Project Coordinator - CAFL

Committee for Public Counsel Services•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts state public defender agency, is seeking a person with experience in project management who is committed to justice for parents, young adults, and children to serve as Project Coordinator within its Children and Family Law Division (CAFL). The Project Coordinator will work with CAFL’s Deputy Chief Counsel to develop and oversee new programs and projects and expand existing ones to improve the quality and increase the availability of legal representation of parents, young adults, and children involved or at risk of becoming involved in the state’s family regulation/child welfare system. We fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all. CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one. The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters. The Children and Family Law Division provides zealous legal representation to parents, children and older youth, custodians, and guardians in a range of civil matters involving families. These include care and protection cases (known in other states as dependency or child neglect/abuse cases); termination of parental rights cases; child requiring assistance/status offense matters, and guardianship-of-a-minor cases. Our multidisciplinary legal teams defend families against unwarranted governmental interference and protect the constitutional and statutory rights of their individual clients. The Project Coordinator has a wide range of duties related to new and ongoing CAFL programs aimed to improve the quality and increase the availability of representation of parents, young adults, and children involved or at risk of becoming involved in care and protection cases, as well as programs aimed to ensure the availability of education advocacy, improve the quality of training and performance evaluations, and improve data collection and reporting. The Project Coordinator will work with CPCS’ Finance Department and Office of the General Counsel in the creation and implementation of contracts and programs with third-party vendors as well as to meet any reporting requirements that go along with those contracts. The Project Coordinator will report to the CAFL Deputy Chief Counsel.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and at least three (3) years of project coordinator experience, or an equivalent combination of relevant education, training, and experience
Access to reliable transportation in order to attend meetings at various locations throughout the state
Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely
Strong writing and editorial skills
Ability to maintain confidentiality and to exercise considerable judgment and discretion
Strong leadership, project management, and organizational skills
Ability to present information clearly and Able to communicate effectively with all staff within the organization and with stakeholders outside the organization
Ability to complete projects according to outlined scope and timeline
Ability to work independently and take initiative and to establish effective working relationships and work as a team
Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Experience with program management software tools, methodologies, and best practices
Able to handle multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality work
Experience in organizational management, including project and data management

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in a legal setting a plus

Responsibilities

Planning and coordinating programs and projects designed to improve the work of staff and private attorneys, including increasing the use of social workers and parent partners, multidisciplinary preventative legal advocacy programs, and initiatives to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the Family Regulation System
Working with third-party vendors to ensure cost-effective use of funding and evaluating program performance
Engaging with staff and other stakeholders to identify needs and opportunities, coordinating research to develop project ideas, and drafting proposals to secure support and resources for new initiatives
Building and maintaining strategic relationships with stakeholders, vendors, and partner organizations to ensure effective collaboration and high-quality program delivery
Coordinating and facilitating trainings and meetings
Coordinating project-related marketing and outreach efforts, including the drafting of external materials or speaking at stakeholder meetings
Working with internal departments, including the Office of the General Counsel and Finance, to implement contracts with third party vendors and to meet any reporting requirements for programs or projects
Developing and maintaining systems to track project timelines, milestones, deliverables, outcomes, and communication among staff, private attorneys, vendors, and other stakeholders
Compiling information and presenting reports to appropriate management channels on a regular basis
Other duties as assigned