Osborne Clarke has a great opportunity working for the Disputes & Risk Practice Group Head (PGH) and Operations team as an Executive Assistant. The main purpose of this role is to provide day to day executive support to the PGH and core Operations team (Operations Director and Operations Manager) in order to deliver the Practice Group's strategy and tactical objectives.
This will also involve working closely with the Partner Service Line Leaders, and wider management team, including the Practice Group's HR Business Partner, Finance Business Partner, Head of Knowledge, and Senior Business Development Manager. The role is based in our central Bristol office with the option of some hybrid working.
Key Responsibilities
- Owning the process for Practice Group meetings (e.g. Service Line Leader meetings; full Partner meetings; service line team meetings) including the preparation of agendas, papers, and minutes, and ensuring that key actions and follow up is delivered Helping the PGH and Operations team prioritise and manage their workload including the proactive identification of opportunities for greater efficiencies in their working day, ensuring schedules run smoothly and that they are prepared for each meeting
- Proactive management and full ownership of PGH and Operations Director's diaries, managing all appointments, meetings and related logistics, as well as dealing with conflicts and associated operational deadlines and key decision milestones
- Coordination and tracking of the Practice Group's operational costs and helping identify efficiencies (e.g. travel, employee recognition, training, internal meeting costs, etc.)
- Supporting the PG and OD with the development, coordination and tracking of the Practice Group's and Service Lines' annual tactical objectives, business plans and special projects
- Supporting the annual Partner Evaluation process by, scheduling review meetings, managing communications and reminders to partners, and circulating materials, including creating hard copy packs where appropriate
- Leading the administrative coordination of the Practice Group's annual Away Day with the Operations and Practice Support Manager and events team
- Arranging travel requirements for PGH, OD and Operations Managers
- Working with others to manage the PG's compliance with the firm's mandatory training and other policies (e.g. Total Time Recording Policy)
- Supporting the PGH's fee earning practice, including taking ownership of client matter financial management and supporting client relationship development e.g. tracking key client relationships and proactively working with the PGH to ensure regular catch up meetings are organised. Producing first drafts of emails where appropriate for review be PGH and Outlook Inbox management.
We are looking for
We are looking for someone who has previous experience working as an Executive Assistant or in a similar senior role, who is able to use their own initiative, has first class organisational skills and is a team player. Flexibility and proactive positivity are essential personal attributes. You will also be able to demonstrate skills that support the following:
- Proactive, pragmatic and able to work under pressure with competing priorities
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and experience of working with/influencing senior stakeholders
- The ability to think laterally and spot issues and raising those with senior stakeholders, assimilate and clearly communicate information
- An understanding of how the strategic priorities of a business can be translated in to tangible actions to deliver those priorities
- To be able to work with confidentiality, discretion and diplomacy
- Role modelling the correct behaviour/level of support and guide the development of PAs and EAs of the future
- Excellent IT skills (including Microsoft Office 365, MS Teams, Excel, PPT, document management systems)
Salary and benefits
We offer competitive salaries and generous benefits. We value the health and wellbeing of our people and our wide range of initiatives and benefits support this.
Our recruitment process
If you would like any further information about this role or the firm, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact, in complete confidence, Tim Jenkins (Recruitment Advisor) on 0117 917 3666 or email tim.jenkins@osborneclarke.com.
Please note that although we include closing dates for our roles as a guide, we review and progress applications on a rolling basis. At Osborne Clarke we do not make any recruitment decisions using automated decision-making.
We are committed to providing an environment where you can perform to the best of your abilities at every stage of your recruitment experience and beyond. If you require any adjustments to be made during the application stage, interview process, or when working with us, please let us know in confidence.