Administration Assistant

Experience level: Entry level
Term: Permanent
Working hours: Full-time
Team: Real Estate
Location: Leeds
The firm

A leading UK law firm with a network of offices from the South Coast to Scotland, working together as one national team. An innovative practice and the first top 100 law firm to achieve “Gold Standard” Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm. The lack of barriers between departments, a real lack of hierarchy, zero tolerance for arrogance and pomposity makes Shoosmiths a fantastic place to work.

The team

Our Real Estate group is one of the largest real estate teams in the UK, advising an impressive range of clients including commercial and residential developers, investors, major corporate occupiers and banks/funders. Offering exceptional market knowledge the team holds an outstanding reputation with clients and the market generally. “Clients are full of admiration for this team, noting it combines outstanding technical expertise with a “very” responsive service” (Chambers).

The role

Working in the Sheffield Location to provide a comprehensive and quality service to our clients.  Providing an administrative support service to the Sheffield based team.  Being responsible for office administration of the Sheffield location.  This role includes but is not limited to the following:-

Main responsibilities
  • Booking travel
  • Maintaining key dates in the diary
  • Typing basic correspondence
  • Processing expenses
  • File management and all associated paperwork
  • Dealing with financial transactions on files (sending and receiving monies, preparing indents)
  • Scanning correspondence and documents
  • Providing additional secretarial support when required in team to cover holidays, sickness, absence
  • Answering the telephone and communicating effectively and confidently with clients.
  • Receiving and distributing post
  • Preparing meeting rooms for client meetings and receiving clients and visitors to the office.
  • Ordering and maintaining supplies
  • Liaising with IT on any relevant issues affecting the Hub
  • Ensuring stationery and sundry items are appropriately stocked
  • Liaising with the Estates Management team in coordinating contractors required to visit the hub – fire alarm testing, monthly maintenance check and IT equipment checks etc.
  • Assisting with various other tasks as required.
Skills and qualifications
  • Be a self-starter and be able to work alone and within a team – the role does involve lone working at times.
  • Good keyboarding skills and knowledge of various applications – outlook, word, excel, digital dictation, powerpoint.
  • Friendly, positive attitude and enthusiastic
  • Ability to maintain high standards whilst carrying out day to day tasks around the office
  • Attention to detail and possess a neat and tidy approach to working practices.
  • Pleasant friendly manner to deal with internal and external calls and visitors and clients politely and efficiently.
  • A friendly and helpful approach when dealing with various people who may pose you with queries and problems that may arise throughout the day.
  • Must be organised and pay close attention to detail.
  • Have the ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
  • Have a flexible approach to work with a can do attitude
  • Have previous office admin experience, ideally within a legal or professional environment
Equal opportunities

Shoosmiths is a committed Equal Opportunities employer promoting equality of opportunity. This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.