Personal Assistant

Role summary/purpose of job

The Assistant role works within the Assistant Centre (AC) for London as part of a dynamic and client focused team, collaborating with Admin Assistants (AA), Executive Assistants (EA) and other support functions to deliver proactive and effective administrative assistance and to support across a range of tasks as part of a centralised service

.
Reporting to the Practice Group Manager (PGM) and working closely with the AC Resource Coordinator (ARC) for work allocation and day-to-day support. The role requires the ability to deliver excellent client service and develop a high level of technical and business understanding. Client orientated, always ensuring excellent client experience and identifying opportunities to add value wherever possibl

e.
Development within the role will be supported by the PGM with support from the ARC including the opportunity to build expertise in different are

as.
The AC core operating hours are 9.30am – 5.30pm, with extension from 8.00am – 8.00pm, Monday to Fri

day.
Function Ove

rviewThe assistant service in London delivers administrative business support to the firm, provided by Admin Assistants and Personal Assistants from within the Assistant Centre, and by Executive Assistants directly supporting assigned senior level stakeholders. Our service supports stakeholders in the delivery of exceptional services to our global clients and offices, and in a manner that is effective and effic

ient.
Key responsibilities and delive

rables
Floor/practice support and adminis

• trationEnsure that all tasks and duties are carried out in full compliance with our regulatory requirements and internal po
• licies.Assisting with administrative tasks, as delegated to AC by stakeholders and the E
• A team.Liaising with business services infrastructure (such as reprographics, document services, IT) to process tasks and follow through to comp
• letion.Support with diary events and sche
• duling.Coordination of meetings to include the consideration of and responsibility for ensuring all necessary arrangements and documen
• tation.Assisting with conference calls and meetings supported by platforms such as Teams or other where external parties may use a different pl
• atform.Screening calls and taking accurate me
• ssages.Preparation of holiday/absence trackers, processing leave requests to W
• orkday.Providing initial troubleshooting assistance and support for technical or general q
• ueries.Delivering subject matter expertise (SME) support in areas such as expenses, billing and trav
• el etc.Filing and archiving, accurately maintaining hard and digital copy
• files.Data entry for updating client databa
• se etc.Processing submissions for expense claims in line with firm
• policyArranging couriers, collections and/or deli
• veries.Ad hoc administrative tasks and requests such as arranging labels, scanning, copying and b
• inding.Storage coordi

nation.
Document

• supportPreparation of internal and client documents: printing, copying, binding and scanning of documents in digital or hard copy formats, liaising with reprographics as appr
• opriate.Creating short documents and making minor amendments across all formats (Word, PowerPoint,
• Excel).Triaging complex or lengthy documents to specialist support via the Global Centre. Tracking progression and maintaining ownerships, ensuring updates are provided to stak
• eholder.Filing, locating or retrieving documents from storage in the Document Management Syste
• m (DMS).Archiving including indexing contents and retrieval of do
• cuments.Support with the DMS (iManage), data rooms, secure file transfers, sitepoints, downloads
• to USBs.Preparing redlines, PDF conversions and collations, signature co
• llation.Straightforward proof reading of documents and assisting with dictation requi

rements.
Matter managemen

• t supportSubmitting and setting up risk checks, client matter openings (CMOs), project or matter distribution lists, workspace access and matter work streams liaising with the rel

evant EA.
Financial manageme

• nt supportPreparing work in progress (WIP) and budget reports whilst liaising with the relevant stakeholder
• and/or EA.Editing and submitting narratives, applying appropriate phas
• e details.Producing draft and profo
• rma bills.Recording and updating tim
• e entries.Preparing cost

schedules.
Marketing and Business Development (MBD) and Eve

• nts supportAssisting with the organisation of client or practice-based events e.g., hearings or smaller scale client/Business Development or train
• ing events.Researching internal or external venues for larger events in conjunction with the events
• team or EA.Organising event facilities and
• materials.Create and amend distribu
• tion lists.Assisting with mailshots, welcoming and registration for larger cli
• ent events.Updating the client relationship management system (CRM) or departmenta
• l trackers.Amending stakeholder CVs and social media profiles such as LinkedIn or b
• iographies.Upload blogs
• to Passle.Upload content to

SharePoint.
Tr

• avel supportArranging travel and accommodation through the firm’s travel age
• nt platform.Booking transport or transfer r
• equirements.Preparing travel itineraries, maps and inform

ation packs.

• CollaborationWorking closely with peers and colleagues to support or mentor new joiners and readily sharing expertise and best practice w
• ith the team.Working with other business services functions as needed for optimal solut
• ion delivery.Work as a team to assist with quality control, reviewing and checking work both individually and
• peer to peer.Where capacity allows or business need demands, assisting EA team with ad hoc cover

arrangements.
Ke

• y requirementsStrong academic background or equivalent profession
• al experience.Strong Microsoft Office skills including Word, PowerPo
• int and Excel.Strong organisational skills, able to plan and prioritise effectively to meet demand
• ing deadlines.Confident and professional manner: approachable and able to interact well
• at all levels.Team player with strong communi
• cation skills.Methodical approach with high levels of attent
• ion to detail.Resilient and open to change, showing a willingness to learn and confidence to make suggestions for change wher
• e appropriate.Positive and willing to take ownership of a broad range of tasks, identifying innovative solution
• s when needed.Readily sh
• are knowledge.Can do approach, flexible with time and willing to assist others or undertake tasks that may be ou

tside of role.
Freshf

ields Overview Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it most matters, wherever in the world that may be. The Firm has over 2,400 lawyers in 28 offices around the world, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions, a

nd governments.
Our people make our firm - we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams. Our culture is a product of the combined mindsets and behaviours of our people which is through the Being Freshfields principles,

• outlined below:we show res
• pect to everyonewe are there
• for one anotherwe are open
• with each otherwe are posi

tive role models
We think and work globally - we do not just say we are one firm; we act like one firm right across the world. We work wherever our clients need us. This is how we define ourselves, not by reference to where we have offices. Cross-border work is not just what we do, it is what we excel at. We understand what it really takes to work across different legal systems and commercial environments and to bridge language a

nd cultural gaps.
We aim to add value in everything we do - we are passionate about helping our clients succeed. We use our experience and creativity to help clients make judgements and achieve their goals. In everything we do, we seek to make a real difference to the communities in

which we operate.
Freshfields is committed to promoting equality and diversity and to developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds make important and positive contributions to our business and how we s

ervice ou

r clients.
Inclusion
Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered based on their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to e

mployment commencing.
Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case-by-case basis and take a number of factors into account (e.g. the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us befo

re we make a dec