Job Description

SECRETARY

Ellis-Fermor and Negus, The Old Registry, 6 Derby Road, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 1UUHours

35 hpw

(Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm with 1 hour for lunch)

From circa 23,000 pa

depending on experience

We are looking for an experienced secretary to join our Wills and Probate team in Belper. Previous legal services experience, particularly within Wills and Probate, is desirable.

Good secretarial experience (including audio / digital dictation) and diary management skills plus excellent IT, communication and organisation skills are vital and you must have a good eye for detail coupled with professionalism and integrity. You must be used to working in a busy office environment, handling highly confidential information and providing exceptional customer care to clients.

The ability to multitask, work to deadlines and be a good team player along with the ability to work quickly on your own initiative and with a very high degree of accuracy are all essential.

In return we offer a range of benefits including a health cash plan scheme, wellbeing support, 24/7 advice and information line, learning and development opportunities, generous annual leave plus Christmas closure, enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, selling annual leave scheme, a bonus exchange scheme, a supportive work environment and the opportunity to join a company that cares.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Purpose

To provide the fee earner with all reasonable assistance to enable them to provide an efficient and professional service to our clients To provide a professional secretarial service for the Department To ensure high levels of customer care for clients over the phone and face to face To help to turn enquiries into paying cases by being proactive in relation to response times and providing high quality services to clients To uphold our values of Honesty, Respect and Teamwork and work in accordance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Principles and Code of Conduct To contribute to our mission of establishing lifelong relationships with all our clients by anticipating and responding to their needs for quality legal services

Main Duties

1 To build a professional and mutually supportive working relationship with the fee earner(s)

2 To effectively manage and support the fee earner(s) with the management of their diary ensuring that their whereabouts are known, that clients are seen as soon as possible and that files are actioned in a timely and efficient way

3 To provide professional secretarial support to the Wills and Probate Department including:

Preparing letters, emails, reports and other documents from digital dictation including audio

Submitting, and then monitoring, online applications to The Probate Registry and HM Land Registry

Photocopying, faxing and scanning documents

Opening and closing files and maintaining filing system

Sending emails in accordance with fee earner's instructions

Checking documents for accuracy and completeness

Operating a range of computer packages including Office, Practice Management System (PMS), Case Management System etc

4 To deal with enquiries from new and existing clients and external agencies and provide a high level of client care service, including:

Seeing new clients who call in for appointments, taking initial details and arranging appointments

Dealing with telephone enquiries / emails from new and existing clients, dealing with their needs and making appointments

Dealing with telephone / email enquiries from other agencies

5 To provide cover in other teams including on Reception as required

General Duties

1 To work in a flexible way to ensure that the workload is completed and to undertake any other jobs commensurate with the level of the post.

2 To establish, maintain and enhance team-working with colleagues and staff of Ellis-Fermor and Negus.

3 To keep confidential all information about individuals and the business of Ellis-Fermor and Negus and work within the guidelines of the GDPR.

4 To abide by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Health and Safety, Anti Money Laundering Policies and all other relevant policies.

ROLE SPECIFICATION

CRITERIA

Experience

Experience providing a secretarial service, ideally within a legal services / Wills and Probate environment

Experience of audio and copy typing

Experience of working with a range of software packages

Experience of providing high levels of client care face to face, over the telephone and via email

Experience of handling confidential information appropriately

Skills and Abilities

Excellent IT skills and the ability to learn and use new software

Ability to work quickly with a high degree of accuracy

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Ability to handle interruptions professionally and maintain concentration

Ability to work to deadlines effectively and manage and organise own workload and prioritise accordingly

Ability to multitask efficiently

Ability to help to turn enquiries into paid for work through excellent response times, high levels of customer care etc

Ability to understand and work effectively with a diverse customer base

Other

Good understanding of Anti Money Laundering responsibilities and GDPR requirements

Satisfactory references and other pre employment checks including credit check and ID check etc

Sympathetic to our heritage and ethos

Line Management Responsibilities -

None

Line Manager -

Head of Department / Director

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From 23,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Company events Company pension Employee discount Health & wellbeing programme
Ability to commute/relocate:

Belper DE56 1UU: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Experience:

Secretarial: 1 year (required)
Work Location: In person