Office Manager

Johnson Winter Slattery; City of Melbourne; Sur place; AUD 90 000 - 130 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Johnson Winter Slattery in Melbourne is seeking an experienced Office Manager to lead the Melbourne Practice Support team. Reporting to the National Practice Support Manager, you will oversee day-to-day operations and manage a team of Legal Assistants, Reception and the Workroom Supervisor.

You will align local services with national standards, develop team capability and support a resilient Practice Support function in a professional, efficient and welcoming workplace.

Qualifications

• Five years' experience in office management or legal practice support.
• Proven people leadership experience including performance management and team development.
• Strong understanding of legal practice support workflows and operational requirements of a professional office.
• Excellent Microsoft 365 skills and high digital literacy.

Responsabilités

• Manage daily operations of the Melbourne office and maintain high standards of the workplace.
• Lead, coach and support the Practice Support team to ensure service continuity and effective workflow management.
• Act as primary contact for office operational issues, including liaising with building management on security, access, parking, tenancy and fire warden matters.
• Support a seamless Front of House experience, including client events and firm events, in partnership with the National Events Manager.
• Assist with workforce planning, overtime monitoring, staffing costs and reviewing supplier and service expenditure.
• Manage space allocation and oversee office equipment, services and external providers.
• Coordinate business continuity and emergency procedures, and champion safe work practices across the office.
• Collaborate with Practice Groups and Business Services to address local needs and support national initiatives, promoting a 'one firm' culture.

Description du poste

Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) is a leading Australian law firmknown for advising corporates and funds on their most complextransactions, disputes and regulatory matters.

At JWS, we build authentic, long-term relationships and have adeep understanding of our clients and their industries. Our clientssay we are pragmatic, strategic, commercial and easy to workwith.

Our firm comprises more than 450 highly talented people,including 80+ partners, across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide,Brisbane and Canberra. JWS has also announced the opening of arepresentative office in New York, strengthening our ability tosupport US clients investing in Australia. We are globallyconnected and have strong relationships with major independent lawfirms around the world.

JWS was recognised as Australian Law Firm of the Year (BeatonClient Choice Awards 2025). Our lawyers are highly ranked inChambers & Partners, Legal 500 and Lexology Index (formerly Who'sWho Legal).

We are strongly committed to social justice, responsiblebusiness and our diverse communities. We are proud of our pro bonoprogram, which focuses on supporting low-income, disadvantaged andmarginalised people in the Australian community.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Office Manager to lead ourMelbourne Practice Support team. Reporting to the National PracticeSupport Manager, you will be accountable for the day-to-dayoperational management of the Melbourne office and will lead a teamof Legal Assistants, Reception and the Workroom Supervisor.

Working in partnership with Business Services and Practice Groupleaders, you will align local service with national standards,develop team capability and support a resilient and sustainablePractice Support function within a professional, efficient andwelcoming workplace.

Your responsibilities will include:

• managing the daily operations of the Melbourne office andmaintaining the presentation of the workplace to a highstandard;
• leading, coaching and supporting the Practice Support teamto ensure service continuity and effective workflowmanagement;
• acting as the primary contact for office operationalissues, including liaising with building management onsecurity, access, parking, tenancy and fire wardenmatters;
• supporting a seamless Front of House experience, includingclient events, staff functions and firm events, in partnershipwith the National Events Manager;
• supporting workforce planning, monitoring overtime andstaffing costs and reviewing supplier and serviceexpenditure;
• managing space allocation and overseeing office equipment,services and external providers;
• coordinating business continuity and emergency procedures,and championing safe work practices across the office; and
• collaborating with Practice Groups and Business Services toaddress local needs and support national initiatives, promotinga "one firm" culture.

About You

You are an experienced office management or legal practicesupport professional with at least five years' experience, togetherwith proven people leadership experience, including performancemanagement and team development, ideally gained within a legal orprofessional services environment. You bring a strong understandingof legal practice support workflows, service expectations and theoperational requirements of a professional office.

You are service-oriented and committed to delivering anexceptional experience for colleagues, clients and visitors.Adaptable and proactive, you exercise initiative and maintain ahigh level of performance as priorities change in a dynamicenvironment.

With outstanding communication, organisational and stakeholdermanagement skills, you are known for your attention to detail,sound judgement and ability to identify practical solutions anddeliver high-quality outcomes within required timeframes. You havea growth mindset, embrace continuous improvement and new ideas, andtake ownership and accountability for outcomes.

You are also comfortable undertaking the physical aspects of therole, including moving supplies and equipment, setting up andpacking down meeting rooms and event spaces and assisting withoffice relocations, always with a strong commitment to workplacehealth and safety. Finally, you are digitally savvy, with strongMicrosoft 365 skills and a willingness to embrace new technologiesand business systems.

This is a full-time role with a minimum expectation of four daysper week in the office.

About the Team

Our Practice Support team is critical to the firm's growth,client experience and operational effectiveness. In Melbourne, theteam brings together Legal Assistants, Reception and the Workroomto provide high-quality, proactive support to our practitioners andclients and to create a welcoming, productive and well-supportedenvironment for our people and visitors.

This is an opportunity to lead a highly valued team at the heartof our business, where your leadership will have a meaningfulimpact across the Melbourne office and the firm.

Working at JWS

This is an exciting opportunity to join a collaborative andsupportive team where people genuinely enjoy working together.You'll have the chance to build meaningful, long-lastingrelationships through team lunches, Friday drinks and socialevents.

Collaboration is at the heart of how we work. We value sharedsuccess, encourage knowledge-sharing, and support one another toachieve the best outcomes for our clients and colleagues.

We're equally committed to the wellbeing and development of ourpeople. We'll take the time to understand your career goals andprovide the support, opportunities and guidance you need to growand thrive. It's this people-first approach that has helped usbecome one of Australia's leading independent law firms and a placewhere talented people choose to build rewarding, long-termcareers.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace, where ourdifferences are also our strength.

We are committed to promoting a workplace that is diverseand inclusive. We encourage the best people – regardless of race,religion, or belief if any, gender, gender identity, disability,sexual orientation, or age – to fulfil their professionalaspirations with us. In particular, we would welcome applicationsfrom First Nations candidates.

Johnson Winter Slattery pays respect to Elders past andpresent of our nation's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandercommunities. We honour the deep spiritual, cultural and customaryconnections of Traditional Owners to the Australian landscape,including Australia's waterways, land, and sea country.