Mediation Manager

CORA is currently seeking a Full Time (40 hours/week) Mediation Manager for its busy Eviction-Diversion program for Good Shepherd Mediation.

Starting rate: $55,750/year

GENERAL JOB SUMMARY:

This position supports all aspects of CORA Good Shepherd Mediation’s Eviction Diversion unit. The City of Philadelphia’s nationally recognized Eviction Diversion Program (EDP) provides an opportunity for landlords and tenants to resolve residential rental disputes without going to court. CORA GSM processes 500 EDP applications weekly and manages the high-volume virtual mediation portion of the EDP. Approximately 70 telephonic mediations are scheduled weekly and facilitated by trained volunteer mediators. This position is most closely involved with the mediation aspect of EDP; collaboration with other program partners to refine other aspects of EDP is another aspect of CORA GSM’s involvement with EDP.

More information about the City’s EDP is available here:

https://eviction-diversion.phila.gov/#/About

HOURS:

This is a full-time (40 hour per week) primarily remote position on a virtual team. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM, to support the Eviction Diversion Program mediation calendar. Occasional in-person trainings and meetings in the City of Philadelphia also are required.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Pre-Mediation support

• Field calls and emails from tenants, housing counselors, landlords, attorneys, property managers, and volunteer mediators; answer or provide a referral
• Receive, review, file, and code pre-mediation agreements
• Process cancellations, continuances and reschedule mediation when appropriate

Mediation session support

• Help locate missing participants so that mediation can proceed
• Assist parties in mediation with questions about the mediation process and the City’s related financial assistance for landlords and tenants
• Facilitate mediations when a volunteer is unavailable
• Trouble-shoot emerging technology and interpreter issues
• Lend post-mediation support to participants

Post-mediation case processing

• Receive, file, and code post mediation reports promptly; reach out to volunteers who do not return paperwork within 24 hours
• Edit written mediated agreements for clarity, style, and programmatic consistency
• Distribute mediated agreements to all relevant parties
• Input time sensitive outcomes for all applications scheduled for mediation
• Respond to inquiries from landlords, tenants, and housing counselors
• Schedule follow-up mediation sessions as needed
• Create, revise, and track database reports and reach out to volunteers as needed to close out individual applications weekly

Assist with all other functions of the EDP project, including:

• Scheduling mediations
• Assigning mediators
• Entering data into EDP portal
• Outreach and/or training
• Moderating meetings
• Other tasks as assigned, including support of other CORA GSM programs
• Attend meetings with program partners to review program guidelines and processes

QUALIFICATIONS

• College degree required; JD highly preferred
• Mediation training required
• 1-2 years facilitating mediations and writing agreements highly preferred
• Familiarity with Eviction Diversion Program and/or landlord tenant law highly preferred
• Demonstrated database proficiency required
• Expertise with Microsoft Office, Excel, and Zoom
• Ability to learn and use new technology tools
• Ability to work independently
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Interpersonal skills demonstrating an ability to work as a team member (remotely), not only with fellow staff but also with partners at multiple diverse organizations
• Flexibility and a sense of humor
• Ability to think creatively and to assist in the refinement of an emerging and extremely complex city-wide program
• Enthusiasm for the mediation process in a non-profit environment
• Loyalty to the goals and objectives of CORA Services and its Good Shepherd Mediation division including visible support for diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, restorative and social justice