Senior Executive Assistant within Management and Beyond Legal

We are recruiting a Senior Executive Assistant to work across our Management and Private Capital Solutions team.

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 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

You will be providing support to the Senior Partner and our Private Capital Solutions team, which consists of 4 specialists. You will work collaboratively with the Senior Executive Assistant to support the broader Management and Beyond Legal group, with support from the team’s Administrative Assistant.

The role

The Senior Executive Assistant will provide a hands-on, client focused, executive-level support to the Senior Partner and Private Capital Solutions team.You will need to be proactive, adaptable, dynamic, and confident in your ability to drive change, influence and build relationships both internally and externally. You must also be trusted to always maintain the highest levels of discretion and confidentiality.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Provide an executive level support to the Senior Partner and other stakeholders, pre-empting their needs and requirements and acting as the first point of contact;
• Add value by taking a proactive approach to tasks and anticipating potential problems before they arise;
• Proactively build trusted working relationships, rapport and connections across the firm, its Partnership and Business Teams;
• Proactively manage a varied workload, with the ability to prioritise and manage stakeholder expectations in relation to deadlines and status of tasks;
• Complex diary and inbox management for the Senior Partner and other stakeholders, with the ability to effectively triage and apply judgement in sending holding responses, and proactively resolve potential clashes when scheduling meetings;
• Organise internal and external meetings, conferences and events, including events and meetings abroad, ensuring rooms and conference facilities are booked, liaising with attendees, arranging catering and technical equipment, preparation of agendas, and collating meetings papers in a timely manner;
• Build an understanding of the Senior Partner and other stakeholders’ work pressures, develop knowledge of key clients and priorities, and assist them to meet client and firm demands;
• Coordinate annual Partner events and processes, and assist on ad-hoc projects as and when required, for example, managing bundles, collecting and collating large volumes of information and data, organising and assisting with client functions, seminars, networking events, etc;
• Arrange complex travel bookings, including producing itineraries, obtaining visas, flights, taxis, accommodation, transfers and rental cars;
• Understand and lead the end-to-end billing process including time recording for the Senior Partner, generating accurate billing reports, draft bills, disbursements, amending narratives and raising credit notes in a timely manner;
• Proactively assist with the collections process including drafting and sending emails to clients for outstanding invoices;
• Manage accounts payable (invoices), expenses and disbursements;
• Understand the client matter opening process and use our file management system to run conflict searches, open matters, and liaise with the risk team on client due diligence requirements, ensuring all relevant documents are filed electronically, files closed and archived;
• Manage group and stakeholder contacts and BD activities to ensure they are up to date through our CRM InterAction;
• Accurate and complex document production, utilising document production where appropriate, ensuring that all typing, document formatting and redaction work is completed to a high standard; and
• Attend training to develop specialist expertise (e.g. become a super-user on specific tools, billing, client reporting and knowledge management support).