Executive Assistant

This posting is on behalf of my client. I am the Founder & CEO of Above All Admin Support Services – and I work for this client to manage their office operations, which includes recruitment & selection.

Here is an overview of the Executive Assistant. Please note I am seeking subcontractors only. This role is forsomeone seeking long-term. I see my clients as partners so need someone to join the team with the same mindset.

• The client is law firm owner in downtown Edmonton, AB.
• The Client’s focus of law is family and real estate, but practices other areas of law as well.
• The Executive Assistant will be able to handle calls from individuals seeking legal advice or clients with urgent needs. Some calls may be disturbing or unpleasant, so the candidate must have the ability to remain calm and professional in these situations. This will not be often as there is another support staff at the law firm that answers calls and handles most of the direct client contact. However, when this support staff is out of office then the EA will be expected to handle the calls and other administrative tasks.
• The Client is aware of the 20h minimum that she will be billed each month, regardless if work completed, the Executive Assistant cannot be guaranteed any hours over the minimum.
• The Client wishes to have as many team members cross trained as possible, to create proper work and life balance and new learning opportunities. As a result, at times the workload may be redistributed for training as needed, but proper planning and notice will be provided.
• The Executive Assistant will adhere to a three-hour (3) service level agreement (SLA) from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm MST. They will acknowledge bare minimum that the email was received.
• The Executive Assistant must be available from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm MST, Monday to Friday.
• The Executive Assistant will meet with the Client weekly (unable to setup recurring due to the Client’s court & case commitments).

Executive Assistance Responsibilities

Email & Calendar Management

• The Client prefers to not have the Executive Assistant and themself in the Inbox at the same time. The Executive Assistant will triage the inbox upon the start of their shift at 8:30 am MST, as follows: Review any new emails and attachments to the SharePoint’s email address associated with that specific matter, if the sender did not already do so. This step must be done PRIOR to moving the email message to one of the Daily Email Review subfolders.
• Any emails with attachments that were either sent to the SharePoint email already or you sent there, must then be uploaded to the SharePoint site for the specific matter and then moved to the appropriate subfolder in the SharePoint site.
• Move any new messages from the Inbox into their applicable Daily Email Review subfolder (i.e., Reply, Review, et al).
• Review Client’s Reply Folder and look for any messages in which there is a YLC Archive label and move out to the applicable quarterly folder.
• There are rules currently set up in the Client’s inbox that will automatically move messages to the various folders. However, the messages that are auto-moved to the “Action Required” subfolder must be reviewed to ensure that emails are forwarded to the SharePoint email address associated with the specific matter (if the sender did not already do so) and that attachments if any are properly uploaded and filed in the appropriate subfolders in the SharePoint site for the specific matter.
• The Client’s Email & Calendar Management is a work in progress. The Executive Assistant is expected to work with the Client and take initiative to: Work towards consistently achieving an Inbox Zero by the end of every week.
• Work with Client to maximize all the juggling commitments.
• Establish a system that works that will allow the Client to return calls, emails, schedule meeting, et al in a timely manner; creating an overall exceptional client experience.
• The client has emails from another Microsoft account that needs to be filed in the appropriate SharePoint matter sites. However, getting the Executive Assistant access is a work in progress. The Client understands this would be a project, outside of the Executive Assistants, daily tasks, or coverage for other law firm support staff.

Phone Calls

• The Executive Assistant will handle incoming/outgoing calls using Microsoft Teams, when needed. This task is the predominant duty of other support staff in the law firm but when that support staff is out of office it will be part of the Executive Assistant’s duties. There are approximately 135 calls per month from Monday to Thursday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm MST and on Fridays 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. The volume of incoming calls will vary daily. The Client does not expect the EA to answer every single call that comes in, if the EA is unavailable to do so.
• Calls are handled as follows: The Executive Assistant actions the calls based on expectations communicated by the client.
• The phone system used by the Client is through Microsoft Teams, it would be recommended that the Executive Assistant has the application installed on their desktop (vs browser) and mobile device (not an option) with notifications turned on.
• The preference is for calls to be handled in real time between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm EST, but the Client is aware that the Executive Assistant does have other clients; therefore, the Executive Assistant should keep their company calendar up to date, so the Client is aware of when they are unavailable to take live calls.
• Once the support staff in the law firm returns to the office, then the Executive Assistant will forward all calls back to them.
• The Client’s preferred contact method is through Teams. The Executive Assistant is to pass along any phone messages that require a callback through a direct message in Teams and indicate whether they spoke with the person or if the message is a transcription of voicemail.
• The Client will reply to the Executive Assistant with callback requests, booking meetings (new, reschedule) et al.

Task Management

• The Executive Assistant will manage tasks (their own, the Client’s, those related to matters (legal cases) through Microsoft Planner. This includes, but is not limited to opening files, conducting conflict searches in the Client’s practice management software, , e-filing, filing documents with the court electronically as directed by the Client.
• When support staff in the firm are out of the office, the Executive Assistant’s task will increase to cover that staff’s other admin duties, such as, following up with clients, providing clients with updates, scheduling meetings as the Client requests. The Client will send service task requests at various times while the Executive Assistant is available, Monday to Friday.
• The Client in most instances will provide an ETA on service requests.
• As mentioned previously, the Client is aware of the three-hour (3) service level agreement (SLA). Therefore if the Client indicates that there is something that needs to be done prior to end of business day, and the Executive Assistant is unable to complete the task, they are to advise the Client as soon as possible so they can determine if they need to complete it themself or adjust the due date to the next business day so the Executive Assistant can complete it as initially intended.The Executive Assistant will manage the Client’s calendar such as scheduling, rescheduling, and cancelling meetings as needed. (Microsoft Booking) on an as-needed basis. The Executive Assistant will also use the Client’s calendar system to manage deliverables being completed in a timely manner.
• The Executive Assistant will create, update, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures, this can include transcription from video to text.
• The Executive Assistant will manage incoming digital files in Microsoft SharePoint (primary) or through the Firm’s customer relationship management system (CosmoLex).
• The Executive Assistant will file documents with the court’s digital and email system.
• The Executive Assistant may be requested to contact clients and other lawyers as needed based on the Client’s advice and guidance.

Job Type: Freelance

Salary: $25.00-$30.00 per hour

Schedule:

Application question(s):

• Are you able to work in Mountain Standard Time, Monday to Friday?

Education:

• Secondary School (required)

Experience:

• Administrative: 3 years (required)
• legal assistant: 1 year (preferred)
• customer service: 3 years (required)

Shift availability:

Work Location: Remote

Application deadline: 2023-03-17
Expected start date: 2023-03-20