Receptionist/clerical assistant

Forrester Sylvester Mackett; Frome; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Forrester Sylvester Mackett is seeking a Receptionist/clerical assistant to provide frontline reception and administrative support. You will manage calls, post, filing and basic office tasks to keep the department running smoothly.

The role involves handling mail, deeds, data entry, and customer service for fee earners and visitors, requiring organisation, reliability and discretion. You will also assist with daily banking, photocopying and general office duties.

Responsibilities

• Answering the telephone via the switchboard and directing calls to fee earners, secretaries or staff.
• Retrieving messages left on the answer phone and distributing them promptly.
• Directing the public to the waiting area and interview room as needed.
• Purchasing office sundries such as milk and handling daily office tasks.
• Checking fee-earner availability on the computer and using Partners for Windows when required.
• Sorting files for destruction and date stamping hand-delivered post.
• Sorting incoming faxes, notifying staff of new arrivals, and placing them in the collection tray.
• Photocopying, daily banking, and maintaining marketing materials.
• Handling accounting duties including petty cash, banking, taking payments and recording transactions.
• Opening, date stamping and logging post on the case management system.
• Preparing outgoing post for mailing and collecting/delivering mail locally as required.
• Preparing files for storage, retrieving stored files and updating the computer system.
• Maintaining the deeds database and retrieving deeds/files as needed.
• Carrying out all other general reception duties, including refreshments for visitors or meetings.

Job description

Job purpose: Receptionist/clerical assistant

To carry out the role of receptionist and provide administrative support

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

Reception

• 1. Answering the telephone via the switchboard and putting calls through to fee earners, secretaries, or other members of staff.
• 2. Retrieving the messages left on the answer phone overnight and distributing.
• 3. Dealing with the public and directing clients to waiting area/interview room.
• 4. Purchasing the milk and other sundries for the office.
• 5. Checking fee-earner availability on the computer.
• 6. Using Partners for Windows as necessary.
• 7. Sorting files for destruction.
• 8. Date stamping hand delivered post for distribution.
• 9. Sorting incoming faxes for distribution.
• 10. Notifying staff when a fax has arrived on the reception fax machine and putting it in the tray to await collection.
• 11. Photocopying
• 12. Daily banking
• 13. Putting out A frame board
• 14. Keeping marketing material tidy and up to date
• 15. Accounting duties including petty cash, banking, taking payments and recording payments.

Mail

• 1. Opening, date stamping and logging in post on case management system.
• 2. Preparing the post to be sent out either through the Post Office.
• 3. Collection and delivery of GPO mail to the post office each day.
• 4. Taking Recorded Delivery mail to the Post Office and delivering hand deliveries in the town when required.

File Storage and Retrieval

• 1. Preparing files for storage - putting files together, numbering them and inputting information onto the computer.
• 2. Retrieving stored files and updating the computer system.
• 3. Inputting data onto the system following the completion of the annual file destruction process.

Deeds

• 1. Responsible for maintaining, storing and retrieving deeds and files.
• 2. Inputting and maintaining the database for the deeds on the computer system.

Other Duties

• 1. Opening the post first thing in the morning.
• 2. Making refreshments for visitors or meetings as requested.
• 3. Carrying out all other general reception duties.
• 4. General filing, photocopying and other duties as required by fee earners.