Document Specialist

Hogan Lovells; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Hogan Lovells is seeking a detail‑oriented Document Specialist to join our Johannesburg team. You will produce complex documents, reports and presentations, ensure accuracy to tight deadlines, and support fee earners with a range of administration tasks.

The role requires 2–3 years of relevant experience, proficiency in MS Office (PowerPoint/Word/Outlook), and strong English grammar. German language skills and MOS/Adobe familiarity are advantageous.

Qualifications

• Grade 12 or equivalent (NQF 4) – Required
• National Diploma, Higher Certificate or Executive Secretary / Company Secretary / Legal Secretary or equivalent (NQF 5-6) – Required
• General Bachelor’s Degree preferable

Responsibilities

• Produce documents, reports, spreadsheets, and presentations to high accuracy and deadlines.
• Transcribe audio and convert documents using house templates and styles.
• Proofread and quality-check documents to ensure accuracy.
• Provide administration support including data entry and indexing.
• Assist with workflow processes, booking work, and negotiating deadlines.
• Troubleshoot document issues using tools like DocXTools and support other firm software.

Skills

Strong communication

Customer service

English grammar

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

SharePoint

Typing 70 wpm

MOS qualifications

Adobe Creative Suite

German language

Education

Grade 12 (NQF 4)

National Diploma/Higher Certificate/Executive Secretary/Company Secretary/Legal Secretary (NQF 5-6)

Bachelor’s degree preferable

Job description

Keen to become part of a truly global, collaborative team of professionals? Your journey begins here.

Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities

Document production

• Produce all work to the highest standards of accuracy within strict deadlines, including:
• Creating, formatting and updating a wide range of complex documents, reports, spreadsheets and presentations, adhering to the house‑style and utilising the appropriate tools to ensure efficiency and accuracy.
• Transcribing audio/digital files accurately and effectively demonstrating solid typing skills.
• Converting documents across various packages in house‑style using the firm’s templates, styles and schemes.
• Identifying and correcting issues with house‑style using the firm’s templates and numbering schemes.
• Troubleshooting textual, graphic and printing issues across all packages.
• Accurately interpreting complex fee‑earner briefs and producing documents within the required timescales, seeking clarification where necessary.
• Supporting creative presentation requests in PowerPoint, using the firm’s branding guidelines where appropriate.
• Proofreading and quality checking all work to ensure that completed documents are delivered accurately and to a high standard. Ensuring all edits have been inserted and make logical and grammatical sense.
• Adhering to working practices for the function.
• Ensuring own technical skills are maintained and updated, including developing extensive knowledge of the firm’s global document templates.
• Troubleshooting document technical issues, including using clean‑up software such as DocXTools and performing “health checks” on documents, as required to ensure document stability.
• Supporting work on other software used in the firm for document/administrative tasks, e.g. DocuSign, iPublish, Interaction.

Administration support

• Assisting fee earners and other internal clients with a range of administration tasks, e.g. document bundles, data entry, typing pro‑formas, indexing, etc.
• Taking responsibility for workflow processes including booking work and negotiating deadlines, work allocation as required and works collaboratively with other internal workflow roles.

Other Responsibilities

• Assist fee earners and other internal clients with technical queries in all relevant packages by telephone, email, Teams, etc.
• Support new and enhanced services as they are rolled out within the team.
• Demonstrate a proactive approach to ensure fee earners and internal clients’ requirements are met.
• Support and contribute to knowledge share across the firm.
• Liaise with other functions to support fee earner requirements, e.g. Repro, Presentation Specialists, Team Assistants and PA’s.

Team support and development

• Is proactive in providing support to other Document Specialists across the global network to ensure that peaks and troughs of demand are managed.
• Promotes effective proof‑reading and quality check processes as well as checking own work.

Specific duties or responsibilities may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changes in personnel and management structure, staff location and/or services.

Requirements Profile

EDUCATION

• Grade 12 or equivalent (NQF 4) – Required
• National Diploma, Higher Certificate or Executive Secretary / Company Secretary / Legal Secretary or equivalent (NQF 5‑6) – Required
• General Bachelor’s Degree preferable

Experience

• 2‑3 years’ experience in a similar function – Required

Knowledge & Skills And Competencies

• Strong communication skills, both written and oral – essential
• Excellent customer service skills – essential
• Outstanding knowledge of English grammar – essential
• Excellent technical skills in the following packages:
• Advanced Microsoft PowerPoint
• Advanced Microsoft Word; and
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Minimum typing speeds of 70 wpm – preferred
• MOS qualifications – preferred
• Adobe Creative Suite – preferred
• Good written and spoken skill of the German language – preferred

Behavioural Competencies

• The confidence and motivation to challenge and improve the way that work is done.
• The ability to plan, prioritise workload, work fast and accurately and meet deadlines under pressure.
• The ability to work as part of a team.
• Flexible and proactive approach.
• Committed to personal development with the ability to learn new software packages quickly.
• Willingness to work in an environment with a focus on continuous improvement.