About the role:
We have a great opportunity to join our Dubai office as a Practice Coordinator & Personal Assistant (PA) to Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Middle East, on a 12-month fixed term contract to cover maternity leave.
As a Practice Coordinator and PA, you will be required to support the Managing Partner and Chief Operating officer together with managing the UAE PAs, Receptionist and Driver.
The main duties of this role include the following:
- Provide support to and manage extremely detailed and dynamic calendars and email inboxes; taking ownership to proactively manage schedules including complex senior-level meetings and related logistics and often dealing with emails on behalf of the Managing Partner & COO.
- Manage PAs, Receptionist and office Driver.
- Coordinate and distribute admin cover across the UAE offices' teams.
- Proactively schedule and coordinate national and international travel as required including flights, hotels and trains.
- Arrange partner, team and office meetings and prepare agendas as well as staff events.
- Assist COO with local HR tasks.
- Office absence management.
- New joiner local on-boarding and settling in.
- General office management tasks.
- Working closely with local Finance Team and IT.
- Training for staff where required.
- Other related projects and duties as requested.
About you:
We are looking for someone who has a wealth of experience in a Senior Personal Assistant role or Practice Coordinator/Operations Management role.
Your key skills and experience will follow as:
- Experience of working as an executive level personal assistant in a highly demanding and fast-paced environment.
- Superb client service skills including communication skills in person, on phone, and by email and voicemail
- Confident dealing with members of staff of all levels and approachable so that staff are able to come to you with any issues they are having.
- Extremely discreet and experience of working with highly confidential information.
- Highest degree of integrity, professionalism, diplomacy and discretion required.
- Ability to handle multiple tasks efficiently and effectively and meet tight deadlines.
- Excellent judgement; self-sufficient, independent thinker and resourceful.
- Excellent anticipation and prioritisation skills.
- Composure under pressure.
- A curiosity to investigate new technology, and techniques to improve productivity and client service.
- Ability to make suggestions on areas for improvement and how to make the UAE offices' more efficient.
- Capability to draft reports, presentations using software tools such as (Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Reporting Services and Expert).
Equal Opportunities:
Gowling WLG is committed both to promoting equality and diversity in the firm and to Equal Opportunities in employment.
At Gowling WLG we seek to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, to create an exciting and rewarding place to work. Our aim is to fulfil everyone's potential and together to achieve personal and business goals.
If you have any queries in relation to this position or would like to see a full job description, please contact Meg Astley at
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