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Receptionist/Communications Assistant

West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. (WTLS) has an immediate opening for a receptionist/ communications assistant in our Jackson, Tennessee office.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:   WTLS represents clients in civil legal matters and works with community organizations and client groups. Candidates should have a strong commitment to access for equal justice for our low-income neighbors in West Tennessee who face overwhelming problems regarding basic rights to shelter security, income security, financial security, and freedom from abuse for which there is a legal solution.

The receptionist/communications assistant greets office visitors and directs them to proper personnel, answers and routes incoming calls, provides occasional secretarial services to attorneys, and is responsible for creating and publishing communications on behalf of WTLS as time permits. While under the direction of an attorney, this individual must be able to work independently. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to the following tasks: 

Performs a variety of responsible secretarial duties such as setting up and/or maintaining filing systems and appointment calendars, answering inquiries over the phone or in person, and managing secretarial and administrative details with minimum direction; 

  1. Operates a variety of office machines; 
  2. Provides support for short term legal projects, including, but not limited to trial preparation tasks; 
  3. Assists with library maintenance; 
  4. Serves as receptionist, including answering and connecting all incoming calls and when necessary assisting with outgoing calls; greets office visitors and directs them to proper personnel; 
  5. Treats all visitors, applicants, and clients with courtesy and respect; 
  6. Sorts and distributes mail; 
  7. Signs for deliveries and notifies personnel of deliveries; 
  8. Checks packing slips for incoming deliveries and ensures packages contain all items in the shipment; 
  9. Takes in client trust monies, fills out the correct receipt, gives top sheet to client, second sheet for file, third & fourth sheets to be put with monies and given to Assistant Controller; 
  10. Re-stocks office supplies; 
  11. Restocks community education supplies; 
  12. Creates cash receipts and records checks and cash in the cash receipt log; 
  13. Submits cash receipts to Assistant Controller; 
  14. Safeguards keys to company vehicles and maintains central vehicle calendar; 
  15. Occasionally transcribes a variety of legal correspondence, petitions, pleadings, motions, and interrogatories; 
  16. Occasionally types and reviews outgoing correspondence to ensure all legal documents and enclosures are in proper order and that correspondence is grammatically correct; 
  17. Occasionally types correspondence for signature of attorney, checking for accuracy of grammar, as well as independently composing general correspondence; 
  18. Occasionally files documents with court; 
  19. Occasionally maintains follow-up records relating to legal matters in process and ensure that legal requirements and deadlines are met; 
  20. Performs other normal law office duties as assigned. 

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the qualifications, knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of the job.  

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE:  Below is the minimum level of education and/or experience needed to successfully accomplish the essential duties of this job. 

  1. High school diploma or general education degree (GED); and equivalent to one-year related experience and/or training equivalent to a Paralegal Certificate or Associate’s degree; 
  2. At least one-year legal secretarial experience or equivalent; 
  3. Type 60 WPM and be able to transcribe from dictating equipment; 
  4. Ability to work independently;
  5. Ability to competently use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe professional;
  6. Experience with and/or ability to manage nonprofit communications is preferred.
  7. Experience with and/or ability to competently use social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, on behalf of an organization.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical requirements of this position include the ability to: 

  • Stand 
  • Walk 
  • Sit 
  • Use hands to finger, handle, or feel 
  • Reach with hands and arms 
  • Climb stairs  
  • Balance 
  • Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl 
  • Lift up to 20 pounds 

TRAVEL, WORK HOURS, SUPERVISION: 

  1. Travel: This position routinely may require local travel, which requires a valid State of Tennessee driver’s license. It also may require travel across the State of Tennessee on a limited basis. 
  2. Work Hours: This position’s typical work hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., except for holidays. A one-hour lunch break must be taken some time between the hours of 11:30-2:00 every day. Work hours must be accurate and reported on a time sheet contemporaneously. 
  3. Supervision: The receptionist is under the supervision of the General Counsel.

SALARY:   DOE.  Excellent Benefits.

HOW TO APPLY:  Send applications via email in Word or PDF format to Sandy@wtls.org. Applicants must include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and references (with phone numbers).  Applications will be accepted and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.  Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Only applicants scheduled for interviews will be notified.

WTLS provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information.