Operations and Office Manager

Organizational Background:

Founded in 2013, the Parole Preparation Project (Parole Prep) provides critical advocacy and direct support to incarcerated people serving long sentences in New York State. Our goals are to decarcerate prisons and dismantle the criminal legal system in its entirety.

More concretely, Parole Prep trains community volunteers to work alongside parole-eligible people—many of whom have spent decades in prison and have been repeatedly denied release—as they prepare for their parole interviews. Since our founding in 2013, we have trained over 800 community volunteers to work with more than 400 incarcerated people. 

For those denied parole, we provide litigation support and direct legal representation, filing appeals and other lawsuits challenging unlawful conduct by the Board of Parole. For those granted release and returning home after decades inside, our Community Engagement Program offers mentorship, weekly support groups, workshops, cash assistance,  and more. 

Parole Prep is also one of the statewide leaders in the campaign to overhaul the parole release system. We work alongside our partners at the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign (RAPP) and the People’s Campaign for Parole Justice (PCPJ) to advocate for changes in parole regulations and the appointment of new parole commissioners. 

Currently and formerly incarcerated people are at the center of our work, leading our advocacy efforts, training volunteers, and providing strategic guidance and vision to the organization. 

Position Description:

Parole Prep seeks an enthusiastic and highly organized Operations and Office Manager (OOM) to manage our office in Chelsea* and coordinate the daily operations of the organization. In addition to on-going administrative work and systems-building, the OOM will help build a warm and supportive office space for Parole Prep staff and volunteers and those returning home from prison. They will also help develop new internal systems and refine existing ones to help improve communication and collaboration across Parole Prep’s many program areas. Lastly, as a member of our small team, the OOM will play an integral role in helping to determine the organization’s internal structure, external programming and future trajectory. 

Job Responsibilities:

Financial and Bookkeeping

• Facilitate payments of honorariums, stipends and reimbursements to formerly incarcerated people and other directly impacted members of the community.
• Process and issue reimbursements to staff and volunteers via electronic payments and input transactions into bookkeeping system. 
• Manage and input receipts for all staff and track purchases on company cards.
• Record and deposit incoming checks, online donations and other income. 

Systems Building and Management 

• Manage, maintain and update internal databases, electronic filing systems and volunteer drives.
• Design and build new systems to help facilitate better communication and work flow between staff. Draft and revise memos memorializing new processes and revise existing memos.
• Develop processes for work in need of streamlining, for example, invoicing contractors, submitting check requests to the Department of Corrections, drafting our in-prison newsletter, etc. 

Communication/Outreach

• Communicate via phone and email with currently and formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones seeking Parole Prep’s assistance. 
• Send commissary funds to incarcerated people on a monthly basis.
• 
  

Staff and Volunteer Support

• Train current and new staff and volunteers in internal systems. 
• Support staff with ongoing administrative tasks and short and long-term projects.
• Support community volunteers with administrative tasks, for example, scheduling legal calls, securing official prison records, liaising with the Department of Corrections, etc. 

Office Management and Hospitality

• Create and maintain a welcoming office space for staff, volunteers and people returning home from prison. 
• Ensure the office is stocked with necessary supplies, that tech and hardware are online and fully functional, and storage areas are organized and accessible.  

Requirements/Qualifications:

As an abolitionist organization, we seek candidates who have a critical analysis of and a desire to dismantle the prison system, as well as an unwavering commitment to racial justice. We are also looking for candidates who are interested in building community and creating strong, supportive and communicative relationships with their colleagues. 

The ideal candidate believes operations work can play a powerful and transformative role in a small organization. They will also have energy to tackle administrative projects, help streamline collaboration between different Parole Prep program areas and ensure Parole Prep’s long-term sustainability. 

Additionally, candidates should have: 

• A minimum of three years experience in operations, office management or related work.
• High computer literacy and fluency in some combination of electronic filing systems, case management software and/or platforms such as Google Drive, Airtable, Excel and/or others. 
• Familiarity with apps such as Venmo, Cashapp, Zelle or Paypal. 
• An established skill set in or a desire to learn basic bookkeeping skills using Quickbooks Online.
• An exceptionally high level of organization and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to connect with a variety of people, including those in prison and their loved ones, Department of Corrections staff and broader community-based coalitions.