Bates Wells & Braithwaite (BWB) are seeking Team Managers whose primary role is to manage the administrative and secretarial staff who support the Charity and Social Enterprise, Arts & Media, Sport and Company Commercial Departments fee earners/partners and to work with and be principally responsible to team-led partners to ensure the smooth running of the team.

Team managers will manage a secretary and one legal administration assistant. Team Managers will also liaise closely with each other, with the Partnership Executive Officer (PEO), HR and Accounts teams.

Previous experience of legal practice is not required. The role could suit a graduate with exceptional managerial/secretarial capabilities.

Key Accountabilities include:

• Assisting partners and HR in recruitment and induction of new members of the administration team.
• Ensuring the system of typing by remote typists, team secretary, night typists and, where required, administration assistant, is properly operating, ensuring cover is in place; and undertaking confidential typing for partners as required.
• Completing diary management for team partners and supervising the secretary/admin assistant in diary management for assistant solicitors.
• Receiving new calls into the team on behalf of a partner; message taking; ensuring the team handles calls efficiently, providing training/assistance as required; and ensuring that ‘out of office’ functions are properly used.
• Training and supervising assistant in undertaking legal compliance tasks, including anti-money laundering and conducting periodic spot checks.
• Ensuring the system for filing is operating efficiently, supervising and training members of the team in ensuring that files are well ordered and managed.
• Overseeing the billing process, ensuring all bills are typed in a consistent manner and delivered on time; answering client questions and liaising with partners/Accounts.
• Executing partner-led marketing and administration tasks such as organising conferences, events, facilitating and minuting departmental administration meetings and following up on action points with assistance of other team managers.
• Ensuring working environment is clear, neat and tidy and that files are closed and archived in a timely manner.
• Ensuring work is undertaken effectively, re-allocating tasks as required, liaising with other team managers ensuring an even spread of work-flow across departmental teams, and reporting team concerns to the team lead partner(s).

Experience and Attributes Required:

• Previous management experience, including the ability to foster good relationships with team members at every level and to lead/set an example to administrative staff.
• Good secretarial skills, such as an eye for detail, although fast typing skills are preferred but not essential.
• A spirit of co-operation and a positive, problem solving, ‘can do’ attitude.
• A willingness and capability to serve client needs and handle client relations at the highest level.
• Very good English verbal and written communication skills are essential
• Excellent organisational skills, ability to use initiative and to work well under pressure.
• Excellent communication skills including ability to relate to people at all levels.
• Flexibility, including, the ability to prioritise, juggle and complete tasks in good time and the flexibility to work outside normal office hours as may be required from time-to-time.
• Commitment to the success of the firm.
• High proficiency in all Microsoft office packages.

Please submit your CV, a covering note and your salary expectations to recruitment@bwbllp.com