Administrative & General Assistant – Specialist Practice

We are seeking a capable, reliable, practical and positive Administrative & General Assistant to join a small specialist professional practice.

This is a varied position combining administration, organisation, technology and practical general office support.

We are particularly interested in someone who learns quickly, uses common sense, takes initiative, solves problems and is willing to learn unfamiliar tasks.

The Position The position will initially commence with a limited number of days/hours, allowing suitability to be properly assessed before more extensive training is undertaken.

The clear intention is for the right person to progress to an ongoing, full-time permanent position.

Applicants must therefore be genuinely seeking a long-term position and be available to increase to full time hours.

This is not intended as a short-term or occasional position.

Initially, hours are expected to be approximately 16 hours per week, increasing as the role develops and suitability is demonstrated.

Some Saturday availability may also be required depending on the practice roster.

ESSENTIAL – Ability to Follow Established Systems A particularly important requirement of this position is the ability to follow established systems, templates, procedures and structured instructions accurately and consistently.

The practice uses specific formats, templates and processes for many tasks.

The successful applicant must be able to:

- Follow established systems exactly where required
- Use templates and structured formats accurately
- Maintain the required structure rather than unnecessarily changing it
- Apply instructions consistently once they have been explained
- Pay close attention to detail and complete tasks in the required format
- Learn from corrections and avoid repeating the same mistake
- Understand when initiative is appropriate and when an established procedure must simply be followed

This is an essential requirement of the position.

A Quiet & Pleasant Working Environment

This is not a busy public reception environment.

There are no walk-in enquiries at all, telephone traffic is generally limited, and ordinary patient consultations are extremely uncommon.

The office environment is generally quiet, organised and pleasant, allowing staff to concentrate on their work without the constant interruptions commonly associated with busy reception environments.

We place genuine importance on maintaining a respectful, friendly, cooperative and positive workplace atmosphere.

We believe that work needs to be attended to one way or another, and that it is better for everyone when it is approached with goodwill, cooperation, constructive energy and a positive attitude rather than unnecessary negativity or tension.

For this reason, attitude matters to us.

We are looking for someone who will contribute positively to the workplace, communicate pleasantly with others and help maintain an environment in which people can work together comfortably and efficiently.

About the Practice The practice undertakes predominantly specialist orthopaedic medico-legal and independent medical assessment work.

It is not a conventional patient-based medical practice.

There are no walk-in enquiries and ordinary patient consultations are extremely uncommon.

Much of the work involves:

- Professional correspondence
- Appointments and scheduling
- Documents and records
- Reports
- Communication associated with medico-legal assessments

Confidentiality, discretion, accuracy and attention to detail are very important.

Key Administrative Duties

Duties may include

- General office administration and organisation
- Managing emails and professional correspondence
- Appointment and diary administration
- Scheduling and reminders
- Preparing, scanning, filing and organising documents
- Maintaining accurate electronic and paper records
- Using Microsoft Word, email, internet applications and office software
- Basic document preparation and formatting




- Photocopying and scanning
- Following established office procedures
- Keeping tasks organised and following matters through to completion
- Learning new office systems and procedures
- General administrative assistance as required

Practical & General Office Duties

This position is deliberately called an Administrative & General Assistant because it is not limited to computer-based administration.

We value someone who is practical, resourceful and willing to assist with ordinary day-to-day tasks involved in keeping an office running efficiently.

Examples may include

- Replacing printer toner and paper
- Using printers, scanners and photocopiers
- Dealing with easy paper jams or equipment issues
- Following basic equipment instructions
- Basic troubleshooting
- Refilling ordinary office supplies
- Keeping the office organised
- Basic upkeep of small office equipment
- Attending to practical tasks that arise from time to time
- Learning how to complete an unfamiliar practical task

We are not looking for someone who regards every task outside a narrow as “not my job.”

At the same time, applicants are not expected to know how to do everything already.

What matters is the approach:

“I have not done that before, but I can learn or work out how to do it.”

Technology, AI & Ability to Learn The successful applicant should be comfortable with everyday technology and willing to learn new systems quickly.

We are particularly interested in someone who:

- Is confident using computers, smartphones, email and internet applications
- Can use Microsoft Word and common office software
- Is comfortable using printers, scanners and office equipment
- Has some familiarity with AI tools, or is willing and able to learn how to use them effectively and responsibly
- Can follow established systems, procedures and structured instructions accurately
- Can apply instructions consistently once they have been explained
- Can learn unfamiliar software and office systems
- Can follow written and online instructions
- Is comfortable with basic troubleshooting
- Uses technology to help solve ordinary workplace problems

You do not need to be an IT specialist.

However, we are looking for someone who is comfortable with technology rather than intimidated by it.

Initiative & Problem Solving

Initiative is important — but so is knowing when not to improvise.

We value someone who

- Notices when something needs attention
- Attempts to solve straightforward problems
- Thinks before automatically asking someone else
- Can research a simple solution when appropriate
- Can distinguish between when initiative is appropriate and when an established procedure must be followed exactly
- Learns from previous instructions
- Does not require the same basic task to be explained repeatedly
- Can prioritise tasks sensibly
- Uses good judgement
- Can work independently when appropriate
- Knows when a matter genuinely needs to be referred to someone else
- Can ask for clarification when genuinely necessary without requiring continual reassurance

We are particularly interested in how an applicant approaches something they have never done before.

What We Are Looking For

We are particularly interested in someone who:

- Learns new tasks quickly
- Has good common sense
- Has strong problem-solving ability
- Is able to follow established systems, templates and structured instructions accurately and consistently – essential
- Has a positive, pleasant and cooperative approach to work
- Contributes to a friendly and respectful workplace
- Is organised
- Has excellent attention to detail
- Is reliable and punctual




- Is responsible and trustworthy
- Takes initiative
- Can work without constant supervision
- Can follow instructions accurately
- Remembers and applies previous instructions
- Accepts feedback and corrections constructively
- Learns from mistakes and avoids unnecessarily repeating them
- Has good written English
- Communicates clearly and professionally
- Is comfortable with computers and everyday technology
- Is willing to learn unfamiliar tasks
- Is practical and resourceful
- Can adapt as systems and procedures change
- Understands the importance of confidentiality
- Can handle normal workplace pressures calmly and constructively
- Is willing to assist with both administrative and practical office duties
- Is comfortable around cats, as cats may occasionally be present at the premises

Attitude Matters

We consider attitude, aptitude and willingness to learn to be at least as important as the number of years shown on a résumé.

We want someone who comes to work prepared to participate positively, cooperate with others and contribute to a pleasant workplace.

Everyone has difficult days from time to time. We are not expecting artificial cheerfulness.

What matters is a generally constructive, respectful and professional approach to colleagues and to the work itself.

Experience

Previous administrative experience is helpful, but it is not the only factor we will consider.

We are prepared to train the right person.

For that reason, we place considerable importance on:

- Aptitude
- Ability to learn quickly
- Common sense
- Ability to follow structured procedures accurately
- Initiative
- Reliability
- Attention to detail
- Practical ability
- Problem solving
- Positive attitude
- Willingness to learn

A long résumé is not necessarily more important to us than demonstrating that you are capable, adaptable, reliable and able to learn.

Do You Have Other Skills?

We would also like to hear about any other skills, abilities, interests or practical experience you may have — even if you do not think they are directly related to an administrative position.

Please do not leave something out simply because you think it may be irrelevant to office work.

A skill that appears unrelated to you may still be useful or of interest to us.

Examples might include experience or familiarity with:

- Technology
- AI tools
- Electronics
- Equipment
- Organisation
- Practical or hands-on tasks
- Computer applications
- Troubleshooting
- Technical skills
- Maintenance
- Creative skills
- Other useful everyday abilities

We are interested in the person as a whole, not merely the job titles appearing on their résumé.

Employment Arrangement

- Initially a limited number of days/hours
- Approximately 16 hours per week initially
- Hours intended to increase as the role develops
- Intended progression toward full-time hours
- Clear intention of an ongoing permanent position for the right person
- Applicants must be available for and genuinely interested in long-term full-time employment
- Some Saturday availability may be required depending on the roster

A Final Note

This position may particularly suit someone who enjoys a quiet, organised and pleasant professional setting, likes learning new things and takes satisfaction in helping an office operate smoothly.

If you are the type of person who sees an unfamiliar task and thinks:

“I can probably work out how to do that.”

rather than:

“I have never done that before, so I cannot do it.”

we would be particularly interested in hearing from you.

Please apply only if you are genuinely interested in becoming a long-term member of the practice, are available to progress to full-time employment, and would like to contribute to a pleasant, cooperative and positive working environment.

Please also note that applicants should be comfortable around cats, as cats may occasionally be present at the premises.

Pay: $35.00 – $40.00 per hour

Expected hours: 16.0 – 40.0 per week

Work Location: In person

📌 Administrative & General Assistant – Specialist Practice (Alexandria)
🏢 Gehr
📍 Alexandria