Administrative and Human Relations Officer (Philadelphia)

The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP) seeks to advance the constitutional and civil rights of people who are incarcerated and detained in Pennsylvania by providing free civil legal services to people in jails, prisons, detention centers, and state hospitals. We engage in direct representation, class action litigation, legal advocacy, and pro se assistance to incarcerated persons. Our organization is committed to ensuring that all incarcerated people have humane conditions of confinement, safety from violence, access to medical care, the ability to observe their religion, and have their disabilities accommodated, among other things. PILP is a small non-profit organization with fewer than 20 staff.

The Administrator and Human Relations (HR) Officer handles administrative tasks essential to keeping PILP operating. This position is a combination of administrative, technical, and operational duties, responsibility for administering employee benefits, maintaining the web-based case management application, and performing minimal fiscal tasks necessary for ensuring strong internal controls. The Administrative and HR Officer maintains close contact with everyone in the organization to ensure that the organization is operating smoothly. The Administrative and HR Officer will need to track and meet deadlines, multi-task, and work independently.

PILP is based out of three offices located in Philadelphia, Lewisburg, and Pittsburgh. This position is for the Philadelphia office. PILP staff are currently working on a hybrid schedule, and PILP continues to reassess this as we move forward. However, this position will require a regular presence in the Philadelphia office.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Human Resources

  • With the Executive Director, review benefits regularly and determine required and/or recommended changes.

  • With the Executive Director, communicate employment policies and compensation packages to staff and inform them of changes.

  • Communicate with benefits vendors and serve as a liaison between vendors and staff, in case of questions by staff relating to their benefits.

  • Manage onboarding and offboarding of employees’ participation and cessation of all employee benefits, including COBRA notices.

  • With the Executive Director, ensure PILP’s compliance with all legal requirements of benefits administration.

  • Maintain employee accumulated attendance records.

  • Prepare or obtain annual supporting documentation needed for the preparation of IRS forms.

Financial Management Support

  • Log all cash receipts received by checks.

  • Maintain client escrow account transactions within the case management system.

  • Correspond with vendors and others to communicate tax-exempt status or resolve other invoicing issues.

Technology Support

  • Act as a liaison between PILP and its technology vendors.

  • Work with PILP’s technology consulting firm to troubleshoot any technical problems that arise and ensure that issues are resolved promptly.

  • Ensure that the equipment owned or leased by the Philadelphia office is in good working order, and monitor service contracts as needed.

  • Be responsible for maintaining inventory records of PILP-owned equipment and furniture in each office and homes of staff working remotely.

  • In consultation with the technology consulting firm and the Executive Director, place approved orders for new equipment and coordinate the leasing of equipment.

  • Develop a working knowledge of the LegalServer Case Management software application, including report design and generation and ensuring data integrity.

Administrative Office and Program Support

  • To the extent practical, ensure that the Philadelphia office operates efficiently and professionally.

  • Ensure that electronic personnel records, policies and procedures, grant contracts and other related documents are organized and current within SharePoint.

  • Provide administrative support to the PILP Board, including taking minutes.

  • Become familiar with PILP’s insurance policies.

  • On an as-needed basis, assist with setting up legal calls with incarcerated clients and making records requests.

Support to the Executive Director

  • Assist the Executive Director with fundraising appeals, donation processing, and thank you letters.

  • Maintaining the donor database and related databases.

  • Maintain a centralized calendar of grant and other administrative deadlines.

  • Assist with ensuring contract, regulatory, and other operational compliance.

  • Other responsibilities as delegated by the Executive Director.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor’s degree preferred.

  • Strong work ethic, initiative, sound judgment, and organizational skills.

  • Strong technological skills and computer literacy, and the ability to learn new technology and systems; experience with database management systems preferred.

  • Willingness to travel as requested to attend trainings and other events.

  • Ability to work independently, and to stay on top of daily, weekly, or quarterly tasks without strict oversight or explicit direction for each task.

  • Excellent interpersonal skills and team-player attitude, and ability to be discrete with sensitive information.

  • Awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.

  • Commitment to public interest work and the role of PILP in safeguarding the rights of incarcerated and institutionalized people.

  • Commitment to working on racial justice issues.

  • PILP requires all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

SALARY/BENEFITS:

The preferred candidate will have relevant experience of at least seven years. The salary range is from $44,800 - $51,800, with excellent benefits and generous leave packages, including an employer pension contribution.

OPENING/CLOSING DATE:

PILP will accept applications on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.

TO APPLY:

Please send a cover letter, resume, and references to the email: jobs@pilp.org, with the subject line “PILP JOBS: Administrative Officer.”

The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages women, people of color, and people who identify as LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. Bilingual capabilities, especially Spanish, are also a plus.

NON-DISCRIMINATION CLAUSE

The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP) is an equal-opportunity employer. PILP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual or gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status.