Program Assistant/Office Administrator

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) is seeking a Program Assistant/Office Administrator in our Richmond, VA office. The Program Assistant/Office Administrator will join our administrative team and report to the Virginia Office Manager. This individual will orchestrate administrative functions for our Richmond office and support Virginia program staff. This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly successful, nationally recognized organization that is effectively addressing some of the most pressing and challenging environmental issues throughout the South and the nation.

Due to the nature of the work, this is an in-person position, not a hybrid in-office/remote position. It is also full-time and non-exempt (eligible for overtime).

Primary Responsibilities:

• Be the first point of contact for visitors and individuals reaching out to the Richmond office including welcoming and assisting guests, answering phones, resolving general office inquiries, and supporting SELC staff visiting from other offices.
• Understand and maintain all aspects of Richmond office logistics, proactively anticipating and resolving needs within the office. This could range from ensuring adequate office supplies to troubleshooting and facilitating solutions to IT issues.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with the landlord, maintenance staff, and business vendors, including identifying and reporting facilities issues, coordinating maintenance and repairs, tracking follow up, communicating updates to staff, and exercising judgment about when to escalate or seek additional support.
• Maintain the office calendar and assist with relaying information about new policies, procedures, guidelines, and technology to staff.
• Participate in onboarding and offboarding for staff by following established organizational processes, including preparing workspaces, coordinating suite access and parking, scheduling required meetings, and liaising with relevant internal teams to support a smooth transition.
• Provide significant support for office buildout and relocation during the first year, including coordinating communications with internal staff and the design and construction team, overseeing packing and moving logistics, and buying furniture.
• Provide general administrative support, including printing, copying, scanning, mailing, document formatting, materials production, and more.
• Help plan and execute meeting logistics, including catering and conference room technology.
• Arrange travel and assist with accurate expense coding and submission.
• Pay office bills and submit and track invoices for payment.
• Draft the annual office budget and track quarterly spending in coordination with the Office Manager and Office Director.
• Provide administrative and research support to members of SELC’s program staff. Tasks may include monitoring relevant regulatory, legislative and local government meetings; taking meeting notes and distributing summaries; researching emerging environmental issues; distributing materials to government offices; and more.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years' work experience in office administration, operations, or other administrative roles.
• Demonstrated interest in, and understanding of, environmental issues, politics and government.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively, convey information clearly, and build positive working relationships.
• Excellent time management skills and sound judgment in prioritizing tasks, knowing when to work independently and when to seek guidance or clarification.
• Professional experience in an office setting.
• Strong organizational skills; ability to self-manage and maintain a sustainable task-oriented workflow.
• Willing to take initiative and seek opportunities to add value by taking on new projects, assisting staff, or prompting collaboration to solve a problem.
• Strong working knowledge and practical experience in utilizing digital tools, including Microsoft applications (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and other specialized platforms.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience providing administrative support to positions of leadership a plus.
• A genuine interest in and commitment to helping SELC create and foster an equitable and inclusive workplace that welcomes people from across the rich racial and cultural diversity of our region. 

About SELC:

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South. With a long track record, SELC takes on the toughest environmental challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to protect our region’s air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and people. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the organization has a staff of over 250, including more than 160 legal and policy experts and advocates. Headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, SELC has offices in Asheville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond, and Washington, DC.

At our core, we are place-based, rooted in our region, and connected with the communities and clients we serve. We believe in an equitable and inclusive workplace that welcomes people from across the rich racial and cultural diversity of our region and values diverse perspectives. We approach our work with the highest level of integrity, holding ourselves to high standards with an emphasis on honesty, accountability, and thoughtfulness. We value collaboration and camaraderie, realizing we are strongest when we work together and knowing that everyone has a critical role to play. We strive for impact through a strategic, bold, pragmatic, and ambitious outlook that is dedicated to achieving powerful results. We believe in these values and in the power of SELC. We hope you consider joining us. Learn more at https://www.selc.org/.

Compensation & Benefits:

SELC offers salaries competitive with other leading environmental nonprofits nationally and provides an excellent benefits package. The starting wage for this full-time, nonexempt position is $28.37 per hour, commensurate with experience (approximately $59,000 annualized). Candidates with extensive relevant experience are encouraged to apply and compensation will be adjusted accordingly.

For more details about our benefits package, please visit our Careers page.

SELC is a PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) eligible employer.

This position is expected to work in the Richmond office five days per week due to the in-person nature of the job duties.

To Apply:

To apply, click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below to be directed to an online application where you may upload your application materials. Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, and professional references. The initial deadline for receipt of complete applications is Monday April 6th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST. However, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

APPLY NOW

SELC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace environment. We are eager to welcome new team members who share this commitment. Qualified individuals of all backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Medical and Dental Coverage: High-quality, affordable health and dental insurance is available for all full-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and their dependents.

Vision Coverage: Vision insurance provides employees with coverage on eye exams, frames, and lenses every 12 months.

Flexible Spending Plan: Eligible employees may put aside pre-tax dollars for medical and dependent care expenses.

Retirement Plan: Eligible employees may participate in SELC’s 403(b) retirement plan immediately. After one year of employment, SELC begins making contributions to employees’ accounts.

Vacation and Sick Leave: Employees accrue generous vacation leave to ensure a healthy work-life balance and a separate sick leave accrual to cover sick days.

Holidays: SELC observes an average of 9 paid holidays and a Winter Break each year.

Life Insurance: SELC covers the cost of life insurance to all full-time employees, equal to 2x their salary.

Voluntary Life Insurance: Employees may elect additional life insurance for themselves, their spouses, or domestic partners, and their dependents.

Disability Insurance: SELC offers short-term and long-term disability insurance at no cost to employees. Disability insurance covers a portion of salary during periods of extended leave due to injury or disability.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP): The EAP provides employees and their family members with support services when dealing with life’s struggles.

Parental Leave: SELC employees are entitled to 12 weeks of paid parental leave following childbirth or adoption. The leave can be taken up to one year after childbirth or adoption and can be broken up in any manner that best accommodates the needs of the family. Once available parental leave has been used, employees have the additional option of requesting to return to work on a reduced schedule for up to 12 weeks.

Family Leave: SELC employees are entitled to 6 weeks of paid leave to care for a family member suffering from a serious health condition.