Executive Assistant

About Ropes & Gray

Ropes & Gray is a preeminent, global law firm. The firm has been ranked in the top-three on The American Lawyer's prestigious "A-List" for seven years and is ranked #1 on Law.com International's "A-List" in the U.K. - rankings that honor the "Best of the Best" firms.

The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.

The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.

Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.

Overview

This role provides expert executive support to the Chief of Staff, organizing and coordinating communications, daily workflow and special projects. This Executive Assistant also serves as a liaison to firm leadership, and internal and external stakeholders.

This Executive Assistant must be a thoughtful communicator, creative problem solver and strong builder of relationships. The ideal individual will exercise discretion, good judgment and emotional intelligence in all situations, and be equally comfortable working independently and collaboratively. The Executive Assistant will have the opportunity to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to prioritize and work effectively under pressure with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Completes a broad variety of administrative tasks for the Chief of Staff including: managing an active calendar of appointments; completing expense reports; receiving and preparing correspondence that is often confidential; arranging complex travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling and storing materials for meetings. Manages a variety of ongoing responsibilities for the Chief of Staff, some of which may have wide organizational impact.
• Works closely and effectively with the Chief of Staff to keep her well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Acts as a "barometer," having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping leadership updated. Thinks strategically, and sees the “big picture,” in order to successfully prioritize competing demands and recognize impact of decisions on firm operations and client matters. Triages incoming requests and inquiries and, whenever possible, makes recommendations for resolutions. Ensures that the Chief of Staff’s preferred handling is followed through to completion. Provides "gatekeeper" and "gateway" role, recognizing priorities that merit direct access to the Chief of Staff.
• Project Management: Independently responsible for owning and managing processes and key deliverables of relevant stakeholders. Manage workstreams by collecting and presenting data to Chief of Staff and manage all aspects of After-Project-Review debriefs.
• Provides additional support to the Chair of the firm whenever needed, both as ad hoc backup coverage to, and regular collaboration with, the executive assistant assigned to the Chair. Provides a bridge for smooth communication between the Chief of Staff and the Chair
• Works closely with the wider team supporting firm leadership, providing a bridge for smooth communication between the executives and internal departments; demonstrating leadership skills and credibility, and generating trust and support with the partners and senior leadership team. Offers a collegial and collaborative work style to all interactions.
• Communicates directly, and on behalf of others as directed, with partners, and others, on matters related to Chief of Staff’s initiatives. Must communicate articulately, clearly and concisely and know what, when and how to communicate depending on audience, subject matter, sensitivity and timing.
• Using independent judgment, and with a sense of urgency, researches, prioritizes, and follows up on incoming issues and concerns, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature. Determines appropriate course of action, referral, or response. Tracks deliverables, both owed to and expected from, the Chief of Staff, and ensures that they are completed on the dates committed. Prioritizes conflicting needs; handles matters expeditiously, proactively, and follows-through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.
• Maintain accurate records including documents generated by and for the Chief, The Chair and Policy Committee; key Chief correspondence (emails and speeches); instructions and samples for key annual processes; and personal, client and vendor contacts.
  
  

Provides additional support to members of firm leadership whenever needed.

Qualifications

• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail
• Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including partners, senior leadership, and internal/external clients
• Expert level written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability
• Emotional maturity
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/client service and response
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions
  
  

Education And Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required
• Strong work tenure: five to 10 years of experience supporting C-Level Executives; Experience and interest in internal and external communications
  
  

Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Adobe Acrobat, and Social Media web platforms

Compensation And Total Rewards Package

Ropes & Gray is proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our business support team members. The firm also offers comprehensive health and well-being benefits, personal and professional development, career growth opportunities and a collegial and supportive culture. The anticipated pay range for this role is NY: $82,000 - $122,000, which represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the starting salary range at the time of posting. In addition, this role is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance. The actual offered rate for this position will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors, including qualifications and experience, geographic location, education, external market data and consideration of internal equity.

Working Conditions

This position requires hybrid on-site presence as an essential function of the role. Consistent and predictable on-site presence is required for ongoing business continuity, professional development and effective collaboration with colleagues and management.

Additional Requirements

Ability to be available off hours and weekends as needed. Some travel may be required.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not

to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements.