Macfarlanes
Early Careers Administrator

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We are looking to recruit an Early Careers Administrator to join our HR department on a permanent basis.
About Macfarlanes
Macfarlanes is a pre-eminent law firm that serves a global client base in private capital, private wealth, M&A and disputes. Personal connection, an entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to excellence are at the heart of our firm. These values drive our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients.
We are big enough to undertake the most complex and demanding mandates yet small enough to know each other well and to be agile, adapting to the needs of our clients. We seek to strengthen the firm by recruiting talented people from all backgrounds who want to build long-lasting and impactful careers with us. Our culture is challenging and supportive, creating an environment where individuals can thrive.
What this means for you
Joining Macfarlanes means being part of a collaborative, approachable team who want you to succeed. You’ll be encouraged to get involved and be recognised for your contribution.
We take your development seriously. Our learning and development programmes are second to none and are designed to help you strengthen your skills.
Above all, you’ll be part of a firm where we all work together as part of a cohesive and supportive team, value your efforts and help you to thrive.
The team
The Early Careers team comprises six people and sits within the Human Resources department of 40 people.
The team is responsible for attracting, recruiting and developing Macfarlanes’ Early Careers population. This includes circa. 33 Trainee Solicitors, three Training Scholars as well as the firm’s Legal Academy, First Year Insight Scheme and Vacation Scheme participants on an annual basis.
The role
This role will ensure the smooth running of the firm’s established Early Careers programmes and activities across attraction, recruitment and development. The successful candidate will also oversee key administrative and operational processes as well as supporting the team with exciting and innovative projects.
Key duties will include:
Attraction
- support the team to coordinate and successfully deliver recruitment activities. This will include tasks such as arranging travel, managing diaries and attending events; and
- support the Early Careers team, internal marketing team and external agency to generate ideas and content for social media and attraction campaigns.
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Selection
- manage the Applicant Tracking System;
- organise and support the running of assessment days;
- arrange interviews for programmes;
- coordinate preparation calls for candidates ahead of assessment days and programmes; and
- coordinate telephone feedback to unsuccessful candidates post interview.
Programmes
- support the organisation and running of programmes, including the First Year Insight Scheme, Vacation Schemes, and several social mobility schemes.
Development
- support with the organisation and running of our Future Trainee and Scholar events;
- coordinate and process Future Trainee and Scholar maintenance grants and course fees;
- support with the running of the Early Careers induction programme;
- coordinate the review process of our Trainee Solicitors and Scholars; and
- support with the organisation of our key Trainee Solicitor and Scholar touchpoints.
General
- act as the first point of contact for Early Careers queries and monitor the team inbox;
- design and refresh Early Careers materials and communications using Canva to ensure clear, engaging and consistent branding;
- maintain budget documentation, ensuring invoices, expenses, credit card statements, and payments are processed promptly;
- process work attire, accommodation and technology grants;
- provide ad hoc administrative support for wider projects and initiatives as required; and
- strive for continuous improvement of team administration, including processes, procedures and systems.
This job description encompasses the main duties of the role and is by no means exhaustive. It is anticipated that duties may vary from time to time according to the needs of the team.
During the first six months of employment, you may be required to attend the office four days per week to support onboarding, training and collaboration. Your line manager may adjust this requirement based on your progress and business needs.
The candidate
The successful candidate will ideally possess the following:
- educated to A-level or equivalent;
- experience in a customer facing environment is desirable;
- experience using Canva is desirable;
- passion for social media is desirable;
- confident and calm under pressure;
- proactive and organised, with the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines;
- able to cope during busy periods and manage a high volume of work;
- strong communication skills and able to quickly build relationships with key stakeholders;
- approachable and friendly manner; and
- strong attention to detail.


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Application screening
Any offer of employment with us is subject to our pre-employment checks which are conducted by a third-party screening provider. These checks will be initiated with your consent, and your CV will be sent to the provider by us. The screening will include but is not limited to your employment references, professional and academic qualifications including grades and any criminal records. Your offer will be subject to the successful completion of these checks.
Our commitment to inclusion
Inclusion is one of our key priorities and it is a goal we are actively working towards. We believe that an inclusive, forward-thinking culture is intrinsically important and enables us to provide innovative solutions to our clients.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, bringing different perspectives and experiences, making Macfarlanes an exciting and stimulating place to work. We seek to recruit the best candidates, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.
As part of this commitment, we will ask you certain diversity data questions. We would really appreciate you and/or your recruiter completing these questions when submitting an application to Macfarlanes as this data enables us to measure our progress and identify any actions needed to continue to support an inclusive culture. This data is anonymised to maintain the privacy of applicants. If you have any questions relating to how this data is used, please contact a member of the recruitment team.
Should you require any adjustments during the application and/or interview process, please do not hesitate to inform your recruiter or a member of the recruitment team. Please note, the job description is available in other accessible formats (for example, large print).
We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who best meet the essential criteria for the role. If you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme, please email the recruitment team at recruitment@macfarlanes.com.
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