Administrative Services Specalist

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES SPECALIST

About Cara Collective

Cara Collective seeks to fuel a courageous national movement to eradicate relational and financial poverty. Through our three entities Cara Cleanslate and Cara Plus we engage job seekers employers and other organizations across the country to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employment.

At present we produce 1000 jobs each year; however our results dont just end with employment. Today we take the insights gained over the past 30 years to equip other organizations and employers with practices to help build a more inclusive economy. Learn more at .

About the Cara Collective Operations Team

The Cara Collective Operations Team is responsible for proactively creating a clean safe and welcoming environment for staff participants volunteers and guests and in providing support to other departments and participants in their functions to provide a unified approach to Facilities and Administration management. This is achieved through effective communication collaboration resourcefulness and willingness to provide support wherever required.

About the Role

The Administrative Specialist Participant Focus provides support to the operations team primarily in service to Reception and Facilities but extending to other areas of Cara Collective including Service Delivery. The Administrative Specialist ensures a smoothly-run and highly service-oriented reception experience for all of our staff and guests (participants donors employers volunteers guests) and performs administrative tasks in support of other teams.

Qualifications

We are excited to offer this opportunity for a mission-aligned service-driven professional to join Cara Collective as an Administrative Services Specialist. This role is ideal for someone who takes pride in creating welcoming well-organized and highly responsive front-facing environmentsand who understands the importance of administrative excellence in supporting participants on their employment journeys.

The ideal candidate is warm dependable and detail-oriented with a natural ability to juggle competing priorities while remaining calm and people-centered. They thrive in fast-paced environments bring a proactive and solution-focused mindset to daily operations and value collaboration as essential to delivering an exceptional participant and guest experience. This role is as much about hospitality and care as it is about organization and accuracy.

Requirements

• Minimum of 23 years of experience in an administrative reception office operations or client-facing support role preferably in a mission-driven nonprofit or service-oriented organization.
• Demonstrated experience providing outstanding client or participant service including relationship-building active listening and crisis de-escalation.
• Proven ability to problem-solve exercise sound judgment and navigate conflict with professionalism and empathy.
• Strong organizational time-management and communication skills with close attention to detail.
• Experience performing administrative tasks such as data entry documentation inventory tracking and coordination across teams.
• Comfort operating a multi-line phone system and serving as a primary point of contact for staff participants and external stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel Outlook PowerPoint); willingness to learn and use Salesforce and other systems to manage tickets data and workflows.
• High level of discretion and ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with care.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively contributing to consistent coverage and strong team coordination.
• A positive high-energy and service-oriented approach with a genuine passion for supporting people and mission-driven work.

This is an exciting opportunity to be a key contributor to the daily experience at Cara Collectivehelping ensure that every participant staff member volunteer and guest feels welcomed supported and respected from the moment they walk through our doors.

If you are someone who finds purpose in service organization and human connectionand who wants to play a meaningful role in advancing Cara Collectives mission to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employmentwe encourage you to apply.

Key Responsibilities of the Administrative Services Specialist

Administration (60%)

• Perform timely accurate data entry and documentation to support the Operations team and cross-functional partners ensuring records are complete organized and maintained in accordance with internal procedures.
• Manage the main phone line serving as a professional and welcoming first point of contact; screen route and transfer calls appropriately to ensure timely responses.
• Monitor and maintain inventory of office program and participant supplies; collaborate with the Manager of Office Operations to reorder materials as needed.
• Ensure consistent stocking cleanliness and organization of kitchen and cafeteria supplies for both participant and staff spaces.
• Assist the Manager of Office Operations with internal logistics including room reservations transportation card distribution calendar coordination and additional administrative or operational tasks as assigned.
• Receive log and distribute mail and deliveries; coordinate with staff and vendors to ensure timely handling of materials.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and security of sensitive participant employee and organizational information in accordance with Cara Collective policies and procedures.

Operations & Reception (30%)

• Ensure a seamless welcoming and service-oriented reception experience for all staff participants volunteers and guests modeling professionalism and hospitality at all times.
• Greet and check in visitors verify appointments notify staff of arrivals and provide clear wayfinding and general information as appropriate.
• Uphold the appearance organization and functionality of the reception area lobby clothing area and other shared front-facing spaces throughout the day.
• Support the Engagement and Development teams by welcoming volunteer groups and assisting with basic orientation and logistics.
• Ensure orderly receipt and management of deliveries in collaboration with the fellow Administrative Specialist to maintain consistent coverage.
• Submit monitor and follow up on assigned Help Desk tickets via Salesforce related to facilities IT or operational needs.
• Conduct daily readiness checks of reception and shared spaces escalating safety maintenance or operational issues as needed.
• Ensure consistent daily coverage across the administrative team and foster strong collaboration with the Admin Operations and Facilities teams.

Participant & Program Support (10%)

• Support onboarding logistics for new participant cohorts including preparation of welcome materials orientation-day setup and coordination with Service Delivery staff.
• Assist with participant administrative needs such as assigning lockers preparing badges and name tags distributing transportation cards and collecting and organizing required paperwork in support of the Contracts & Compliance team.
• Monitor and escalate participant-related administrative issues as appropriate to ensure timely resolution and continuity of services.
• Support trauma-informed interactions by recognizing when participants may need additional assistance and connecting them with the appropriate staff or resources.

Reports To

Manger of Office Operations

Direct Report(s)

N/A

Workplace Type & Team Culture

Cara Collective has a strong team culture that values collaboration communication and camaraderie. We believe in the

power of working together in person which is why we expect our employees to be onsite at one of our Chicago-based

locations multiple days each week. For this role that means a minimum of 5 days in the office. This commitment to in-person collaboration fosters a sense of belonging and teamwork among our employees creating a supportive and dynamic

work environment. Regular travel within the Chicago area to meet with partners and employers is required along with

occasional out-of-town travel to conferences thought leadership opportunities or other convenings related to Inclusive

Employment work.

We consistently measure staff satisfaction through employee surveys and have found that year over year the vast majority

of staff agree that Cara Collective is a great place to work and grow. This high level of employee satisfaction reflects our

dedication to creating a positive and fulfilling workplace for all members of our team.

Starting Pay Range

We take budget and starting salary very seriously. We market our roles and are using a salary analysis tool called Payscale

and offer competitive market-based compensation to all employees.

This positions expected starting pay range is $41000 - $44000 annually.

Benefits

Cara Collective is proud to offer a comprehensive competitive benefit package with options designed to help you make the best decision for yourself your family and your lifestyle. Available benefits are based on eligibility. Our Total Rewards

package includes a variety of medical and dental plans vision coverage disability and life insurance 401(k)

• Medical Dental Vision Plans
• Basic Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• Personal Technology Reimbursement
• Starting with 17 Vacation Days 8 Sick Days 14 Paid Holidays

Employee Paid Benefits

• Pre-Tax Medical Flexible Spending Account
• Pre-Tax Dependent Care Account
• Pre-Tax Transit & Parking Options
• Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (employer match up to 4% upon hire & immediately vested)

As of this posting we annually review our benefit offerings to meet our employees needs and be competitive in the market. All listed benefits offerings at the discretion of the employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Cara is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Cara does not discriminate on the basis of race color national origin sex gender identity religion sexual orientation age disability parental status veteran status or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability please email us at if you require reasonable accommodation to complete this application.