An exciting opportunity to join our ESS team in London as an Administrative Assistant.
Administrative Assistant
Corporate & Commercial - London - Permanent
The role
This is an office based operational role that will provide support to your team with all administrative tasks required to meet client needs. Working closely with the team’s lawyers and Executive Assistants, you will be responsible for completing a variety of administrative tasks within agreed timescales and with accuracy and attention to detail. This is an entry level role so you will be expected to learn new tasks, IT packages and build up your skills and knowledge. The intention is that you will work towards being promoted into a Senior Administrative Assistant position and, should you want to do so, the firm will look to provide you with the skills to support your career development.
The person
Given that this is an entry level position, we are open as to your background and previous experience, although this is likely to include some involvement in customer service and/or office-based work.

The role requires someone who:

• is confident and able to build sustainable relationships with colleagues;
• is organised and methodical in how they approach their work;
• has good attention to detail;
• demonstrates good teamwork as well as being self-motivated;
• communicates effectively;
• is proactive and uses their own initiative;
• is able to prioritise tasks in order to meet deadlines;
• will attend and participate in meetings; and
• is willing to take on new responsibilities and challenges and understands the requirement to upskill, taking responsibility for their own training and development, in an ever-evolving role.

The activities
Incoming and outgoing communications and administrative tasks

Documentation comes in and out of the office in various ways. You will be involved in supporting the movement of data, documents and information which will include:

• managing incoming and outgoing post items as directed;
• filing;
• managing emails coming into the business including electronic filing on client files;
• managing the storage and retrieval of deeds, Wills and other original documents;
• completing courier forms and arranging these as directed;
• managing Special Deliveries and proof of posting; and
• managing information that is saved in places such as data rooms and Sharefiles.

File management

With appropriate training, you will be responsible for adding and amending data on the firm’s client database, as well as assisting with financial housekeeping and file management. Tasks will include:

• adding and amending contacts, flagging duplicate entries, logging referrals, managing mailing lists;
• logging activities and running reports;
• assisting with matter risks assessments, conflict checks and Central Inception;
• assisting with file audits;
• assisting with opening and closing files;
• scheduling deeds and documents and archiving; and
• assist with online finance forms including raising purchase orders.

General support

You will be responsible for supporting the Executive Assistants, lawyers and Business Services and will be asked to complete a number of tasks that are likely to include:

• copying, printing and scanning documents, using other available support services if required;
• booking train tickets and travel using the firm’s online system;
• completing online expense claims on behalf of lawyers;
• compiling document bundles, both online and in paper form;
• general document management that may include indexing, scheduling, paginating and binding; and
• it is likely that you will also be involved in ad hoc tasks delegated to you.

Pre-employment screening
Please note that, in the event that we make an offer of employment, we will conduct pre-employment screening that includes checks relating to your professional and academic qualifications, references from previous employers, your eligibility to work in the UK and any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). You will also be required to complete a self-declaration to access your character and suitability.
Disclosure and barring service check
This post is also subject to a satisfactory response from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to check for any previous criminal convictions/cautions.
The Mills & Reeve Executive Support Services career structure
We have a firm wide Executive Support Services career structure and a published career progression framework. Within the firm wide career structure there are five career levels. For the purposes of the framework, this role is at an Assistant level. Further information on the firm’s Executive Support Services career structure is available from the HR team.
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 role requires someone who:

• is confident and able to build sustainable relationships with colleagues;
• is organised and methodical in how they approach their work;
• has good attention to detail;
• demonstrates good teamwork as well as being self-motivated;
• communicates effectively;
• is proactive and uses their own initiative;
• is able to prioritise tasks in order to meet deadlines;
• will attend and participate in meetings; and
• is willing to take on new responsibilities and challenges and understands the requirement to upskill, taking responsibility for their own training and development, in an ever-evolving role

Documentation comes in and out of the office in various ways. You will be involved in supporting the movement of data, documents and information which will include:

• managing incoming and outgoing post items as directed;
• filing;
• managing emails coming into the business including electronic filing on client files;
• managing the storage and retrieval of deeds, Wills and other original documents;
• completing courier forms and arranging these as directed;
• managing Special Deliveries and proof of posting; and
• managing information that is saved in places such as data rooms and Sharefiles

With appropriate training, you will be responsible for adding and amending data on the firm’s client database, as well as assisting with financial housekeeping and file management. Tasks will include:

• adding and amending contacts, flagging duplicate entries, logging referrals, managing mailing lists;
• logging activities and running reports;
• assisting with matter risks assessments, conflict checks and Central Inception;
• assisting with file audits;
• assisting with opening and closing files;
• scheduling deeds and documents and archiving; and
• assist with online finance forms including raising purchase orders

You will be responsible for supporting the Executive Assistants, lawyers and Business Services and will be asked to complete a number of tasks that are likely to include:

• copying, printing and scanning documents, using other available support services if required;
• booking train tickets and travel using the firm’s online system;
• completing online expense claims on behalf of lawyers;
• compiling document bundles, both online and in paper form;
• general document management that may include indexing, scheduling, paginating and binding; and
• it is likely that you will also be involved in ad hoc tasks delegated to you