Overview:

The Support Staff position is full-time and will provide administrative support to the MidPenn Legal Services State College service office. Job duties include but are not limited to answering phone calls, greeting, and assisting visitors and prospective clients, typing various letters, forms, and memoranda, opening case files, sorting, and processing mail, and completing routine office functions.

Responsibilities:

1. Greet and assist each visitor to the office in a professional and courteous manner; determine the reason for the visit and notify appropriate staff of the visitor's presence. When the visitor is a prospective client, determine whether the assistance needed is offered by MPLS, whether the prospective client meets program financial eligibility guidelines and whether there is a conflict of interest with a current or previous client.

2. Answer and process all incoming telephone calls and communicate messages and necessary information to appropriate staff in a timely and professional manner. This includes, but Is not limited to: taking a message, forwarding a caller to voice mail, forwarding a caller to another appropriate person when an immediate response is appropriate or referring a caller to another organization.

3. Open files in the case management system; obtain client signatures on all documents required by program policies; and prepare the physical client file for use by the case handler.

4. Develop an excellent working knowledge of area social service agencies, government agencies, courts, and other legal services programs and use such knowledge to facilitate the referral of applicants or clients to other agencies and legal services providers as appropriate.

5. Schedule client appointments as appropriate.

6. Open, sort, stamp, and distribute Incoming mall to the appropriate staff person; process outgoing mail; maintain and secure postage meter in accordance with program policy.

7. Record case events (court hearings) on office calendar precisely and in a timely manner.

8. Make photocopies and collate as needed.

9. Make necessary changes in case management system and close, reject, deselect files when requested.

10. Carry out routine office business such as, but not limited to, ordering supplies, handling petty cash funds, delivering documents or other materials and other administrative tasks as needed.

11. Type letters, forms, memoranda and routine legal documents with proficiency in grammar, spelling, punctuation and proof-reading.

12. Oversee the maintenance, and appearance of the reception area.

13. Maintain a good working relationship with staff and clients.

14. Comply with program policies and procedures; performance standards; and funding source requirements.

15. Maintain proficiency in the operation of all office equipment necessary for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of the position.

16. If bilingual, competently and efficiently translate orally between English and the particular language; translate written materials, including letters, memoranda and client education brochures; and demonstrate cultural competency in interacting with clients. ·

17. Oversee the display, distribution, counting for matters reporting and replenishment of MPLS brochures and pamphlets.

18. Arrange for messenger service, UPS, Federal Express, or other delivery; receive deliveries and handle in an appropriate manner.

19. Assist with orientation and training of new staff within areas of their expertise.

20. Such other duties that are reasonably related to support staff job functions and which may be assigned from time to time by the office manager.

Requirements:

1. Possess excellent secretarial skills, and telephone techniques and able to relate to and work well with the firm's clients and the general public.

2. Proficiency in the operation of all office equipment necessary for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of the position.

3. Proficiency in completing client Intakes In the electronic case management system and basic familiarity with retrieving data through search screens.

4. Dependable, competent, trustworthy and have a commitment to providing legal services for low-income persons.

5. Able to exercise sound judgment, show Initiative and keep confidential information relating to clients.

6. Possessgood organizational skills and be familiar with typical office routines and procedures.

7. Prior experience as a receptionist or secretary preferred.

8. Experience in apublic agency or law firm, including Interviewing clients and determining client eligibility is a plus.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person