Office Manager

Be a critical member in a team of social justice advocates! The Public Justice Center in Baltimore is seeking an Office Manager to work in the Baltimore office.  This is a new position that is available immediately. 

The Public Justice Center (“PJC”) 

The Public Justice Center pursues systemic change to build a just society. Founded in Maryland in 1985, the PJC uses legal advocacy tools to pursue social justice, economic and racial equity, and fundamental human rights for people who are struggling to provide for their basic needs. The PJC is a civil legal aid office that provides advice and representation to low-income clients, advocates before legislatures and government agencies, and collaborates with community and advocacy organizations.  www.publicjustice.org.  

COVID-19 Info 

During the pandemic, most of the PJC is working remotely most of the time, with some staff coming into the office as needed.  The Office Manager will be expected to come to the office several days a week.  The PJC will provide the Office Manager with free parking near the building while the office is working remotely.  We anticipate that the office will transition back to in-person work in the fall.  In the meantime, the PJC is providing PPE for employees and guests and maintaining other risk reduction measures in the office.  

Core Duties 

The Office Manager reports to the Director of Administration and has primary responsibility for doing and managing the day-to-day administrative functions of the office and the paralegals who also provide admin support.  

Approximately 50% of the Office Manager’s duties will be to personally provide administrative support, including answering phones and email, referring potential clients to paralegals for intake, handling mail, copies, scans, and providing other administrative support to the PJC’s work teams. 

The other 50% of the Office Manager’s duties will include: 

• Scheduling and supervising the other members of the admin team, who are paralegals who rotate handling the phones and mail, production of legal briefs, and other administrative tasks. 
• Ordering and maintaining office supplies. 

• Being the primary liaison between IT vendors and staff on upgrades, maintenance, and troubleshooting and maintaining inventory of computers and office equipment. 
• Being the primary trainer of new staff on office procedures and equipment.  

Required Skills and Experience 

• At least 2-3 years of prior experience providing and managing office administration functions. 
• Strong oral and written communication skills. Please provide a writing sample. 
• Excellent use of MS Outlook, Word and Excel; database programs a plus, and willingness to learn new programs for case management and office life. 
• Strong problem-solving abilities, time management, and organizational skills. 
• Be tech savvy – you don’t have to be a programmer, but you do need to understand how to work with machines, programs, and their human counterparts. 
• Attention to detail and keen organization skills. 
• Ability to work under deadline and manage multiple tasks and respond to multiple people. 
• Ability to empathize and sensitively respond to people seeking services in crisis situations. 
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with others both in and outside of the PJC.  
• Passion for social justice and commitment to the vision of the Public Justice Center. 

The following qualifications are valued for this position. Applicants should also identify other related or supplementary skills and experiences.  

• Spanish/English bilingual (or proficient) in writing and speaking is highly desired. 
• Bachelor’s degree or associate degree from an accredited school. 
• Understanding of the principles of race equity analysis and their application to the PJC’s organizational life and to our work. 
• Experience with our client communities, including lived experience. 
• Experience in law office/litigation support. 

Compensation 

This is a full-time, non-exempt position that will require 40 hours in a workweek. The salary range begins at $50,000/year and increases with experience. A language bonus of $1,000/year is given to Spanish/English bilingual staff. An excellent cafeteria benefit package is included offering health, dental, disability and life insurance, and retirement options. 

Applications 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until position is filled. To apply, please submit the following documents by email only: 

• A cover letter explaining your interest 
• A resume 
• A writing sample 
• The names and telephone numbers of three references 

Please send applications to Gabriela Dickson La Rotta, dicksonlarottag@publicjustice.org with “Office Manager Applicant” in the subject line.  

Physical/Mental Demands and Office Environment 

The physical/mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee in an office environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

The Public Justice Center is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage Black, Latine, Indigenous, and other applicants of color, people with disabilities, and other people historically underrepresented in the practice of law to apply. 

http://www.publicjustice.org/en/jobs-and-internships-office-manager/