Term:

Contract
Duration:

1 year
Working hours:

Full-time
Team:
Employment
Location:

Belfast
About us
Successful businesses rely on a unique set of ideas and people. We help our clients protect and develop those vital assets, unlocking possibilities for future success.
From iconic brands and leading multinationals to pioneering start-ups, we are proud to work with a huge range of inspiring clients, helping them to turning their ideas into reality and getting the best from - and for - their people.
Our people are not only exceptional at what they do, they also enjoy doing it and consistently give their best to a firm they’re proud to be part of. This stems from our firm culture and our ethos of bravery and kindness. That ethos runs through everything we do, from our approach to recruitment, business practices, and DEI activities to the day-to-day environment in our office and our relationships with clients.
With an internationally minded team of more than 700 working across key areas of law – plus strategic partnerships around the world – we’ve got both the combination and calibre of legal experts it takes to enable our clients’ businesses to thrive. Whether it is providing global employment law advice, managing a global IP portfolio or piecing together a multijurisdictional corporate transaction, we are able to have the right people, in the right place, at the right time.
About the team
Consistently top-ranked amongst our peers for over two decades, we advise UK and multinational clients of all sizes, with most of our Partners independently rated as leaders in the field. Not only do we have the largest employment team in the UK, we have truly global reach as members of Ius Laboris, the world’s leading employment law alliance, and with our Asia Pacific base in Hong Kong and our Dublin offices. We help clients realise the potential in their people and navigate their strategic HR and legal issues, with dedicated specialists in all areas of employment law and a track record of leading precedent setting cases on issues of the day.
About the role
The Office Manager will be responsible for the provision of day-to-day office activities and operations whilst also providing administrative and secretarial support to the fee-earners and wider business teams based in the Belfast office.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensuring fire audits, Health and Safety audits, Security audits, risk assessments and fire drills are completed and recorded appropriately.
• Manage training requirements for both Fire Wardens and First Aid support.
• Liaise with local Belfast vendors for supplies, services and subscriptions.
• Project manage office facilities actions from initial review to completion inc. supplier contact, costs, local/head office communications and follow up.
• Review and communicate office updates to ensure all staff are aware of impacts on office facilities.
• Management of support staff holiday scheduling and authorise office holiday requests.
• Record and process incidents of absence for staff.
• Scheduling internal and external meetings and training / events; ensuring that all arrangements are in place and any required materials and documentation are prepared in good time. This will include setting up internal meeting-room (including catering, when requested).
• Oversee the dispatch of mail, organising couriers and opening, sorting and recording of all in-coming mail and the response to or distribution of same as appropriate.
• Ensuring the stationery cupboard is well stocked at all times and ensure timely ordering of same.
• Greet clients and visitors in a helpful and professional manner, dealing with queries, if able, and ensuring messages are taken accurately and dealt with appropriately.
• Pro-active approach to ensuring that all administration work is completed on a timely basis by the PA team / Office Assistant, using own initiative to pre-empt matters.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining effective electronic and hard copy filing systems.
• Photocopying and scanning documents and maintaining and creating excel databases as required.
• Various other office and secretarial support responsibilities as required.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience covering key aspects of the above criteria (preferably in an international law/professional services firm).
• Proactive and able to work on own initiative without guidance.
• Knowledge of project and / or facilities management.
• Working with multiple suppliers with different services.
• Health and Safety qualification and/or management experience, inc. fire safety.
• Confidential and diplomatic approach in dealing with clients and colleagues.
• Proficient in professional communication via phone, email, and Teams, as well as delivering presentations to both external and internal stakeholders. Capable of establishing and maintaining professional working relationships.
• Reliable and trustworthy.
• Experience of working to tight deadlines, multitasking and not losing sight of priorities.
• Accurate numerical and accounting skills.
• Experience of using all office equipment (e.g. Photocopiers, printers, phones, computer hardware & software, video conference equipment) and being prepared to troubleshoot where necessary, given the appropriate support from London Facilities/IT teams (although full training on our systems will be provided).
• Strong team player, with a flexible, can-do attitude.

IT SKILLS REQUIRED

• Proficient IT skills – Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint systems, although full in-house training will be provided.
  Additional information
  At Lewis Silkin our ethos is simple. We strive to do the best for our clients, our people and the communities in which we operate. We recognise that an inclusive workplace allows for all kinds of ideas and thoughts, a variety of points of view that can trigger discussions or deliver innovative results, and a wide range of versatile skills and expertise. We are proud of the diversity within Lewis Silkin and of our culture that allows people to be themselves at work, ensuring we provide the best possible service to our clients. We are committed to supporting candidates throughout the recruitment process by supporting anyone who requires adjustments, in order to ensure they have the opportunity to perform at their best. All applicants will be considered equally and fairly. If you’d like to request any adjustments throughout the recruitment process, or would like to discuss flexible working patterns, please email the recruitment team in confidence (recruitment@lewissilkin.com).

• Ensuring fire audits, Health and Safety audits, Security audits, risk assessments and fire drills are completed and recorded appropriately.
• Manage training requirements for both Fire Wardens and First Aid support.
• Liaise with local Belfast vendors for supplies, services and subscriptions.
• Project manage office facilities actions from initial review to completion inc. supplier contact, costs, local/head office communications and follow up.
• Review and communicate office updates to ensure all staff are aware of impacts on office facilities.
• Management of support staff holiday scheduling and authorise office holiday requests.
• Record and process incidents of absence for staff.
• Scheduling internal and external meetings and training / events; ensuring that all arrangements are in place and any required materials and documentation are prepared in good time. This will include setting up internal meeting-room (including catering, when requested).
• Oversee the dispatch of mail, organising couriers and opening, sorting and recording of all in-coming mail and the response to or distribution of same as appropriate.
• Ensuring the stationery cupboard is well stocked at all times and ensure timely ordering of same.
• Greet clients and visitors in a helpful and professional manner, dealing with queries, if able, and ensuring messages are taken accurately and dealt with appropriately.
• Pro-active approach to ensuring that all administration work is completed on a timely basis by the PA team / Office Assistant, using own initiative to pre-empt matters.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining effective electronic and hard copy filing systems.
• Photocopying and scanning documents and maintaining and creating excel databases as required.
• Various other office and secretarial support responsibilities as required