Assistant Office Administrator (Washington DC)

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, a global Am Law 50 firm, is seeking an experienced Assistant Office Administrator based in the Washington DC office. This position works directly with attorneys and staff and reports to the Washington DC office Senior Office Administrator. The ideal candidate will be discerning and exercise good judgment in performing administrative, human resource, and operational duties, will fairly and consistently apply laws, regulations, policies, and procedures, will develop and maintain cooperative and collegial relationships with staff and attorneys, and exercise unquestionable integrity and ethical behavior at all times.

Essential Functions

• Anticipate and assist Senior Office Administrator respond to employee relations issues, including policy distribution and interpretation, counseling, and disciplinary issues, as requested.
• Provide advice and counsel with staffing issues and demonstrate leadership skills.
• Ensure Firm policies are followed.
• Raise and address employee relations issues in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Screen, test, participate in the interview process, and make hiring recommendations for Washington DC non-attorney staff positions.
• In collaboration with Human Resources and Training , assist with employee onboarding and offboarding.
• Assist with conducting 90-day and annual reviews of Washington DC support staff and practice specialists.
• Coordinate the annual performance evaluation process for support staff and practice specialists.
• Assist the Senior Office Administrator with staff salary and bonus matters, as requested.
• Identify training gaps and needs and coordinate supplemental training for support staff and practice specialists.
• Assist the Senior Office Administrator with practice specialist reassignments, as necessary, considering skills, workloads, personalities, integration of trainee-level support, and Firm needs
• Promote the client-service orientation of the office by assuring appropriate client service procedures are utilized by staff and recommending to the Senior Office Administrator any changes in work procedures or other client service matters affecting the office.
• Review and regularly update the Washington DC intranet page.
• Cover for the Senior Office Administrator during absences.
• Perform daily office walk throughs to identify office needs and inform and propose solutions to the Senior Office Administrator.
• Plan and execute office activities, events, and projects within the Washington DC office.
• Communicate effectively and professionally with all clients and Firm personnel and follow up in a timely manner.
• Routinely review and update office resources, e.g., floor maps, phone directories.
• Maintain multiple calendars.
• Reconcile invoices and expenses.
• Make travel arrangements.
• Ensure building and garage access protocols are followed.
• Liaise with building management and building security.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Office Administrator.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Three (3) years prior experience working in an administrative role.
• Law firm experience preferred.
• Exceptional reading and proofreading skills.
• Able to write clearly and succinctly without spelling or grammatical errors.
• Excellent listening, comprehension and communication skills – the ability to establish and maintain an effective means of communication and close collaboration with the Senior Office Administrator.
• Prior event planning experience.
• Experience making comprehensive travel arrangements.
• Able to respond promptly and accurately to a high volume of emails.
• Demonstrated proficiency with the full Microsoft 365 suite of solutions.
• Willingness and ability to quickly master tools such as Monday.com, SharePoint, Zoom, Teams, Brivo, Rendezvous, Quickbook, Datawatch, and Jawnt.
• Exceptional organization and time management skills.
• Maintain a professional appearance and positive attitude.
• Willingness to cheerfully help wherever needed.
• Flexibility to work outside normal office hours when necessary.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Outstanding attention to detail.
• Sound in judgment.
• Willing to take direction, approach issues objectively and fairly, and work independently.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities.
  
  

Education

Bachelor's Degree in a related field.

CLM or SHRM CP and/or SCP preferred.

Work Environment

This position requires a physical presence in the Washington DC office Monday through Friday with few exceptions.

Travel Requirements

Occasional travel, up to 10%.

Washington DC: The pay range for this position is: $85,000 - $110,000 per year. Medical, vision, and dental coverage is available, including coverage for dependents and domestic partners. Please note that the foregoing compensation and benefit information is a good-faith assessment associated with this position as of the time of this posting and is provided pursuant to the District of Columbia Wage Transparency Omnibus Amendment Act of 2023.

Sheppard Mullin is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, protected medical condition, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law.