POSITION SUMMARY
Philadelphia VIP seeks an energetic, goal-oriented team player to serve as its Community Economic Development Outreach Coordinator and help build VIP’s long-term capacity to represent low-income small business owners and local nonprofit leaders in transactional legal issues and thereby assist more low-income Philadelphians with building generational wealth and providing critical community services.
The ideal candidate is a self-starter, highly detail-oriented, and successful at managing multiple deadlines; has strong skills in written and oral communication and demonstrated experience in working with people from a range of socio-economic background; and cares deeply about access to justice for underserved communities, values volunteers, and enjoys working on a collaborative team.
VIP values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, and people with disabilities to apply.
This is a one-year AmeriCorps VISTA position. An overview of VISTA benefits for 2021, including living allowance and health benefits, is located here: Overview of 2021 VISTA Member Benefits.
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s Degree required. This position does not require a law degree.
- Close attention to detail, organized, and comfortable working individually as well as in a team.
- Willing to work in a fast-paced environment and able to manage and move between multiple, simultaneous projects and track deadlines.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Experience in data entry, database management, and full suite of Microsoft Office programs.
- Embraces technology, including leading-edge case management systems.
- Passion for access to justice for underserved communities.
KEY FUNCTIONS
Support development of VIP’s new virtual consultation program for small business and nonprofit clients:
- Assess inquiries from potential clients who seek legal consultations by conducting interviews, drafting summaries, identifying potential volunteer attorneys to provide counsel, and logging case-related activity in the case management database.
- Update and expand VIP’s client resource guides, including by commissioning law schools and law firms to create self-help legal guides.
Improve processes for placing small business and nonprofit consultation cases with volunteer attorneys:
- Develop, assess, and lead implementation of new strategies and approaches to placing cases with volunteer attorneys.
- Analyze data to evaluate effectiveness of new strategies and approaches, and refine them accordingly.
Develop a quarterly report to monitor and evaluate the small business and nonprofit program:
- Review case metrics to identify program strengths and weaknesses.
- Propose program improvements based on the evaluation.
Grow community outreach to small business and nonprofit clients and volunteer attorneys on social media:
- Plan and create content for social media posts, including a client-facing Instagram account.
- Generate content for quarterly e-newsletter and maintain up-to-date recipient lists.
- Communicate with former clients to document success stories for social media.
Assist with planning and implementing community outreach, education, and advocacy activities:
- Identify suitable and accessible venues and virtual platforms, and coordinate events.
- Prepare outreach materials, feedback forms, and helpful resources.
- Establish processes for following up with community members and participants.
HOW TO APPLY:
Email cover letter and resume to Karna Laubenstein, Director of Operations, klaubenstein@phillyvip.org. No calls, please. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of June 4, 2021.
What to include in your cover letter: We invite you to include a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of VIP’s staff team and legal practice.