Project Assistant - Legal Services

Statement of Duties:

The Project Assistant – Legal Services will assist the Legal Services Coordinator with administrative tasks, case management support, and community outreach to connect residents with legal resources and immigration services. This role provides essential support through maintaining case logs, scanning and submitting intake documentation, creating outreach materials using information provided by the Legal Services Coordinator & Immigration Policy Analyst, and conducting community engagement to ensure equitable access to legal and immigration services for all Somerville residents and workers.

This is a permanent position working 19 hours a week.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Reports directly to the Legal Services Coordinator and Immigration Policy Analyst.
• Assists with maintaining and updating the case management log, tracking system, and case notes in the Somerville Hub
• Scans and submits completed intake forms to the Legal Services Coordinator and Immigration Policy Analyst, Director, and contracted legal services vendors
• Logs intake information accurately and in a timely manner
• Schedules appointments and assists with follow-up communications with clients and legal service providers
• Format information provided by the Legal Services Coordinator and Immigration Policy Analyst into culturally and linguistically responsive outreach materials, including flyers and informational materials.
• Formats information into reports and presentation materials as needed using content provided by the Legal Services Coordinator and Immigration Policy Analyst
• Coordinates logistics for community education workshops, "Know Your Rights" presentations, and tabling at community events
• Supports community outreach efforts through tabling, office hours, flyer posting, door-knocking, and other engagement methods to connect residents with legal services
• Attends regular staff meetings, trainings, and other meetings as requested
• Maintains the highest standards of confidentiality and handles sensitive information with discretion
• Evening and weekend hours may be required to maximize community engagement

Recommended Minimum Qualifications: 

Education and Experience:  Bachelor’s Degree and 1 year of experience in immigration law or related immigration legal services work, such as working at an organization that provides immigration legal aid; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge:

• Strong commitment to social justice and equitable access to legal services.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Google Suite, and basic database management.
• Knowledge of immigrant rights, immigration resources, and community-based legal service providers across Massachusetts preferred.
• Understanding of barriers faced by marginalized communities in accessing legal services.

 Ability:

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multicultural team
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism
• Ability to format information into clear, accessible materials for diverse audiences
• Creative and detail-oriented approach to administrative tasks and outreach efforts

Skill:

• Strong interpersonal skills and communication skills, with ability to engage respectfully with diverse community members
• Strong listening skills and ability to ask questions
• Fluency in any of Somerville’s top three spoken languages preferred (Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Kreyol)
• Assessment and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills
• Comfortable with community-based outreach methods including tabling and public engagement
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to maintain accurate logs and records
• Strong time management skills with ability to prioritize multiple tasks
• Excellent written communication skills for formatting outreach materials and reports

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities, such a specialized office equipment in order to perform the position’s essential functions.

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at View phone number on us.fitly.work or View email address on us.fitly.work.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.