Executive Assistant

Owen Reed Ltd; City Of London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm is looking for an Executive Assistant to support their Partners in the Dispute Resolution department. You will manage complex diaries, coordinate billing processes, and build strong relationships with clients. The ideal candidate must be confident, professional, and possess exceptional organizational skills. A proactive approach and advanced Microsoft Office skills are crucial for this role, which thrives in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Confident and professional manner.
• Ability to build strong relationships with Partners and clients.
• Flexible and proactive in adapting to changing demands.

Responsibilities

• Act as a professional ambassador for Partners.
• Manage complex diaries and appointments.
• Coordinate billing and financial management processes.

Skills

Strong organisational skills

Excellent communication skills

Advanced Microsoft Office skills

Attention to detail

Proactive problem-solving

Job description

Owen Reed is looking to recruit a highly skilled and proactive Executive Assistant to support a group of Partners within the Dispute Resolution department of a leading law firm. This role requires a confident, professional, and resilient individual who can operate effectively in a fast-paced environment, delivering client-focused secretarial and administrative support at the highest standard.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a professional and client-service focused ambassador for Partners, both internally and externally.

• Take full ownership of complex diaries, managing all appointments, meetings, and logistics to ensure schedules run seamlessly and Partners are fully prepared.

• Proactively resolve diary conflicts and handle related queries with sound judgment.

• Manage inboxes (as agreed with each Partner), drafting and responding to emails, forwarding critical client communications to relevant colleagues, and ensuring urgent matters are actioned promptly.

• Demonstrate strong commercial awareness by managing complex compliance and billing matters.

• Take responsibility for workload management, balancing deadlines with business needs and collaborating with central support teams for efficient delivery.

• Coordinate the billing process, including organising WIP and financial management meetings, liaising with the wider department and Client Administrators to ensure deadlines are met.

• Oversee financial and matter management processes, such as monitoring and chasing unpaid bills.

• Build strong, effective working relationships with Partners, establishing good practices and ensuring priorities are well understood and managed.

• Schedule regular check-ins with Partners to review diaries and commitments, ensuring client and business priorities are aligned.

• Introduce and implement best practice procedures to enhance Partner efficiency and departmental performance.

• Attend meetings, take accurate minutes, and follow up on actions to ensure timely completion.

• Work closely with the Marketing & Business Development team to coordinate BD activities, including organising events, seminars, and conferences.

• Arrange complex travel itineraries, including transport, accommodation, visas, and currency, while managing diaries to reflect all arrangements accurately.

Skills & Attributes Required

• Confident and professional manner, with the ability to build strong relationships with Partners and clients.

• Thorough understanding of working in a professional, service-driven environment.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage at all levels.

• Strong organisational, prioritisation, and time-management skills.

• Exceptional attention to detail.

• Flexible and proactive, with the ability to adapt to changing demands.

• Anticipates and resolves potential problems with innovative solutions.

• A strong team player, willing to reprioritise workloads to support others.

• Enthusiastic and resilient, with the ability to thrive in a demanding role.

• Diplomatic, with sound judgment.

• Motivated and proactive, with a strong “can-do” approach.

• Calm and efficient under pressure.

• Advanced Microsoft Office skills.