Legal Staff Assistant

Legal Staff Assistant
 
Organization
Secretary of the Senate

Department
Senate Chief Counsel for Employment

SALARY RANGE:
SEC-5: $59979-$92969
 
FEDERAL RELAY SERVICE:
Speech/Hearing impaired persons may contact the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 TTY
 
TELEWORK:
This position is not eligible for regular telework.
 
FLSA STATUS:
Non-Exempt
 
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:
Open until filled
 
JOB DESCRIPTION: 

NATURE OF WORK
This is administrative work providing general office support in a legal environment for the Office of Senate Chief Counsel for Employment (SCCE). Work includes greeting and assisting clients and visitors, including Senators and their staff; data entry; monitoring and answering main office phone lines; e-filing documents with federal courts; delivering and picking up legal documents in the D.C. metro area; coordinating the scheduling and preparation of seminars; operating audio-visual (AV) equipment at seminars; tracking and reporting SCCE website traffic; maintaining the office’s law library, including periodic loose-leaf updates and volume replacement; shredding documents; and other duties as assigned. Work is bound by Secretary of the Senate policies and procedures; the U.S. Senate Handbook; and the Senate Ethics Manual, but requires independent judgment in setting priorities and handling assignments.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Greet and assist SCCE clients and visitors; answer and monitor main office phone lines and voicemail, directing callers in a timely and professional manner; deliver voicemail and telephone messages to the proper staff member; and send, receive, and distribute materials via email.
Coordinate the scheduling, preparation, and set up of seminars and seminar materials; work in conjunction with the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the Senate Recording Studio to ensure that room reservations and AV equipment have been secured; coordinate production of seminar materials with the Senate Office of Printing and Graphics, as needed; set up, operate, and perform basic troubleshooting of PowerPoint presentations and videos at seminars; serve as backup to Legal Administrative Assistants to create and edit PowerPoint presentations; and maintain seminar files.
Maintain conference room schedule with a high level of accuracy to avoid meeting conflicts; monitor and order office supplies; reconcile month-end Senate Stationery Room billing; and monitor and coordinate pickup and delivery of materials.
Review published materials and make staff aware of noteworthy articles on a daily basis.
Maintain law library: update library index, materials, and publications upon receipt of shipments.
Maintain office logs; perform data entry; provide photocopying and backup support to SCCE staff.
Conduct online research for daily updates to ongoing litigation matters using Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER); e-mail daily updates to staff.
Monitor traffic on the SCCE website; prepare a monthly report on the number of visits to the site, including identifying the most-visited links and most frequently downloaded forms.
Conduct periodic research on new employment-related laws for the public laws chart and conduct other research as directed.
Maintain current list of client office managers and update SCCE Global Address List (GAL) email groups.
Maintain current knowledge of the SCCE’s Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan; participate in periodic exercises and drills.
As part of the Secretary’s customer service initiative (known as R.A.T.E.), provide all customers with the highest level of customer service.

 
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Work is performed in an office environment with exposure to everyday risks and discomforts, and requires the use of normal safety precautions. Work requires frequent walking, standing, bending, and carrying items up to 25 pounds, as well as regular use of typical office equipment, software programs, and methods of communication such as a computer, email, telephone, and photocopier. Regular, predictable, and punctual attendance is required for performance of duties. Work also requires physical presence in the office, except as otherwise required by the Office of the Secretary.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Work requires a high school diploma or GED and one to three years of office experience, preferably in a law firm or legal department. Must possess a combination of education and experience that provides the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Basic knowledge of the Senate as an institution, with a desire and willingness to learn more about the history and operation of the Senate.
Knowledge of business English, spelling, grammar, and business math.
Knowledge of modern office practices, procedures, and equipment.
Demonstrate a strong work ethic and ability to work well with a team.
Demonstrate good interpersonal skills and a professional phone manner.
Ability to prioritize and multitask in a busy office environment.
Ability to proofread documents, organize the front office, and accurately file documents.
Ability to use a computer and relevant computer software packages (proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required).
Ability to reconcile monthly statements and maintain accurate records.
Ability to deal with others using tact and diplomacy.
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Ability to work extended and unscheduled hours as dictated by workload and filing deadlines.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionally handle sensitive matters and materials.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
None.

Veteran's Preference: 
Hiring for this position will be governed by the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998 (“VEOA”), as made applicable by the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. Pursuant to the VEOA, qualified applicants who are not current employees of the Office of the Secretary of the Senate and who are disabled or who have served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in certain military designated campaigns (“veterans”) may be eligible to receive a preference over non-veterans in hiring decisions. Family members of veterans may also be eligible to receive a veterans’ preference if the veteran cannot claim his or her veterans’ preference.

To be eligible for a veterans’ preference, applicants must meet all of the requirements set forth in the VEOA and applicable regulations. Those eligibility requirements are summarized in the Application for Veterans’ Preference, which may be obtained by visiting: https://www.senate.gov/employment/resources/pdf/SOS_VeteransPreference.pdf

If claiming a veterans’ preference, an applicant must indicate that he/she is preference eligible on the application or resume and must submit a completed copy of the Application for Veterans’ Preference along with the supporting documentation specified on that form. If the Office of the Secretary of the Senate does not receive the Application for Veterans’ Preference and supporting documentation by the closing date, the applicant’s claim for a veterans’ preference may be denied.

Applicants may obtain a copy of the Office’s Veterans’ Preference in Appointments policy by submitting a written request to resumes@sec.senate.gov.
Individuals who are entitled to a veterans’ preference are invited to self-identify voluntarily. This information is intended solely for use in connection with the Office of the Secretary of the Senate’s obligations and efforts to provide veterans’ preference to preference-eligible applicants in accordance with the VEOA. An applicant’s status as a disabled veteran and any information regarding an applicant’s disability, including the applicant’s medical condition and history, will be kept confidential and will be collected, maintained and used in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as made applicable by section 102(a)(3) of the CAA, 2 U.S.C. §1302(a)(3). An applicant who declines to self-identify as a disabled veteran and/or to provide information and documentation regarding his/her disabled veteran’s status will not be subjected to an adverse employment action, but the individual may be ruled ineligible for a veterans’ preference.

Salary

• $59,979 - $92,969