Eden Recruitment Ltd
Assistant Secretarial Services Manager
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Assistant Secretarial Services Manager
Leading International Law Firm
London
Hybrid: Minimum 50% office presence
Hours: 09:30-17:30 (flexibility required)
Overview
This is a pivotal role for our international Law client, responsible for the day-to-day management of the secretarial team and ensuring the Secretarial Model delivers exceptional, efficient support to partners and fee-earners. The ASSM will be an experienced people manager with a proven track record of developing high-performing teams, aligning support delivery to business strategy, and ensuring consistency across the wider London office.
Alongside team leadership, the ASSM will also provide high-level organisational and PA support to the Practice Group Leader and, when required, the Practice Group Manager.
Team Leadership & People Management
- Manage all secretarial staff (office and hybrid workers) within the Practice Group.
- Mentor and support development across PA, Team Secretary, Administrator, and Apprentice levels, working closely with the Mentoring Programme Manager.
- Conduct annual, interim, and probationary reviews; act as lead appraiser and contribute to salary moderation.
- Address day-to-day people issues, performance concerns, and first-line disciplinary matters.
- Maintain confidentiality, fairness, and trust within the team.
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Operational Management
- Oversee daily workflow, ensuring adequate resource and reallocating support as business needs shift.
- Arrange secretarial cover for absences and manage working hours to ensure appropriate coverage.
- Coordinate new joiner processes, including trainees: buddy allocation, workstation readiness, induction, and team information packs.
- Manage Workday processes: annual leave, sickness reporting, return-to-work meetings, fee-earner allocations, and accurate record-keeping.
- Maintain email groups, track sabbaticals/secondments, and collaborate on floor plans.
- Spot-check work to ensure quality and adherence to firm standards.
- Lead and champion change initiatives, embedding new processes, technologies, and AI-driven solutions to improve efficiency and client service.
Practice Group Support
- Work with the PGL/PGM on operational tasks such as BD travel initiatives, trainee rotations, and ad-hoc PG projects.
- Review strategic plans and recommend adjustments to secretarial support, headcount, and fee-earner allocations.
Collaboration & Cross-Office Alignment
- Regular meetings with SSM/HoSS.
- Collaborate with ASSMs across other Practice Groups and regional/Scottish offices.
- Support apprenticeship schemes in partnership with the Apprenticeship Programme Manager.
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Key Performance Indicators
- Strong internal relationships across the secretarial function and wider business services.
- Up-to-date team skills aligned with business needs.
- Effective resolution of people management issues.
- Continuous improvement in workflow, quality, and service delivery.
- Successful implementation of new processes and operational enhancements.
- Reliable monitoring of deadlines and consistent delivery of high-quality support.
Qualifications & Experience
- Minimum 3 years' supervisory/management experience in a similar role.
- Professional development through courses, diplomas, NVQs, or excellence programmes.
- Experience within professional services is essential; legal sector experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrable leadership skills with the ability to command respect and lead by example.
Skills & Knowledge
- Strong IT capability: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Copilot, MS Teams.
- Confident communicator with excellent written and verbal skills.
- Resilient, calm under pressure, and able to handle challenging situations.
- Empathetic, fair, and discreet, with strong relationship-building skills.
- Proven ability to design and implement new processes.
- Highly organized with strong workflow management skills.
- Positive, practical, and solutions-focused approach.
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