Supervising Administrative Assistant - YAD Administration

Committee for Public Counsel Services•Boston, MA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking a full-time Supervising Administrative Assistant to support the Deputy Chief Counsel of the Youth Advocacy Division (YAD) and the YAD Managing Directors. This position, based in Boston, offers a hybrid work schedule. CPCS is dedicated to fighting for equal justice and human dignity by supporting clients in achieving their legal and life goals, zealously advocating for individual rights, and promoting just public policy. The agency's values are Courage, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence. CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of its assigned clients through zealous advocacy and excellent legal representation, embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values. The Youth Advocacy Division (YAD) is the juvenile defender division of CPCS, committed to providing zealous legal representation to indigent children in various juvenile cases and offering leadership, training, support, and oversight to the juvenile defense bar in Massachusetts. The Supervising Administrative Assistant is a crucial member of the YAD management team, responsible for maintaining confidentiality and handling high-level responsibilities to support the Deputy Chief Counsel and Managing Directors. Key duties include record keeping, data collection and management (including caseload statistics), and reporting using Excel and PowerPoint. The position reports directly to the Deputy Chief Counsel.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in a related area
At least four years of experience as an administrative assistant or office manager
Executive level secretarial skills
An equivalent combination of education, experience, and skills
Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely
Expertise in computer and technological skills and in-depth knowledge of relevant software, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Monday.com, Constant Contact; and OneDrive
Ability to create complicated Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations for the Chief Counsel and other Senior Management members
Experience supervising, managing or mentoring
Knowledge of standard office administrative practices and procedures
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to interact effectively with diverse colleagues at all levels of the agency and the ability to work as an effective team member
Excellent organizational, planning, and process skills
Excellent problem-solving skills
Ability to remain focused and effective in a high demand environment
Strong information gathering and information monitoring skills
Ability to maintain confidentiality and to exercise considerable judgment and discretion
Strong cultural humility
Diplomacy skills
Previous administrative assistant, office manager, or similar experience
Ability to handle multiple tasks, work independently, prioritize effectively, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality work

Nice To Haves

Project management experience desirable

Responsibilities

Providing high-level administrative support to the Deputy Chief Counsel and the Managing Directors, including keeping outlook calendars, copying, scanning, and handling correspondence, including electronic communication.
Supervising YAD Administrative Office Administrative Assistant staff, including delegation of work, preparation of annual performance evaluations, approval of time & attendance, and professional training as well as participating in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of Administrative Assistant staff.
Coordinating and assisting with projects relating to improving the quality of legal representation in YAD.
Managing and directing client and private counsel communications to the appropriate staff.
Generating statistical reports relating to YAD staff and private counsel attorney caseloads and billing, and other data as deemed necessary.
Reviewing incoming emails, memos, submissions, and reports to determine their significance and plan their distribution and tracking responses to email.
Maintaining effective communication within and across divisions with other support staff and managers.
Maintaining and scheduling the Deputy Chief Counsel’s calendar and scheduling other meetings as needed.
Answering and managing incoming calls and appointments.
Coordinating travel arrangements.
Developing and maintaining a system for organizing a broad range of documents.
Providing assistance and backup for the Executive Assistant to the Chief Counsel and other support staff as necessary, including, but not limited to the Receptionist desk and switchboard.
Other duties as assigned.