Administrative Assistant (Closing March 20, 2024)

THE POSITION:

The Federal Public Defender Office for the Districts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island is hiring a full-time Administrative Assistant in the Boston, Massachusetts office. The successful applicant will be selected through a nation-wide search. All eligible applicants interested in this position are encouraged to apply. This announcement is open until March 20, 2024.

WHAT WE DO:

The Federal Public Defender Office is a law office that represents persons charged with committing federal crimes who cannot afford to hire an attorney. We represent the accused from arrest through trial and appeal, including the U.S. Supreme Court and federal habeas corpus review.

We work together to uphold every person’s right to be presumed innocent and to a fair sentence if convicted. Our defense is vigorous, both at trial and on appeal. We advocate for humane sentences by showing judges and prosecutors that we represent people, not criminals.

WHO WE ARE:

We are attorneys, legal assistants, paralegals, investigators, office administrators, and information technology specialists committed to cultivating a culture of acceptance and connectedness that honors the diverse backgrounds of the people we represent.

We value diversity and a commitment to equality, and we believe better legal representation occurs when members of the defense team have diverse backgrounds and experiences. In recruiting members of our team, we welcome the full spectrum of humanity. We embrace the unique contributions that you can bring, including your culture, ethnicity, education, opinions, race, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, religion, disability, and economic status.

WHO YOU ARE:

You are a trusted, reliable, and efficient assistant who is eager to partner with members of the defense team so the office can provide exceptional legal services. You multitask effectively, have exceptional organizational skills, and are eager to learn new systems. You are a capable user of technology and understand its utility. You see the problems, but also the solutions, and you harness creativity, dedication, and persistence to overcome the challenges. Your communication with others is based in empathy and compassion, and you thrive in a fast-paced environment. You have high standards and want people to be treated fairly and respectfully, no matter the allegation or circumstance.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

Experience using Microsoft Word, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Acrobat, Excel and other technology to review, process, and organize large amounts of information.

Must be a high school graduate or equivalent with at least five years of administrative assistant experience.

Experience using a multiline telephone system to receive, screen, and refer calls.

Experience working with diverse groups of people, such as people of color, those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, people with disabilities, those living with emotional or mental health challenges, and those from other disenfranchised communities.

The ability to organize and maintain efficient scheduling in outlook calendar, including but not limited to, appointments, court hearings, and travel arrangements.

Must have the ability to research, comprehend, and apply complex regulations or policy guidelines.

The ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.

The ability to write and speak clearly.

The ability to keep confidences and to protect relevant legal privileges.

The desire to work, as part of a team, for the benefit of those accused of committing federal crimes.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

Experience working with or for a federal government agency.

Experience as a legal administrative assistant or a legal secretary assisting criminal defense teams.

Experience formatting legal pleadings and using Microsoft Word to create tables of contents and tables of authorities.

Experience assembling documents and appendices. Familiarity with legal research databases like Westlaw and LexisNexis. Familiarity with legal citation guides like the Bluebook.

Familiarity with the rules and protocols used by federal district courts and federal courts of appeal.

A curiosity to learn new systems and different office technology.

Considerable resourcefulness, initiative, creativity, and compassion. Spanish fluency.

WHAT AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT DOES:

Assists the Federal Defender and Administrative Officer with all aspects of office administration and management.

Ensures adherence to federal and local financial, personnel and procurement practices and procedures.

Assists with managing the financial operations of the office.

Provides the Federal Defender and Administrative Officer with technical and advisory assistance in the areas of personnel, budget and finance.

Assists with space, telecommunications, and office automation management.

Assists with purchasing, procurement, and property management.

Assists in the maintenance and monitoring of internal controls procedures in the functional areas of finance, procurement, property management and personnel.

Responds to administrative inquiries from staff and other organizations.

Assists in the preparation and transmittal of all administrative, statistical, and narrative reports.

Receives, screens, and refers telephone calls.

Screens incoming mail and routes it to the appropriate destination.

Prepares outgoing correspondence based either on general instruction or a prescribed format. Arranges for mail services and ensures outgoing mail is correctly processed.

Maintains attorney calendars, sets appointments, and arranges meetings and conferences.

Reminds attorneys of calendar commitments, and informs participants of date, time, and location.

Communicates with court personnel, staff at the United States Attorney’s Office, and other collaborators in the criminal justice system.

Exercises good judgment and discretion, and performs other tasks as assigned.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Starting salary for the Administrative Assistant position will be set commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant, JSP-9/1 to JSP-12/10, currently yielding $67,743 to $127,707 per annum.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants must send an e-mail titled “Administrative Assistant” with a single Adobe .pdf document which includes:

? A Cover Letter

? A Resume

? Form AO-78 (found at https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/ao078.pdf) and

? Send all items listed above to HRBoston@fd.org.

*No Calls Please. Applicants who apply without submitting all documents will not be considered. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by March 20, 2024. The selected candidate will be subject to a background check or investigations and subsequent favorable suitability determination for employment. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $67,743.00 – $127,707.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to Relocate:

• Boston, MA 02210: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Boston, MA 02210