke training and development opportunities
• Financial contribution towards home working equipment

Role Overview: To provide an effective and flexible secretarial service and support the London Real Estate team, to ensure it functions efficiently in a manner which meets its objectives and the ongoing needs of the team and the firm.

Introduction to the Team: The team provides a range of deeds management to real estate sector clients including advice in relation to landlord and tenant matters, sales and acquisitions, development and funding arrangements, joint venture arrangements, and banking and real estate finance. Our large practice handles everything from high‑profile complex deals and litigation to the day‑to‑day managing of property portfolios.

Key Responsibilities:

• File administration including new client and matter opening; initial conflict checks, scanning and filing, closing and archiving
• Arranging meetings, including booking rooms, requesting conference calls and sending appointments/ MS Teams/ Video Call meetings
• Prepare standard documentation including preparing all draft bills, draft letters and sending out bills
• Updating and sending out monthly information sheets to clients
• Manage and monitor diaries for fee‑earners in the team
• Maintain team’s clients database and precedent documents
• Monitor fee earner’s Outlook during period of absence and identify urgent emails and redirect/ deal as appropriate
• Ad‑hoc tasks such as travel booking, processing expenses, compiling PDF documents
• Assist with any reasonable requests
• Some typing of emails, correspondence and documents from audio/ copy, as required
• Some typing of amends to documents using track changes (or without and thereafter using compareDocs) including, if required, re‑formatting and cross‑referencing
• Converting documents into HD house style
• Make and receive telephone calls evaluating communication and ensuring all calls are dealt with effectively and swiftly
• Scanning documents and filing into Workspaces

What Are We Looking For:

• Proficient in Word, digital dictation, Excel, Outlook, PDF Docs, compareDocs, DocXtools and any other in‑house systems in use throughout the firm (including time recording and billing systems)
• Proficient in diary management, invitation to meetings, MS Teams and Video Call meetings
• Able to produce accurate and well‑presented typewritten work
• Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills
• Able to work under pressure and prioritise
• Willing and able to work as part of a cross‑office team
• Able to use initiative
• Able to take and pass on accurate messages in a timely manner
• Able to demonstrate adaptability and flexibility in approach
• Proven experience working in a legal environment

If you don't meet all of the criteria above but feel that you could add real value to Hill Dickinson, we encourage you to apply and if successful, we can help you develop along the way.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Hill Dickinson is committed to providing fairness and equal opportunity for all regardless of age, gender, gender identity, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital or transgender status, nationality, religion or belief. We understand that our power as a firm comes from empowering our people and that it is only by encouraging and enabling individuals to be themselves at work that we can truly benefit from their rich and varied strengths. Hill Dickinson is an equal opportunities employer. All applications received by the firm will be considered based on their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background and from all routes to qualification, with both the SRA and CILEx.

Disability Support: We are a Disability Confident employer, which means if there is anything that we can do to make your visit easier, so you are able to perform at your best, please let us know. You can contact the HR team at hrteam@hilldickinson.com should you require any adjustments to the application or interview process.

At Hill Dickinson, we welcome applications from individuals that are looking to return to the law as well as all routes to qualification, with both the SRA and CILEx. All successful candidates will be subject to our standard pre‑employment screening, including a basic criminal record check via Disclosure and Barring Service. Any offer of employment made is conditional upon completion of all checks. Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.