Lead Administrative Assistant - Private Counsel Division Administration

Overview

The Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking a full-time Lead Administrative Assistant to support the Deputy Chief Counsel of the Private Counsel Division.  The Lead Administrative Assistant will also support the Chief Information Office. This position will be based in Boston and will be eligible for a limited hybrid schedule.

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.

Our Values

Courage   •   Accountability   •   Respect   •   Excellence

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT

CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation.  We are dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional relationships, while striving to accept, listen to and respect the diverse circumstances of each client, as we dedicate ourselves to meeting their individual needs.  It is our CPCS mission to achieve these goals, and in furtherance thereof, we embrace and endorse diversity, equity and inclusion as our core values as we maintain a steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility of each member of the CPCS community.

AGENCY OVERVIEW

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 clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics.

DIVISION OVERVIEW

The Private Counsel Division (PCD) of CPCS delivers legal services to 80% of adult indigent clients in Massachusetts through approximately over 2000 assigned private attorneys across the state in criminal defense cases in the district and superior courts, post-conviction matters, parole, and in civil commitments and administrative registration cases for persons convicted of sex offenses.

Our mission is to provide excellent legal services to each client by assuring all assigned attorneys possess the support and skills they need through experience or training and meet high-performance standards in their representation.  Seven distinct units comprise the PCD: Criminal Trial Support Unit (district and superior court), Criminal Appeals and Post-Conviction Unit, Parole Advocacy Unit, Alternative Commitment & Registration Support Unit, Immigration Impact Unit, Innocence Program, and Private Social Work Services Unit.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Lead Administrative Assistant is a key member of the PCD management team and must be able to maintain confidentiality while handling the high-level responsibilities necessary to support the Deputy Chief Counsel in the day-to-day duties of running the Division (staff and private attorneys). Record keeping, data collection and management, and reporting are key components and central duties for this position in supporting the overall mission of the agency.

The Lead Administrative Assistant will report directly to the Deputy Chief Counsel. 

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must have:

• Associate’s degree in a related area; at least four years of experience as an administrative assistant or office manager; executive level secretarial skills; or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and skills; and,
• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

The ideal candidate will be a person who is highly organized, creative, detail-oriented, enjoys interacting with people in a friendly work environment, and will take satisfaction from working in an agency whose commitment is to protect the fundamental legal rights of indigent persons. 

The ideal candidate will have:

• 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;
• 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;
• Typing skill of 50 to 60 wpm preferred; and
• Project management experience desirable.

Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Lead Administrative Assistant is responsible for:

• Providing high-level administrative support to the Deputy Chief Counsel, the Director of the Criminal Trial Support Unit, and the Chief Information Officer, including keeping outlook calendars, word and data processing, filing, copying, scanning, and handling correspondence, including electronic communication;
• Coordinating and assisting with projects relating to improving the quality of legal representation in the PCD, and agency-wide matters;
• Managing and directing client and private counsel communications to the appropriate staff;
• Generating statistical reports relating to projects, private 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; and,
• Other duties as assigned.

EEO Statement

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies.  Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer, Sandra DeBow-Huang, at sdebow@publiccounsel.net