Office Administrator position

Office Administrator

National Council of La Raza

BACKGROUND The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) - the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States - works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. Through its network of nearly 300 affiliated community-based organizations, NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas-assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health. In addition, it provides capacity-building assistance to its Affiliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families. Founded in 1968, NCLR is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCLR serves all Hispanic subgroups in all areas of the country and has regional offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, and San Antonio. For more information, please visit www.nclr.org. SUMMARY The Office Administrator provides support to the Midwest Regional Office, which consists of seven staff charged with strengthening NCLR's relationships with its Midwest Affiliates. The position serves as a first point of contact for Affiliates, partners, funders, clients, and media, and it manages the flow of information throughout the office and, as appropriate, between Chicago and the Washington, DC headquarters. This is a professional support position that must handle multiple projects simultaneously and manage fast-paced schedules with professionalism, maturity, poise, and confidence. The Office Administrator is charged with managing all office operations including front desk and reception, management of equipment leases, phone and IT system troubleshooting, financial procedures and processing, office scheduling, and staff calendars. This position reports to the Midwest Regional Director; however, specific work may be assigned and supervised by other staff members in the Midwest Office. As such, experience and comfort with reporting to multiple supervisors is necessary. RESPONSIBILITIES Administrative Support to Midwest Regional Director and Office Team

• Provide excellent customer service as the front office lead by welcoming visitors, receiving and routing incoming calls, providing information and referrals to callers, maintaining a professional-looking office environment, and managing the conference room schedule.


• Provide timely and professional clerical support to the office, including drafting/editing letters, fact sheets, flyers, general web copy, meeting minutes, and reports; scheduling meetings; maintaining/coordinating calendars and the conference call schedule; photocopying, faxing, managing shipping and deliveries, and providing general office and supplies management.


• Support the regional team with coordination of routine administrative paperwork, including time sheets, quarterly reports, simple fact sheets, and office information packets.


• Support the team on logistics related to meetings, trainings, and event planning as needed; specific duties to be assigned depending on meeting/event.


• Support the team by coordinating travel and lodging for Midwest office activities.


• Support the team in communications and outreach efforts to ensure that the Affiliate Network is informed of NCLR opportunities and initiatives.

Procedures Maintenance and Compliance

• Maintain office records, specifically vendor/consultant files, Affiliate files, and documentation for the Midwest Regional Office work and operations.


• Maintain office equipment and leases by serving as the primary contact for vendors, troubleshooting, and resolving equipment issues.


• Serve as a primary point of contact on all finance-related activities, including adhering to NCLR fiscal policies and procedures; preparing invoices and processing requests for proposals, credit card statements, travel expense reports, and petty cash; maintaining accurate vendor files; researching consultant/vendor contracts and ensuring timely payment; coordinating with appropriate program/office staff on contract deliverables prior to vendor/consultant payment; researching collections and ensuring timely payment to/from NCLR, as appropriate.


• Provide support related to Human Resources, including coordinating new hire orientations and other communications with the Washington, DC headquarters; assisting in recruiting and supervising interns and temporary staff; ensuring compliance with NCLR's Human Resources policies and procedures; and providing support to the Midwest Regional Director in the communication of such to the regional team.


• Serve as the primary point of contact for IT, including submitting requests for training/technical assistance and, with guidance from the IT team, installing new software/hardware, maintaining technical equipment, and troubleshooting all office computers as needed.


• Generally, ensure that the team adheres to overall NCLR policies and procedures.

Data Management

• Maintain, enhance, and/or update the office filing system as appropriate, including vendor files, Affiliate files, documentation of office activity, history files, and archives.


• Maintain and manage databases that support office activities such as external partners, NCLR alumni (staff, Board members), and other friends of NCLR.


• Serve as the administrative point of contact for the coordination and/or dissemination of information to appropriate groups or lists of interested parties.

Event and Meeting Planning

• Coordinate office events and meetings, including NCLR Midwest Affiliate meetings; Midwest regional team travel, logistics, and special meetings; and regional networking events, luncheons, etc. This work includes handling hotel reservations and room setup; ensuring that appropriate technologies are secured for presentations; scheduling meetings and other logistics; preparing agendas and handouts; sending reminders; working with NCLR staff and external parties; securing catering, signage, and guest transportation; and taking, disseminating, maintaining a record of minutes when needed.


• Ensure proper and timely payments to vendors that provide services for meetings and provide the necessary travel reimbursements.

Other Support

• Develop and enforce systems that enhance a smooth flow of work and communication among the regional team, and a smooth flow of information and resources between the Washington, DC and Midwest offices.


• Coordinate closely with the AMS Regional Coordinator and Midwest Regional Director as needed.


• Provide assistance with other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS Office Administration Skills

• Bachelor's degree and three or more years of professional work experience as administrative support staff or in the clerical field.


• Ability to manage compliance and procedures related to Finance, Human Resources, and data management.


• Ability to manage office operations including vendor relationships, equipment leases, and IT support.


• Strong meeting and event planning experience including basic accounting and budget experience.


• Ability to create systems, establish protocols, and recommend efficiencies for higher productivity.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint), strong word processing skills, and familiarity with the Internet.

Organizational Skills

• High degree of personal initiative to address organizational issues and the ability to work independently.


• Strong attention to detail and a structured approach to managing the workload.


• Ability to perform for a multiperson office and manage multiple tasks and goals, problem-solve, and prioritize among assignments.


• Ability to work with minimal supervision, maintain attention to deadlines, and function effectively under pressure.


• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.


• A strong sense of responsibility and self-motivation


• Ability to be efficient, results-oriented, and have a positive attitude.

Communication Skills

• Excellent customer service and relationship-building skills.


• Strong verbal communication skills and professional attitude in representing NCLR to different audiences (e.g., Affiliates, funders, partners).


• Strong writing skills for preparing letters and other documents on behalf of the Office Director and office staff.


• Bilingual (English/Spanish) fluency preferred.

Ethics

• Highly trustworthy and able to maintain confidentiality of information.


• Commitment to NCLR's values and principles of ethical standards.

Schedule and Travel Expectations

• Promptness and reliable job attendance essential.


• Ability and willingness to work occasional and sometimes unexpected overtime with advance notice provided.


• Ability to travel within Midwest Region and possibly to Washington, DC and other NCLR events as needed.

SEND COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO: National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Attn: Human Resources Raul Yzaguirre Building 1126 16^th Street, NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20036-4845 Fax: (202) 776-1775 hrmail@nclr.org No phone calls please! Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, personal appearance, family responsibilities, political affiliation, or enrollment in a college, university, technical school, or adult education.