Office Manager - Legal Aid Justice Center : Job Details

About the Legal Aid Justice Center: The Legal Aid Justice Center is a nationally recognized, non-profit organization that partners with low-income clients and communities of color in Virginia to fight for racial, social, and economic justice. We understand that the harms our clients endure are inextricably linked to overarching systems of injustice. Together we are dismantling those systems through a combination of community organizing, litigation, policy advocacy, public relations, and individual legal services. Founded in 1967, LAJC has offices in Charlottesville, Richmond, Petersburg, and Falls Church and provides services under six key program areas: Civil Rights & Racial Justice (focuses on the criminal legal system), Housing & Consumer Justice, Youth Justice, Health Justice & Public Benefits, Immigrant Justice, and Worker Justice. As examples of LAJC's recent work, our lawsuit and organizing against the state forced reform of Virginia's unemployment insurance system, including advocacy that resulted in the distribution of over $1 billion in illegally withheld payments to over 160,000 Virginians. During the pandemic, we demanded and secured a statewide eviction moratorium and emergency pandemic protections that helped hundreds of families avoid eviction. We reduced incarceration across the state, including reducing the population of a local immigration detention center down to historically low levels through a coordinated effort of organizing paired with impact and individual litigation. Our staff are on the front lines of some of the most important anti-poverty fights happening today. With a staff of over 90, the past few years have been a time of exciting growth and opportunity for the organization. In addition to the growth of programmatic efforts including increased organizing capacity, LAJC has expanded its operations and administrative capacity, created new opportunities for professional growth and leadership among staff, engaged in ongoing race equity work, and explored changes to organizational structure to deepen its efforts to create long-term, sustainable, community-driven change. About the Position: This position will coordinate and oversee administrative duties and client intake in a busy law office and ensure that the office operates efficiently. Importantly, this position involves the unique and ambitious opportunity to build out LAJC's footprint in the Hampton Roads region. LAJC currently has physical offices in Falls Church, Richmond, Charlottesville, and Petersburg, as well as staff who live and work on Virginia's Eastern Shore, and in Southwest Virginia. Across six different programs, LAJC's long-standing impact advocacy has had profound, positive impacts on low-income communities throughout the Commonwealth, including but not limited to Hampton Roads. In the past and currently, LAJC litigates cases in the area, works alongside communities on campaigns, and otherwise does statewide advocacy that benefits Hampton Roads residents. This will be the first time, however, that LAJC is opening up a permanent physical office in Hampton Roads. As part of our strategic plan, LAJC is excited to work alongside community members to achieve deeply felt needs across the region. The Office Manager will initially work in a shared office space, and later play a key role in building out the infrastructure of the office itself in collaboration with the senior supervising attorney and other team members. The Office Manager will maintain an organized, efficient, and welcoming office, and ensure that attorneys, organizers, staff, and clients are informed and supported. Finally, this position requires Spanish fluency. Job Duties: Play a key role in building out the initial infrastructure of the new Norfolk office. Implement policies and procedures and coordinate a highly functional office space for organizational effectiveness, efficiency, and safety. Lead the office's intake team to ensure intake objectives are met, procedures run smoothly, and front desk coverage is maintained. Coordinate and provide basic paralegal support as needed, including meeting with attorneys and clients, drafting, and delivering documents, court visits, and language translation. Implement informative and compassionate client support services and other duties with confidence in Spanish and English. Spanish language translation as needed. Keep in close communication with attorneys and organizers to update, coordinate and streamline intake policies and procedures. Supervise administrative support positions and manage admin volunteer and intern programs. Participate in weekly Richmond office meetings initially; eventually lead or assist in facilitating the weekly Norfolk office meeting, schedule meetings, and prepare agenda, provide notetaking and follow-up communications. Manage relationships with vendors, service providers, and landlords. Keep office supplies organized and stocked. Manage the office space and layout planning including coordinating office moves, changes to workstations, and provide answers, resources, and solutions as needed. Work in partnership with Office Managers of other LAJC offices to ensure consistencies in intake and operational practices. Racial Equity: Promote racial equity across all dimensions, including within LAJC, by doing the following: Helping to recruit, retain, and support both staff and leadership that reflect the racial composition of our community Cultivating respect for the work of and expanding resources for non-attorney staff that are disproportionately people of color Creating spaces for staff to discuss issues of racial, gender, and all other issues of marginalization Pushing for institutional and cultural changes by management, the board, and staff to further promote racial equity. Required Qualifications: A strong commitment to social, economic, and racial justice. At least four years of professional experience in management A sufficient level of Spanish fluency and cultural competency to interview clients and build trust with community members in Spanish but without assistance of an interpreter Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills Excellent organizational and time management skills and attention to detail Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Ability to function well in a high-paced environment Ability to maintain confidentiality, and to exercise discretion and good judgment Proficiency in Microsoft Word & Excel Preferred Qualifications: At least three years of experience working in a law office Experience opening up a new office, or stating a new organization Experience managing people Experience working with immigrant communities Understanding of legal language and principles, research methods, court pleadings and processes, and other related matters Prior experience (work or lived) using an explicit social justice and racial equity lens Proficiency in other Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneNote, and PowerPoint A Note to Potential Candidates: Studies have shown that women, trans, non-binary folks, and BIPOC are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, and strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the qualifications described. Location: This role will be based in our Norfolk, VA office. Occasional travel between offices will be required. Although a regular presence in the office is required, LAJC offers a remote work policy to support employees in co-creating schedules and arrangements that allow us all to do our best work. Salary: The salary scale for this position is $68,108.75 - $88,541.38 based on the LAJC salary scale. To allow for salary growth within the position over time, the anticipated hiring range for this position is between $68,108.75 - $78,325.06. Placement on the range will be based on factors such as years of relevant experience, budget, and internal equity. Application Deadline: March 07, 2025. We accept applications on a rolling basis and encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible. Application Instructions: Complete the online application. This position requires a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references. You can direct the cover letter to the hiring manager, Jason Yarashes. Please note, we will not contact references without advance consent from candidates. Benefits: Our mission is compelling, and our team members are passionate about their work, and so we recognize the need to provide generous benefits and encourage rest and a healthy work environment. For example, we provide: Generous paid time off every year, including 3 to 6 weeks of vacation, 12 days of health leave, 6 weeks parental leave, and 14 holidays (not including bonus holidays/rest days allocated as needed) 100% employer paid health, dental, and vision insurance, plus excellent family insurance with annual max of $2,400 premium contribution to LAJC-sponsored health plan 403(b) retirement plan with 4% employer contribution (no required match) Strong commitment to professional development Relocation package (where applicable) Vaccination Requirement: The Legal Aid Justice Center requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved medical or religious exemption as a qualification of employment. Proof of vaccination or accommodation request must be provided within one day of employment. The Legal Aid Justice Center is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, experiences, and communities to apply. The Legal Aid Justice Center is committed to strengthening the voices of our low-income clients, working in collaboration with community partners, and rooting out the inequities that keep people in poverty. We strive to take on the issues that have broad impact on our client communities and to be responsive to client input. Recognizing the particular impact of racism on our clients and staff, we devote special attention to dismantling racial injustice. All applicants must be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. In reviewing applications, we look for evidence that applicants have experience and/or thoughtfulness in working with traditionally marginalized populations. Employment Type: Full Time Years Experience: 1 - 3 years Salary: $68,109 - $88,541 Annual Bonus/Commission: No