Bilingual Administrative Assistant

Position Description
Status: Full-Time (40 hours per week, 8:00am-4:30pm)
Compensation: Minimum of $17.21 per hour, however it may be higher based on experience. Benefits including health care, retirement
benefits; participation in unemployment and worker’s compensation and social security.
Supervisor: Operations Manager
Supervising: N/A
Location: Des Moines, IA
How to apply: Email resume and cover letter by January 20th, 2025, to: Berenice Nava, Operations Manager bnava@iowammj.org and Ann Naffier, Co-Legal Director anaffier@iowammj.org

We especially encourage applicants who identify as Black, Latinx, Asian, Native American, and/or LGBTQ to apply for this position.

We understand that job requirements sometimes exclude historically marginalized groups, such as BIPOC individuals or those who identify as LGBTQ , from applying to jobs for which they are qualified. Even if you don’t meet 100% of the specific requirements listed below, we encourage you to apply.

Organization Summary
Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ) is a statewide membership-based legal service and advocacy organization driven and led by immigrant and refugee voices and united with allies. Iowa MMJ’s mission is to build a movement for justice led by immigrants and refugees in Iowa by providing high-quality legal services and community empowerment through organizing. We envision an Iowa that is welcoming and inclusive, where the rights of immigrants and refugees are ensured through access to legal services, their voices are heard and the issues that impact them are addressed.

Summary of Position
The Bi-lingual Administrative Assistant will report to the Operations Manager and will work closely with other staff. The Bi-lingual Administrative Assistant is responsible for handling many of the administrative and reception tasks that allow for the efficient, compassionate functioning of the organization. The Bi-lingual Administrative Assistant will be the first contact for many community members contacting Iowa MMJ. The position will answer phones, direct calls, greet visitors and manage mail. The right candidate may also take on a legal program administrative support role.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities
The key responsibilities of the Bi-lingual Administrative Assistant include the following:

• · Manage mail system including picking up, sorting, cataloging, scanning and distributing mail.

• · Receive visitors at the front desk by greeting, welcoming, directing and announcing them appropriately.

• · Manage and update the phone and voice mail system, answering, screening and forwarding incoming phone calls.

• · General clerical support: Work closely with other staff by assisting with other duties like scheduling appointments, making copies, maintaining and restocking office printed materials and data entry.

• · Closing and filing files in alphabetical order.

• · Limited interpretation and translation.

• · Possibility of providing direct assistance to legal staff including:

• o Communicating with clients on behalf of legal staff

• o Scheduling appointments

• o Sending out appointment notices

• · Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications
Basic Qualifications:

• · Bi-lingual: English/Spanish

• · Strong commitment to Iowa MMJ’s mission, vision and values.

• · Ability to work in collaboration with diverse groups of people (including people of diverse faiths and ethical/spiritual traditions, races, ethnicities, people with disabilities and LGBTQI people).

• · Demonstrated reliability and trustworthiness.

• · Demonstrated adaptability in learning new systems and following expected procedures.

• · Proven organization and prioritization skills.

• · Ability to be flexible and self-directed while working in a high-volume, fast moving work environment.

• · Demonstrated ability to communicate with empathy and effectively verbally and in writing.

• · Commitment to excellence and attention to detail.

• · Proven computer skills (Microsoft office platforms, Google Drive) and ability to learn new platforms. Ability to effectively communicate in reading and writing in Spanish and English.

• · Ability to maintain appropriate role boundaries and to maintain appropriate professional standards of confidentiality and conduct.

• · Commitment to client confidentiality.

Preferred Qualifications

• · Ability to identify a person’s individualized needs and facilitate access to appropriate community resources.

• · Passionate about migrant justice with a familiarity with both the complexities and injustices of the U.S. immigration system.

• · Demonstrated experience working with immigrant and refugee populations and/or people who are victims of crime, domestic violence and sexual assault.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:
Work environment characteristics 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 essential
functions. This job operates in a professional office environment, occasionally in a communal
setting. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones,
photocopiers and filing cabinets. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to
Moderate.
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 individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This is largely a sedentary role. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and
bend or stand as necessary.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $17.21 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Life insurance
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Work Location: In person

Salary : $17