Probono Secretary (Intermediate) – Probono - Johannesburg at Bowmans (Law Firm)

Purpose:

Responsible for performing administrative and secretarial duties and support to the respective department/team.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Matric/Grade 12
• 5 to 7 years’ experience as secretary / legal secretary in a legal/professional services environment
• Computer literacy - MS Office (Intermediate proficiency)

Area of work   

The work spec will cover the following areas:

• Pro bono South Africa Office
• Pro bono Africa Offices
• CSR South Africa
• CSR Africa

Key Accountabilities   

Project Management

• Assist under supervision of the Head of Pro Bono to manage the firm’s pro bono portfolio for South Africa as well as all Africa offices and execute approved CSR initiatives from start to finish also for South Africa and all Africa Offices
• Assist under supervision to manage budget allocated to each CSR initiative and pro-bono matters
• Assist with Generating and preparation pro bono & CSR reports. Financials and other reports
• Assist with drawing and keeping of accurate pro bono stats, effective management of pro bono work rosters and spread sheets
• Assist under supervision to arrange and coordinate functions to launch and promote CSR and pro-bono initiatives
• Management of lawyers internally and stakeholders on pro bono and CSR matters

Connecting people/ Professional and effective communication internally/externally:

• Screening of all calls to ensure that calls are dealt with and/or directed to correct professionals
• Assist to manage a broad base of CSR and pro bono stakeholders

Diary Management/ Scheduling and maintaining of calendars:

• Proactively organise and manage diaries and make appointments
• Ensuring that the correct people are invited and available to attend; booking boardroom for meetings and conference calls (VC), booking catering if necessary, making sure enough time is allocated for travel for offsite meetings
• Providing partner with relevant information and documentation to ensure preparedness for meetings

Document Generation:

• Copy typing
• Drafting amending and formatting general correspondence and documents, paying attention to detail and ensuring good spelling/grammar/punctuation
• Drafting amending and formatting of legal correspondence and documents, paying attention to detail and ensuring good spelling/grammar/punctuation
• Preparing presentations and reports as required by the partner or department
• Knowledge of and adherence to ‘in-house’ and external styles to maintain standardization, consistency and compliance with prescribed formats, if applicable

General Administration

• Filing and maintaining filing systems
• Arrange and coordinate functions to launch and promote CSR and Pro-Bono initiatives
• Collating copies and distributing printing
• Opening and closing of client files
• Archiving of records
• Ordering of stationery
• Obtaining client FICA documents
• Seeking ways to pro-actively improve efficiency and administration within the team
• Ability to assess and prioritise workload
• Attending to ad hoc personal matters on behalf of the executive/partner/manager
• Meticulous and accurate record keeping on updated spreadsheets for pro bono, CSR tracking, small business project matters, Africa portfolio and for any other matters/projects as directed by Head of Pro Bono
• Collation and preparation of marketing material under supervision and direction of the Head of Pro Bono for annual and other reports and Marketing purposes
• Population and administration of all pro bono clinic rosters for all offices, meticulous and timeous management of rosters and volunteers who attend and with stakeholders

Travel Arrangements:

• Make all travel arrangements
• Proactively manage and communicate changes to travel and make alternative arrangements where necessary
• Research travel and immigration requirements. Ensure that they are all met and Visa applications are processed timeously

Relationship Building:

• Develop and maintain relationships with all levels of staff as a trusted resource.
• Maintain strong working relationships with and have open and transparent communication between all members of the team
• Develop and maintain relationships with vendors to ensure quality of service delivery
• Assistance with development, management, and support of all Candidate Attorneys in the uptake work and rendering of pro bono services

Finance Administration:

• Time capturing for partner/team
• Assist with general financial management relating to the department (e.g. credit notes, general financial queries, requisitions, reimbursement requisitions for team, payments, creation of vendors etc.)
• Assist in management and monitoring of the CSR & Pro Bono budget
• Accurate tracking of all payments
• Ensuring all payments are timeously made
• Attend to drawing of all stats as and when directed by Head of Pro Bono – monthly, annual and matter to matter
• Assistance with drawing of quarterly and annuals stats timeously, stakeholder stats and any other pro bono stats as directed by Head of Pro Bono.

Competencies

• Adaptability
• Attention to Detail
• Continuous Learning
• Interactive Communication
• Initiative
• Problem solving
• Resilience
• Writing Skills
• Highly organized
• Strong administrative skills