What are the responsibilities and job description for the Office Administrator position at Ogletree Deakins?
Position Summary:
Ogletree Deakins has an opportunity for an experienced Office Administrator to join the Firm’s expanding Tennessee practice. The Office Administrator is responsible for the business administration of the Nashville and Memphis, TN offices and may assume responsibility for additional Ogletree Deakins offices and/or practice groups as appropriate, including all support functions and staff coordination. The Office Administrator will manage all operations of the assigned offices, including human resources, financial planning and controls, marketing and event planning, facilities, information systems, and other tasks. The position will also work closely with the assigned Office Managing Shareholders in the development and ongoing administration of the respective offices’ strategic plans. The Office Administrator may also be provided opportunities to collaborate on broader initiatives that support continuous improvement efforts in benefit of firm interests.
Essential Functions:
Human Resources – In close collaboration with and supported by the Firm’s Human Resources team:
- Communicate and enforce policies and procedures
- Conduct interviews and make recommendations on the selection of staff employees
- Initiate new employee intake process, employee status change requests, and exiting employee process
- Conduct New Hire onboarding including orientation and training of firm systems and processes
- Coordinate Employee Benefits issues with Human Resources
- Optimize planning and utilization of office resources to efficiently and effectively meet office needs
- Coordinate and provide feedback on annual staff evaluations and compensation
- Provide clear expectations of employees under their leadership, including assessing training needs and facilitating development opportunities
- Actively manage performance of staff, identify and document performance issues to resolve through counseling, performance improvement plans, and other resources within the Firm
- Champion positive and engaging work environment and staff motivation
Financial Management and Budgeting
- Prepare and monitor office budget, making recommendations for cost efficiencies, capital expenditures, and operational needs
- Regularly review and analyze monthly financial reports, working closely with Managing Shareholders to address profitability and attorney productivity issues
- Review and approve invoices and expenses for the office
- Build and maintain vendor relationships: negotiation of rates; prompt approval and processing of payments; resolution of billing discrepancies; oversight of office supplies and services being provided
- Responsible for administration of the office checking account, firm credit card, and attorney trust account (in coordination with the centralized trust function)
Marketing and Event Planning
- Work closely with the Managing Shareholders to plan and coordinate local marketing events including briefings, roundtables and seminars
- Assist Shareholders with enhancing the firm’s visibility and image in the local market and throughout the firm
Facilities
- Responsibility for local office level adherence to firm safety and security protocols and policies
- Regularly maintain personnel directory and floor plans to ensure accuracy
- Act as safety coordinator and train employees on emergency procedures
- In collaboration with our Real Estate Department, act as liaison between firm and landlord regarding any facilities projects, maintenance requests, or issues; participate in space planning and design for office relocations, proper maintenance of office space assets to reflect professionalism of the firm
- Oversee records storage and management
- Provide updates for office business continuity disaster recovery plan as needed and ensure emergency notification system contact information is current
Computer Systems
- In coordination with Information Technology, support technology operations and functionality, including: coordinate technology upgrades and maintenance with Administrative Office, IT Department, consultants, and vendors
Management, Committees, and Meetings
- Work collaboratively with Office Managing Shareholders
- Identify and analyze issues; recommend and implement approved solutions under the direction and guidance of the Office Managing Shareholders
- Attend Shareholders’ meetings
- Chair staff meetings
- Plan office social functions
- Manage special projects as assigned by Office Managing Shareholders, Director of Office Administration, Administrative Leadership
- Attend departmental or firm events as required from time to time
- Bachelors degree and 4 years of Office Management, HR experience or 6 years combination of experience and education
- Candidates must be professional, have experience in managing others, including directing workload, performance management, training, event planning, staffing and recruitment
- Proficient in all Microsoft applications, including, but not limited to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
- Experience with document management and invoice/expense systems preferred
- Analytical and problem solving skills
- Ability to proactively focus on and anticipate needs
- Display emotional intelligence
- Dependable – quickly becomes the ‘go-to’ person
- Strong leadership qualities - able to lead and manage staff
- Ability to act in a position of trust, both as to attorneys and staff
- Consistently deliver excellent client service both internally and externally
- Responsive-responds to inquiries and provides feedback in a timely manner
- Highly organized and self-directed – able to juggle several projects and offices at one time
- Ability to work collaboratively, while also encouraging and motivating others
- Ability to lead independently, exercising good judgment in potentially difficult situations
- Capacity to maintain effective working relationships with all levels of firm personnel and diverse groups of people
- Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential
Please note, we are not working with outside recruiters for this position.
Benefits:
Ogletree Deakins offers a robust suite of benefits for our Staff including: Paid Time Off, Paid Sick Leave, a 401(k) matching program, Profit Sharing, Paid Holidays, Paid Parental Leave, affordable Health and Life Insurance including Dental & Vision coverage, Health Savings Account /Flexible Spending Accounts to help offset the cost of dependent care and/or health care expenses, Tuition Reimbursement and an Employee Assistance Program.
Firm Overview:
Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. Premier client service, as outlined in the firm’s Client Pledge, is one of the firm’s top priorities and a cornerstone of its core values. Best Law Firms® has named Ogletree Deakins a “Law Firm of the Year” for 13 consecutive years. In the 2024 edition, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its “Law Firm of the Year” in the Employment Law - Management category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 950 attorneys located in 56 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, including many of the Fortune 50 companies in the U.S.
We are fully committed to the importance of diversity within the legal profession, as well as all workplace environments and strongly encourage the interest of diverse candidates in the firm.
Equal Opportunity Employer.
