Office Administrator, Staten Island

The Center for Family Representation Inc. (CFR) is an award-winning, innovative law and policy organization that serves primarily Black and Brown families and youth in Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island with an interdisciplinary legal defense model that serves more than 2400 clients every year. CFR was originally founded in 2002 to dramatically change the trajectory of indigent parents being prosecuted by the City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). Our goal is to defend and protect our clients’ rights, reduce the harm of family separation and prevent or minimize the time any child spends in the foster system.

Our Office Administrator is the first point of contact for our clients and community members for our Staten Island office. Our front office space is intentionally designed to be an open, welcoming and safe space for clients and community members to seek assistance with legal and social services, await meetings with their attorneys or advocates, and receive support for a myriad of issues. As the primary public defender office that engages in family representation, we also offer legal support to eligible community members who are involved or anticipate being involved in the criminal, family, immigration, or civil court system. 

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Office Administrator will work collaboratively with operations, management, human resource management, administrators, lawyers, parent advocates, social workers, and other advocates to help clients and community members navigate our office space, and ensure the safety and well-being of clients, community visitors, and staff. The balance of in-person administrative work and client and community- facing duties require this role to be in-person five days per week. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to: 

Front Desk Duties

• Greet and assist the people we represent, community members, and other visitors in a proactive, empathetic, and engaged manner 
• Answer questions about our organization and services 
• Direct the people we represent and community members to resources and connect them with appropriate advocates, including handling triage of walk-in community members 

Administrative Duties

• Record and relay messages from the people we represent to staff members
• Build rapport and maintain communication with staff
• Provide administrative and clerical support for staff, clients, and community members including copying, scanning, faxing and printing documents and accepting mail and packages
• Assist with and coordinate on-site and/or off-site event set-up and logistics
• Help maintain a neat and organized office environment
• Maintain notes, correspondence, and confidential file materials pertaining to labor relations and human resource matters, including collective bargaining negotiations and CBA administration

Operational Duties

• Assist with internal office operations such as setting up new staff desks and maintaining a neat office environment
• Work with the Operations Manager to address staff concerns and represent the Operations Team in administering policies and procedures, including under applicable collective bargaining agreements
• Work with the Operations Manager to represent management in connection with the preparation and participation in bargaining negotiations
• Assessing office supply needs on a regular basis and coordinating ordering and stocking of the office supplies in collaboration with the Operations Manager
• Maintaining the working condition of the copy machine, postage meter, internal security system
• Assisting the Operations Manager in identifying, troubleshooting and addressing facilities issues

Safety and De-Escalation Duties

• Promote safety and security of staff, clients, and community members by:
  • Being aware of activities and interactions in the front desk area and larger CFR office spaces
  • Addressing client, community member, and staff concerns, including assisting the Operations Manager and designees with respect to grievances or other matters arising under applicable collective bargaining agreements
  • Informing the people we represent and community members of CFR policies, including front desk area policies
  • Diffusing potential conflicts at the CFR office using trauma-informed de-escalation techniques
• Participate in CFR “emergency response team (ERT),” safety committee, and other similar initiatives
• Work with the CFR leadership to develop visitor policies and protocols
• Seek assistance from other CFR staff, supervisors, the SLT and outside resources, including emergency response, when necessary to de-escalate conflicts 
• Participate in critical incident memorialization and debriefs, as appropriate 

General Duties

• Maintain confidentiality and discretion regarding client issues, personnel issues, and labor relations
• Attend team, supervision, and office-wide meetings and trainings
• Develop authentic, meaningful interactions with the people we represent, community members and visitors through empathy, listening, and collaboration with team members
• Work to help create an environment that operates from a belief in the human potential to overcome stressful situations and an understanding of human diversity and behavior as a natural reaction to it

To be eligible, ideal candidates will have:

• 3-5 years of experience in office administration
• Bachelors degree in a relevant administrative field. A combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Experience working with people struggling with addiction, mental illness,
• and/or court involvement
• Training in conflict resolution and de-escalation using patience, empathy, and  a trauma-informed approach 
• Training in Harm Reduction practices 

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Experience working in and with racially, ethnically and socioeconomically marginalized communities
• Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate, collaborate and connect with people with various backgrounds, identities and experiences
• Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively as part of a team
• Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
• Strong organization skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and ability to learn other applications for communication and recordkeeping
• Ability to think critically and creatively in fast-paced settings, finding innovative solutions to unique obstacles
• Ability to receive constructive feedback, demonstrate introspection, and shift behavior accordingly
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality with sensitive matters
• Commitment to raising one’s cultural consciousness and challenging oppressive practices on an interpersonal and institutional level
• Knowledge of the Staten Island community 

This is a fully in-person position.

Bilingual in English and Spanish is a plus.

Annualized Salary:  $60,000 - $70,000  

How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit their cover letter and resume through CFR’s Career Portal