Operations Specialist

Operations Specialist

Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) advocates with and for Marylanders experiencing poverty to achieve equity and social justice through free civil legal services, community collaboration, and systemic change.

Since 1911, Maryland Legal Aid has provided high-quality legal aid to vulnerable, low-income people and communities helping to remedy their civil legal issues and become empowered to overcome challenges, achieve stability and independence, and reach their goals. MLA also identifies and seeks to remedy systemic barriers. MLA's core work includes eviction and foreclosure prevention, family law, children's rights, consumer protection, securing public benefits, and access to healthcare. MLA advocates operate primarily through the courts, via individual representation of indigent clients, but also engage in impact litigation, public communication and outreach, and policy advocacy.

Through this holistic approach, Maryland Legal Aid serves to amplify the voices of tens of thousands of economically disadvantaged and vulnerable Marylanders each year and seeks to be a leader in the legal services field nationwide.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Administrative Services, the Operations Specialist is responsible for fulfilling purchase request, submitting approved invoice payments, monitoring inventory, maintaining office equipment supply and IT equipment lists, asset management, storage solutions, cost control and actively participating in Procure to Pay ("P2P") system upgrades.

Key Responsibilities

Purchasing & Procurement

• Review and process purchase requisitions received from departments in accordance with approved purchasing policies and procedures.
• Assess, recommend, implement and monitor parking vendors that align with MLA's Parking Principles Guidelines.
• Maintain and periodically update MLA's Standard IT Equipment & Office Supplies list.
• Conduct spending analyses and assess corporate discount platforms to identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Obtain and compare competitive bids and quotes from vendors and negotiate purchase prices and terms related to the purchase of furniture, equipment, consumable office supplies, and services.
• Research and maintain a list of best pricing for supplies and services.
• Utilize accounting software to create purchase orders and enter invoices, ensuring proper assignment of cost centers.
• Administer the invoice approval process in accordance with MLA's purchasing policy and procedures.
• Perform monthly account reconciliations, resolve discrepancies, and maintain accurate transaction and contract records and a variety of tracking logs.
• Work with vendors to resolve issues related to invoices and payments.

Inventory & Asset Administration

• Maintain comprehensive and accurate records of all assets in the asset management system.
• Ensure that all offices' asset records are properly maintained for audit and insurance purpose.
• Generate reports on inventory and asset status to identify trends and ensure compliance with policies.
• Ensure that onsite and offsite storage and retrieval processes comply with MLA retention and data protection policies.
• Coordinate offsite storage and initiatives to digitize physical records securely.
• Identify opportunities to streamline storage processes and implement best practices.
• Establish and track key performance indicators with a supervisor to monitor quality assurance in purchasing processes.

Procure-to-Pay (P2P) Systems, Compliance & Cross Function Collaboration

• Participate in P2P system implementations, enhancements, updates and migrations of service providers.
• Gather business requirements, participate in testing, data conversion, and internal customer training sessions.
• Ensure all procurement and payment activities comply with MLA policies and funding guidelines.
• Prepare P2P reports that support budgeting, and performance monitoring.
• Partner with Finance, Office Managers, Administrative Assistants, Vendors, and ASU staff to implement Purchasing and P2P strategies.
• Participate in cross-training with other ASU functions to build department capacity and enhance organizational efficiencies and effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Accounting, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, or Business Management.
• Minimum of three years of related work experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with P2P systems such as Coupa, Ramp, VIC.AI, Expensify, or Tipalti.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications.
• Familiarity with project management tools such as Monday.com, Smartsheets, JIRA, or Asana.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, managing multiple tasks and projects.
• Commitment to excellent customer service and maintaining professional relationships.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Benefits

The salary range for this position is $63,000 - $75,000. In addition, MLA offers employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, three weeks of paid time off, paid sick leave, 14 annual paid holidays, and more.

Additional Requirements

• Please submit a resume and cover letter describing your interest and qualifications with your online application.
• References will be required at the time of the final interview.

Maryland Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We are committed to creating an inclusive and respectful workplace, reflective of our core values, for all employees.