Secretary - Maternity Cover

To facilitate the smooth running of Legal Services by providing high level organisational, administrative and secretarial support to the Solicitors and Information Compliance Manager within the office. This will encompass administrative tasks (such as audio typing, photocopying, filing, organising meetings etc) through to inputting data on to the University’s financial system (Proactis) and covering for other members of the support team when necessary.
Person Specification

General

• The post holder will be required to provide a highly confidential, high quality secretarial and administrative service to Legal Services. This includes:
• Responsibility for prioritising, responding and re-directing queries received in a variety of modes as necessary.
• In conjunction with the other Secretaries, acting as a primary central point of contact for Legal Services.
• Typing leases, legal documents, documentation for litigation, correspondence, papers and presentations from audio tape (primarily), copies, or by following precedents, where appropriate ensuring that the correct form and layout is used for the appropriate legal documents.
• Assisting to maintain all other correspondence, including collecting post, being responsible for accuracy of letters and memoranda, signing routine correspondence and dispatching same to progress matters to avoid unnecessary delays.
• Opening files, and filing and scanning correspondence and documents. Printing and saving emails, and bringing them to the attention of the appropriate person.
• Adhering to tight deadlines - as many transactions have external deadlines monitor deadlines, timeframes and workloads to ensure that all deadlines are met is paramount.
• Taking telephone calls and personal enquiries from a wide variety of sources both internal and external. Taking thorough messages and ensuring these are disseminated to the appropriate person in a timely fashion.
• Where appropriate, responding to simple queries and, using judgement, refer more complex queries to an appropriate person and draft simple responses to general enquiries for signature by one of the Solicitors or the Information Compliance Manager.
• Effectively managing the Director, Solicitors and Information Compliance Manager’s diaries; arranging meetings and appointments to ensure the best use of time is made and booking rooms as appropriate.
• In conjunction with other Secretaries, managing and improving the filing system which includes cross-filing and archiving. Great emphasis will be placed on accuracy because of the nature of legal work and that there are several people who will need to have access to the system, sometimes in the absence of the post holder.
• Ordering archive boxes, weeding filing cabinets for files to be closed and archived, scheduling and boxing them and arranging for collection.
• Reviewing files of work in progress to avoid delays when retrieving files and ensuring accurate tracking of files which have been supplied to other departments or external solicitors.
• Entering data relating to matters on Legal Services’ databases, general standard acknowledgement and other correspondence from the database and creating reports as appropriate from the information held on database, including Work Lists. Updating notes and records on the Work Lists on behalf of the Solicitors, and Information Compliance Manager.

Maintaining records on databases.

• Maintaining records and data of external estimates for professional fees and invoices received on the appropriate file and on a central database.
• Booking accommodation and transport for conferences where appropriate.
• Participating in the daily administration of the Department including sorting of inbound post and the collection of other documents as required, and the preparation and despatch of outbound post and documents (both internal and external). To produce correspondence, papers, presentations and transcribe audio tapes into word processed documents (audio typing).
• Due to the nature of the role, the post holder must be able to respond quickly to changing priorities, be flexible and use their own initiative.

Purchase Ordering

• Ordering of goods and services using Proactis and the preparation of manual purchase orders particularly for hospitality and catering services. Monitoring levels of stationery and using initiative to order additional resources when required. Ordering of train tickets, using initiative to ensure most suitable train times are arranged making the best use of time, take receipt and handle appropriate storage of office stationery supplies delivered to the office.
• Collation and reconciliation of staff expense claim forms and corporate purchase card statements including ensuring all receipts are provided and proactively resolving any issues as they arise referring to a more senior colleague when required.
• Retaining accurate records of all invoices and claim forms submitted to the Finance Office for Legal Services office records.
• Filing of all copies of orders, invoice, expense claim forms and corporate card statements.

Hospitality

• Ensure that all beverages supplies i.e. milk, tea, coffee supplies (including water cooler supplies) are maintained.
• Assist with hospitality and general catering provision for scheduled and planned meetings.

Other

Any other such duty as may be reasonably requested by the Director, Solicitors or Information Compliance Manager that are commensurate to the grade.

Person specification

• Significant professional experience and preferably a relevant formal qualification.
• Good general education to at least GCSE level or equivalent, including English and Mathematics.
• Quick, accurate typing skills (mainly audio but some copy typing).
• Familiarity with office IT systems and software, particularly Word, Outlook, Excel and Adobe Acrobat (PowerPoint useful also but not essential).
• Good organisational and administrative skills.
• Good attention to detail in producing and proof-reading work.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines.

Skills/Attributes required

• Thorough understanding and relevant practical experience in a similar secretarial role.
• Ability to deal with routine problems.
• Ability to develop administrative systems through which to manage complex processes in an organised and professional manner.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally is essential.
• Must be able to work quickly and accurately under pressure, and use judgement to prioritise workload without supervision appropriately.
• Ability to manage several important tasks simultaneously and adapt positively to changing priorities.
• Exceptional organisational skills are essential as is a methodical approach to the job and an ability to maintain an overview of current workloads being handled by the larger Legal Team.
• Seek continuous improvement in all aspects of their work.
• Capable of adapting to changing circumstances while meeting deadlines.

Personal qualities

• A positive enthusiastic and pleasant manner.
• The ability to relate to others in a team environment and establish good rapport with customers and departmental colleagues.
• Willingness and ability to make suggestions for improving procedures and organisation of work.
• Ability to organise and control personal workload, determine own priorities.
• Willingness to accept responsibility and respond to pressure.
• The post holder must exercise complete discretion involving matters of a highly sensitive and confidential nature.
• Willingness to support the work of other teams during times of absence.
• Ability to produce documentation to a very high standard with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to use own initiative, make decisions within guidelines.

The Postholder will receive supervision and direction from the Information Compliance Manager or Solicitors within Legal Services, particularly the Director.