Executive Assistant

Owen Reed is looking to recruit a highly skilled and proactive Executive Assistant to support a group of Partners within the Dispute Resolution department of a leading law firm.

This role requires a confident, professional, and resilient individual who can operate effectively in a fast-paced environment, delivering client-focused secretarial and administrative support at the highest standard.

• Act as a professional and client-service focused ambassador for Partners, both internally and externally.
• Take full ownership of complex diaries, managing all appointments, meetings, and logistics to ensure schedules run seamlessly and Partners are fully prepared.
• Proactively resolve diary conflicts and handle related queries with sound judgment.
• Manage inboxes (as agreed with each Partner), drafting and responding to emails, forwarding critical client communications to relevant colleagues, and ensuring urgent matters are actioned promptly.
• Demonstrate strong commercial awareness by managing complex compliance and billing matters.
• Take responsibility for workload management, balancing deadlines with business needs and collaborating with central support teams for efficient delivery.
• Coordinate the billing process, including organising WIP and financial management meetings, liaising with the wider department and Client Administrators to ensure deadlines are met.
• Oversee financial and matter management processes, such as monitoring and chasing unpaid bills.
• Build strong, effective working relationships with Partners, establishing good practices and ensuring priorities are well understood and managed.
• Schedule regular check-ins with Partners to review diaries and commitments, ensuring client and business priorities are aligned.
• Introduce and implement best practice procedures to enhance Partner efficiency and departmental performance.
• Attend meetings, take accurate minutes, and follow up on actions to ensure timely completion.
• Work closely with the Marketing & Business Development team to coordinate BD activities, including organising events, seminars, and conferences.
• Arrange complex travel itineraries, including transport, accommodation, visas, and currency, while managing diaries to reflect all arrangements accurately.

• Confident and professional manner, with the ability to build strong relationships with Partners and clients.
• Thorough understanding of working in a professional, service-driven environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage at all levels.
• Strong organisational, prioritisation, and time-management skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Flexible and proactive, with the ability to adapt to changing demands.
• Anticipates and resolves potential problems with innovative solutions.
• A strong team player, willing to reprioritise workloads to support others.
• Enthusiastic and resilient, with the ability to thrive in a demanding role.
• Diplomatic, with sound judgment.
• Motivated and proactive, with a strong “can-do” approach.
• Calm and efficient under pressure.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills.