At a Glance
- Tasks: Support fee-earners with diary management, travel arrangements, and administrative tasks.
- Company: Join Simmons & Simmons, a dynamic firm focused on impactful legal services.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, bonuses, private medical insurance, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Be part of a culture that values your voice and encourages innovative thinking.
- Qualifications: Experience in a professional services environment and strong Microsoft skills required.
- Other info: Diversity and inclusion are at our core; we celebrate differences and support flexible work.
Part-time Secretary – Insurance & Construction page is loaded
Part-time Secretary – Insurance & Construction
Apply locations London time type Part time posted on Posted Yesterday job requisition id JR101550
Role title: Secretary
Location: London
Job type: Part-time, Permanent, two days per week
Reports to: Secretarial Manager
The role:
To provide fee-earners with proactive and high-quality secretarial support that appropriately meets their requirements, enabling them to focus on providing legal services to clients and reducing the need for them to undertake administrative tasks.
What will you do:
Diary and contact management
- Proactively manage and maintain fee-earners\’ diaries, scheduling appointments and co-ordinating internal and external client meetings and ensure all work activities are scheduled effectively, including the identification and resolution of potential challenges and clashes.
- Having a good knowledge of fee earners clients, liaising with their PAs.
- Monitor individual responses for meetings and update fee-earner(s) as required. Ensure fee-earners have relevant materials and information in advance of each meeting.
- Arrange the booking of conference rooms, video conference facilities, taxis refreshments, restaurants, and liaising with meeting attendees, both internal and external.
- Monitoring and responding to post and/or emails, prioritising correspondence to enable fee-earners to focus on urgent matters and using initiative to route emails to the appropriate individuals for swift response and action; wherever possible, responding to and filing emails on behalf of fee-earners to reduce volume
- Organising travel arrangements through the firm’s travel company, booking and confirmation of reservations, flights, hotels, car transfers, ordering currency and expense claims and producing detailed itineraries.
Administrative tasks
- Day-to-day administrative tasks such as photocopying, scanning and demonstrating the ability to delegate to appropriate department(s) and team administrators, when necessary, e.g. for organising large volume printing, photocopying, document production.
- Effectively manage new client matter opening and any additional tasks and duties relating to this process, following Service Excellence workbooks and process throughout.
- Organise document management, including closing of files, archiving and ensure that all relevant documents are filed electronically and paper-based, if required.
- Dealing with and submission of travel invoices and expense claims using Chrome River.
- Submitting invoices for payment through the Accounts Payable team and monitoring progress.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the end-to-end billing process and AX (Financial system); assisting fee-earners by proactively leading on relevant administrative processes, to ensure that bills are completed within required timeframe.
- Prepare WIP reports to be reviewed by fee-earners.
- Supporting fee-earners, Secretarial Co-ordinator or Group Head on time recording (Intapp), including reporting as required.
- Supporting fee-earners with maintenance of InterAction; ensure new business contact details are entered and contacts from fee-earners Outlook address book are shared, updating changes of contact and entering activities when a M&BD activity is planned with a client or target by own fee-earner, proactively downloading and printing reports on contacts ahead of meetings and pitches with the contact.
- Supporting team in updating information on the SharePoint intranet or in managing and maintaining particular pages.
- Supporting fee-earners with the preparation of speaker CVs and formatting of speaker materials, RSVP management for events sponsored by own fee-earner by responding to MS Team calls and email enquiries from interested delegates, responding to fee-earners’ queries about attending delegates using InterAction reporting function, notifying own fee-earners about events that are coming up in their/other office when visiting using intranet events calendar and notifying the organiser if fee-earner wishes to attend.
Preparation of key documents and correspondence
- Drafting letters and correspondence as required.
- Proof-reading all work to ensure that completed documents are delivered accurately and to a consistently high standard
- Preparation of agendas, presentations and meeting papers, including print production and timely distribution and chasing papers for meetings and ensuring that fee-earners have papers and adequate preparation time.
- Submit edits and format changes to bids, pitches and other client documents to Document Management Centre and monitor progress.
- Drafting letters and correspondence as required.
- Sourcing fee-earners’ CVs for pitches and co-ordinating the update of the CVs for the pitch then submission to the BD contact by required deadline and/or submission of pitch documents where online submission is required.
- Support with presentations for client training, seminars and conferences if required by submitting to Document Management Centre to ensure they meet the firm’s branding and house style guidelines.
- Maintenance of CVs; maintaining fee-earner CVs on CV Bank and the website to include entering content changes as directed by fee-earners, and proactively supporting the quarterly CV review by printing all versions of own fee-earners’ CVs from CV bank for review and mark-up, proactively asking fee-earners about adding new deals and cases to their CV upon completion of a matter.
What we are looking for:
Education / Qualifications / Experience
- Experience working as a secretary within a professional services environment
Knowledge and Technical Skills
- Good working knowledge of all Microsoft applications
- Experience of working with house-styles and branding
- Good working knowledge of document and client relationship management systems, OCR/PDF software and financial recording applications
General Skills
- Client service orientated approach
- A proven working understanding of teamwork
- Problem solving skills and solutions focused
- Advanced communication skills at all levels
- Self-management, ability to take ownership and excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise work calmly and effectively in a pressurised environment
- Accountability and professionalism
- Business and organisation awareness
- Ability to develop self and others
- Attention to detail and discretion with confidential information Able to work effectively as part of a diverse and inclusive team Creative and forward-thinking approach to tasks.
Here at Simmons & Simmons:
Simmons & Simmons is a place where dynamic minds thrive. Our culture is built on work that matters, you will work on inspirational and thought-provoking projects, using your influence to create positive impact for our clients, society and the planet. We also ensure that everyone’s voice is heard from day one, irrespective of job title, qualification, or background. You’ll be encouraged to have an enquiring mind and share ideas that can drive the firm forward. Through innovative learning and development opportunities, you will be provided with a platform to excel, enabling you to exceed your career ambitions and do things you never thought were possible.
Some key information:
- We offer a competitive package including bonuses dependant on role/level, private medical insurance and pension contribution.
- Our global skills academy provides our people, regardless of their role and location, with excellent learning opportunities (including live workshops, podcasts, short videos and practical learning experiences).
- We have adopted a hybrid working approach with a requirement for a minimum of three days in the office with flexibility dependant on role/team/client demands.
- We bring together the best legal advice from our established legal teams with non-traditional capabilities via Simmons & Simmons Solutions that enhance, expand and differentiate the Simmons offering.
- We are proud to rank as a top 30 Employer for Working Families and a top 25 Employer for Social Mobility.
- We have a range of social and sports committees, summer and winter parties and monthly get togethers.
- We have a range of diversity networks to connect people and celebrate our differences which is integral to our inclusive culture.
- All UK offices have their own artwork collections – including Damien Hurst and Tracey Emin pieces in the London office. We have a long-standing history in supporting the art community especially up-and-coming artists.
- We have recently introduced a Strategic Advisory Council which is a mix of associates and business services who will propose strategic initiatives that align with our firm\’s mission and support the delivery of our Business Plan, shaping the future of our next-generation law firm.
Equal opportunities:
- We are committed to promoting equality and diversity in the firm and to equal opportunities in employment.
- We believe in equality of opportunity, irrespective of race or ethnicity, religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender re-assignment and gender identity, marriage or civil partnership, and pregnancy, maternity and paternity. This also includes any incidents of perceptive or associative discrimination and harassment. We ensure that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly during the recruitment and selection processes.
- At Simmons & Simmons we seek to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, to create an exciting and rewarding place to work. We are supportive of flexible working arrangements wherever possible and we would encourage you to discuss this with us, should this be something you are interested in.
If you’re interested in finding out more about this position,please contact the Recruitment Team . To apply for the role, click on the link at the bottom of the page or visit our career page for more details.
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Part-time Secretary - Insurance & Construction employer: Simmons & Simmons
Contact Detail:
Simmons & Simmons Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Part-time Secretary - Insurance & Construction
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific software and tools mentioned in the job description, such as document management systems and financial recording applications. Being able to demonstrate your proficiency in these areas during the interview can set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 2
Research the company culture at Simmons & Simmons. Understanding their values and how they promote diversity and inclusion can help you tailor your responses in interviews, showing that you align with their ethos and are a good fit for their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed multiple tasks or projects in a fast-paced environment. Highlighting your organisational skills and ability to prioritise effectively will resonate well with the hiring managers looking for someone who can handle the demands of this role.
✨Tip Number 4
Network with current or former employees of Simmons & Simmons if possible. Gaining insights into their experiences can provide you with valuable information to discuss during your interview, demonstrating your genuine interest in the firm and the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Part-time Secretary - Insurance & Construction
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in secretarial roles, particularly within professional services. Emphasise skills like diary management, client communication, and document preparation that align with the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your understanding of the role and the company. Mention specific experiences that demonstrate your ability to support fee-earners effectively and your familiarity with the insurance and construction sectors.
Highlight Relevant Skills: In your application, focus on key skills such as advanced communication, organisational abilities, and proficiency in Microsoft applications. Provide examples of how you've successfully managed multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
Proofread Your Application: Before submitting, carefully proofread your CV and cover letter for any errors. Ensure that all documents are formatted professionally and reflect a high standard of attention to detail, which is crucial for this role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Simmons & Simmons
✨Know the Role Inside Out
Make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities of a Part-time Secretary in the insurance and construction sectors. Familiarise yourself with diary management, travel arrangements, and document preparation, as these are key aspects of the role.
✨Demonstrate Your Organisational Skills
During the interview, be prepared to discuss how you manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively. Share examples from your past experiences where you successfully handled administrative duties under pressure.
✨Showcase Your Communication Abilities
As a secretary, communication is crucial. Be ready to highlight your advanced communication skills and provide examples of how you've liaised with clients and colleagues in previous roles.
✨Prepare Questions for Them
Interviews are a two-way street. Prepare thoughtful questions about the company culture, team dynamics, and expectations for the role. This shows your genuine interest in the position and helps you assess if it's the right fit for you.