The CPCS Training Department is seeking an Administrative Assistant to provide administrative, technical, and general support within the Training Department and primary support for the staff working in the Criminal Defense Practice Area of the Training Department. 

The Training Department is located in Boston. This position is eligible for a hybrid work 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.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Training Department provides high quality training to all staff and private assigned counsel. The Training Department, led by the Training Chief, includes the Forensic Services Unit, as well as four practice area Training Units - Criminal Defense, Children and Family Law, Youth Advocacy, and Mental Health Litigation. The Training Department also leads multiple cross- practice area working groups chaired and staffed by Training Department personnel.  In addition to providing substantive and skill-based training to attorneys, the Training Department ensures all other professional staff members are provided appropriate training in their areas of expertise. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Training Department is seeking an Administrative Assistant to provide administrative, technical, and general support within the Training Department and to primarily support the Criminal Defense Practice Area. 

The AA III will report to the Supervising AA IV of the Training Department.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate will be a person who is highly organized, creative and 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. 

Applicants must have at least (A) one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in administrative work or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below:

Substitutions: 

• An Associate’s or higher degree with a major in business administration, business management, or public administration may be substituted for the required experience. Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed. 

Applicants must also have access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

Interested candidates should submit a written statement of interest and a resume.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS 

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint);
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written;
• Strong organizational abilities;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and to exercise considerable judgment and discretion;
• Previous administrative assistant, office manager or similar experience and knowledge of general office procedures (e.g., correspondence, scheduling, filing);
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, meet deadlines, and deliver high quality work;
• Proficiency and experience with scanning, optical character recognition processing (experience working with and entering text into spreadsheets is preferred);
• Ability to establish effective working relationships and to work as part of a team;
• Good problem-solving skills;
• Project management experience is preferred;
• Strong research, writing and editorial skills;
• Experience with Wordpress, editing video and audio files, and distance learning tools preferred;
• Experience in database creation and management; and,
• Experience working with budgets and grants.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinating staff and private counsel training programs and production of training materials;
• Producing and disseminating written resources through weekly emails, bi-monthly newsletters, and websites;
• Compiling and inputting data and reviewing statistics to ensure the work plan and departmental training goals are being met;
• Communicating regularly with staff and private attorneys, and other professionals across Massachusetts;
• Working with the other CPCS training department staff to support agency-wide trainings and events;
• Assisting in development of training budgets and maintenance of accounting records on spending;
• Updating website as needed;
• Providing a broad range of administrative support, including phone reception, word and data processing, copying, scanning, and redacting legal documents;
• Coordinating and managing calendars;
• Assisting with other projects to improve the quality of legal representation and to enhance client services
• Supporting the Training Department as needed; 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