Legal Intake & Administrative Assistant at ACLU in Newark, New Jersey

Job Description:

American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey



Legal Intake & Administrative Assistant


The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) seeks a motivated, organized, and detail-oriented Intake & Administrative Assistant to join its legal department. This role is designed for a person who wants to make an impact on civil liberties and civil rights by providing top-notch intake, administrative, and clerical support to the ACLU-NJ's legal team. The position is full-time and reports to the Legal Department Manager.

The Intake & Administrative Assistant will join a 10+ person legal department that engages in litigation and a wide range of advocacy tools to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties. Every year, members of the public contact the ACLU-NJ to request assistance or advise us of incidents where a person's civil rights may have been violated. The Assistant will support the administrative needs of the legal team, as well as work with the Legal Department Manager to support processing and responding to the requests for legal assistance.

The position is based in Newark, NJ, with a hybrid work schedule.


What You'll Do

• Assist with administration of the legal intake/complaint system.
• Perform general clerical and administrative duties, including copying, scanning, filing, and mailing.
• Meticulously maintain and organize electronic and physical files.
• Regularly update departmental databases, spreadsheets, and other resources.
• Prepare written correspondence, expense reports, and other materials as requested.
• Assist in updating website legal content.
• Schedule meetings and conference calls, manage calendars, and make travel arrangements.
• Arrange and prepare for remote and in-person meetings.
• Communicate and coordinate with clients, court personnel, co-counsel, and partner organizations.
• Attend departmental and issue-oriented meetings to take minutes and stay updated on ongoing work.
• Conduct internet research as assigned.
• Contribute to a work culture that centers racial justice, inclusion, participation, and
• Participate in the ACLU-NJ's internal and external racial justice and equity work and in the development of the legal department's vision, plans, and priorities.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You'll Need


Required

• Ability to stay organized, pay attention to details, and manage time effectively.
• Strong oral and written communications skills, including ability to draft and proofread written documents.
• Ability to take initiative, problem-solve, multi-task, work independently, and manage up.
• Experience being dependable and punctual and responsibly handling confidential information.
• Skills in empathizing with people who are experiencing extreme stress or who have experienced trauma.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well with people with a wide range of backgrounds, interests, skills, concerns, and personalities, including respect for the perspectives of people from many cultures and life experiences.
• An understanding of and demonstrated commitment to civil rights, civil liberties, equity, and racial justice.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and experience with mail merge, spreadsheets, and databases.

Desired

• Basic understanding of issues related to civil and constitutional rights.
• Practical experience applying legal principles to individual circumstances, and ability to distinguish between different types of legal issues.
• Ability to speak and/or write in Spanish or another language likely to be spoken by clients with limited English proficiency.
• Familiarity with New Jersey courts and government.
• Familiarity with social service, legal, or advocacy resources available to residents.

Compensation


The salary range for this position starts at $58,000 and is negotiable within the ACLU of New Jersey salary scale, depending on experience. The ACLU-NJ supports and plans for staff member professional growth and skill development through internal and external opportunities. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package which currently includes 16 days paid time off, 12 office holidays and 12 health care leave days; medical, vision, and dental insurance; 100 days paid family leave; life and long-term disability insurance; pre-tax transit benefits; and a 401(k) plan with employer match. This position is full-time, salaried, and exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.



About our Culture


We are a diverse workforce and take pride in our ability to attract and retain employees with a huge array of backgrounds and experiences. We work hard, but also like to celebrate our successes.

We strive to bring humility, empathy, kindness, and generosity to our work, internally within the organization and externally with our partners and those whom we are serving. We seek to build a work culture with a sense of respect and collegiality, and a willingness to be generous with our expertise and resources.

Our organization is currently a team of 30+ who care deeply about the work of the ACLU. We view our work as advancing our goals of liberty and justice for all and we work to achieve these through our approach and practices. We enjoy working together and remain inspired by the remarkable work of our amazing local and national colleagues.


TO APPLY


If you're excited about bringing your talents and skills to the ACLU-NJ, complete the application and upload a resume and letter of interest. Your letter should explain ways in which you satisfy the skills and qualifications specified above. We also invite applicants to include in their letter information about how their background and/or experiences could contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and advocacy work.

Application materials will also be accepted via postal mail (P.O. Box 32159, Newark, NJ 07102), but electronic filing is strongly preferred. Applications will be reviewed beginning immediately. We will accept applications until the position is filled, at which time the job announcement will be removed from our website. We hope that one of those applications isyours.

The ACLU-NJ makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions.

The ACLU-NJ is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please emailcareers@aclu-nj.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

The ACLU-NJ is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest organization, dedicated to defending and enhancing civil rights and civil liberties through litigation, legislative advocacy, organizing, and community education.

The ACLU-NJ is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture of belonging. It is our policy to employ qualified people without regard to race; color; religion; sex; national origin; age; ancestry; disability; sexual orientation; veteran's status; marital status; civil union status; arrest or court record; citizenship; credit history; genetic information; gender identity or expression; status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking; or any other characteristic protected under federal or state law. The more inclusive we are, the better we are.


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