Summary:
Gibson Dunn is a leading global law firm, advising clients on significant transactions and disputes. Our exceptional teams craft and deploy creative legal strategies that are meticulously tailored to every matter, however complex or high-stakes. The firm’s work is distinguished by a unique combination of precision and vision.
Based in Brussels, the Receptionist / Administrative Assistant will be the first interaction that a client or guest has when visiting the firm and is responsible for ensuring that the guest is greeted in a warm and inviting manner. The role plays an integral part in the execution of a concierge-level experience for our clients and guests, and, in a compact office, extends beyond reception to broader administrative and organizational support for our lawyers.
This role reports to the Director of Administration and requires on-site attendance Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional flexibility outside core hours in accordance with Belgian working time rules.
Responsibilities include:
- Welcoming clients, visitors, Gibson Dunn attorneys and staff, ensuring a seamless arrival experience by delivering exceptional customer service and providing information and guidance on office services, amenities, workplace resources, and available support.
- Answering and directing incoming calls, emails, and reception inquiries.
- Maintaining a professional, courteous demeanor and upholding the firm’s standards for appearance and conduct when interacting with internal and external clients.
- Pre-registering guests with building security, anticipating arrivals, and ensuring an efficient check-in process.
- Maintaining workplace security by monitoring visitor access, authorizing unregistered guests as appropriate, and reporting unauthorized visitors to building security or management.
- Booking and managing conference room reservations using the firm’s reservation system, adjusting and prioritizing reservations to accommodate business and seating needs, and resolving scheduling conflicts.
- Preparing meeting rooms between reservations, ensuring they are clean and organized, stocked with supplies and refreshments, and equipped with the appropriate audio-visual and video-conference facilities.
- Arranging catering for internal and client meetings, and car service for clients and attorneys upon request.
- Handling incoming and outgoing post, couriers and deliveries, including tracking of time-sensitive and confidential items.
- Ordering and maintaining office stock, kitchen and stationery supply within agreed budgets and managing supplier relationships for routine services.
- Acting as first line of contact for facilities matters, including cleaning, maintenance and building management, and liaising with IT and external service providers on routine matters.
- Providing diary support, arranging internal and external meetings, and coordinating travel and accommodation bookings for lawyers.
- Preparing and submitting expense claims and assisting with the processing of supplier invoices in the firm’s systems.
- Assisting with document formatting, printing, scanning and binding, and filing documents and correspondence in the firm’s document management system in accordance with firm procedures.
- Providing practical support for office events, seminars and visits from colleagues in other Gibson Dunn offices.
- Developing strong working relationships with attorneys and staff to anticipate workspace and service needs.
- Performing other administrative and operational duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills.
- Comfortable meeting and engaging with new people and exhibiting a warm and welcoming demeanor.
- Strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, follow instructions, exercise discretion, and recognize when to escalate issues or seek guidance from management.
- Absolute discretion and respect for client confidentiality.
- Ability to quickly learn and effectively use workplace technology and business applications.
- Able to perform the physical requirements of a front-of-house role, including extended periods at the reception desk and occasional light lifting.
Experience:
- Minimum 2+ years of experience in a reception, front-of-house or administrative role in a law firm or professional services environment.
- Secondary school diploma required. Bachelor’s degree in office management, secretarial studies or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience, preferred.
- English is the working language of the firm; excellent English verbal and written communication skills are essential.
- Command of at least one of Belgium’s national languages, Dutch or French, is required. Command of both is a distinct advantage
Gibson Dunn will consider for employment qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of local law.
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For technical difficulties with our online application, please contact us at staffrecruiting@gibsondunn.com. Our recruiting support team will respond as soon as possible.
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*Gibson Dunn is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities. We strive to ensure an inclusive and accessible hiring experience. The Firm will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable participation in the application and recruitment process, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, participate in an interview, or otherwise take part in the recruitment process, please contact us at recruiting-accommodations@gibsondunn.com.* Please note, this is a dedicated email inbox established exclusively to assist applicants with accommodation request related to the recruitment process. Inquiries about the status of an application or other non-accommodation matter will not receive a response.