Secretarial Manager - Sidley Austin LLP

Summary

The Secretarial Manager supervises and coordinates all employees and non-employee temporaries in the Greater Los Angeles (GLA) offices’ secretarial services department, in accordance with the Firm's policies and applicable laws. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Supervision:

• Directly supervises all employee and non-employee Legal Secretaries and Legal Secretarial Assistants and secretarial trainees
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the Firm’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training departmental staff (in close cooperation with the Director of Administration, Human Resources Director, the Century City Office Manager, and assigned lawyers); planning, assigning, and supervising their work; appraising their performance; providing performance coaching and feedback; rewarding and disciplining; documenting disciplinary measures and performance improvement plans; addressing complaints; working collaboratively to resolve any work-related problems; and assisting the HR Director in terminating departmental staff.
• Manages the Performance Management system for the DTLA secretarial department, including writing and delivering performance reviews, making salary and bonus recommendations to the HR Director and Director of Administration for each departmental employee.

Staffing:

• Determines optimal secretarial sharing arrangements by assessing the work loads, styles and particular needs of each lawyer within and across practice groups and matching them with the appropriate secretarial resources.
• Coordinates secretarial desk coverage during planned and unplanned absences, coordinates work overflow, and makes overtime arrangements to ensure that all work is completed in a timely and effective manner.
• Handles daily coverage for both the Century City and DTLA offices when secretaries are out.
• Splits time in all southern California offices, including a minimum of one day a week in Century City.
• Determines optimal departmental staffing by anticipating changes in the demands placed on the departments.
• Reviews, approves and coordinates all departmental staff requests for combined leave.
• Arranges for temporary non-employee legal secretaries and secretarial assistants as needed. Processes invoices and monitors the floater evaluation process for non-employee temporaries within the departments.

General Management:

• Operates the departments efficiently.
• Provides input to the Director of Administration regarding assignment and set up of offices and work stations for firm secretarial personnel.
• Participates in preparing the budget and financial plans for the department by providing periodic employee status reports.
• Identifies ways to improve operations through training opportunities and technological, procedural or system enhancements.
• Proposes policies, procedures and staffing models relating to the functioning of each department to enhance efficiency, coordination of support services, and quality of work product.
• Maintains written documentation of departmental policies and procedures.
• Maintains technical knowledge and stays current with industry trends affecting the departments.

Coordination and Communication:

• Represents the department in inter-departmental, inter-office and Administrative Management Team meetings.
• Serves as the GLA office liaison with the secretarial and document processing departments in Sidley Austin's other offices, with a particular focus on the Northern California offices. Also serves as the primary liaison between departmental staff and lawyers, paralegals and vendors to promote effective utilization of coordinated support services.  Participates in regular regional departmental calls.
• Conducts regular secretarial meetings and other information sharing meetings among secretaries, document processors and other support services personnel to enhance delivery of high quality, well-integrated, cost effective legal support services.
• Provides orientation and training regarding departmental services for all new personnel.
• Communicates the staffing, capital expenditure, and qualitative needs of the department to the Director of Administration.
• Fosters a spirit of teamwork by taking corrective measures to promptly resolve any intra- or inter-departmental problems as needed.
• Maintains and develops both internal and external contacts for the benefit of the department and the office.
• Maintains a safe and unobstructed work area, including a neat and well-organized desk.
• Demonstrates safe work practices.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned or as judgment or necessity dictates.

California Applicants: Salaries may vary by location. In Southern California, the estimated target salary range of this role is $133,000 – $180,000, in addition to bonus eligibility and a comprehensive benefit package. Salary determinations are made based on numerous factors, such as, but not limited to, the relevant market and the skill, experience, class or graduation year, and education of the selected candidate.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the Duties and Responsibilities (Duties) above satisfactorily and meet the requirements below.  The requirements listed below are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.  If you need such an accommodation, please email staffrecruiting@sidley.com (current employees should contact Human Resources). 

Education and/or Experience: 

Required:

• Bachelor's degree (B.A.) or equivalent from four-year college or technical school; or four years related experience and/or training, preferably in a law firm environment; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five years or more of supervisor/management experience.

Demonstrates an ability to:

• Coordinate related legal support services departments into a unified service-oriented network.
• Select, train and work effectively with appropriate support staff.
• Establish and maintain strong, cooperative relationships with lawyers, departmental managers, and staff.

Other Skills and Abilities:

The following will also be required of the successful candidate:

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good judgment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Able to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities

Sidley Austin LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer