Director, Application Development

The Director of Application Development partners with the CIO to create innovative, cloud-first, data-driven applications that support client representation and decision-making. This position ensures effective coordination between business stakeholders and City agencies, supervising technical staff involved in transforming and integrating creative data solutions that support equal access to justice for all New Yorkers.

The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with a strong technical background and excellent leadership capabilities, ready to drive our organization s move to cloud-based data systems while ensuring the stability and performance of existing data systems. The Director oversees the architecture and development of Legal Aid software solutions, cultivates and manages an existing team of database & software developers and data analysts. The Director will manage a team of up to ten data and technology professionals, setting professional development goals and modeling technical and service competencies. They will participate in conversations with C-suite and legal practice Chiefs, to translate business requirements to technology capacity.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Legacy Application Development

• Lead the creation of applications to support data-driven client representation
• Identify and address LAS (Legal Aid Society) business user needs with software solutions through developing new applications using the latest web, cloud, and database technologies
• Oversee the complete development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, database management, software development, testing, implementation, and user support
• Implement change control processes and manage project schedules and task assignments
• Provide ad-hoc reporting and decision support for management, resourcing, and capacity planning
• Ensure the documentation of code design, documentation, and testing follows best practices
• Coordinate among business stakeholders, multiple City agencies, technical consultants, and internal IT staff
• Communicate project progress and status to executive leadership and business stakeholders
• Assist the CIO in executing the cloud migration strategy, leading the design, implementation, and ensuring smooth data migration and integrity
  

Vendor Management

• Oversee vendor partnerships, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and seamless integration of third-party services

Reporting and Data Visualization

• Use SSRS to generate, review and publish complex reports
• Implement and manage advanced reporting tools such as PowerBI and Tableau
• Design and develop complex reports and dashboards for actionable insights
• Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and accessibility across reporting platforms
  

Team Development and Supervision

• Mentor, coach, and supervise up to ten direct reports, setting performance standards and providing professional development
• Manage and coordinate staffing changes, including processing separations and requesting new job postings
• Resolve employee conflicts and address union concerns with guidance from Human Resources
• Lead organizational and culture change for the unit by conducting managerial and supervisory practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion in the workplace
• Identify, delegate, and document work responsibilities, roles, and procedures to meet the mission of the department
• Attend management meetings, participating in management training, and utilize current employment policies, practices and guidance as provided by management and Human Resources
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and best practices in software development and data management

Professional Development & Other duties as assigned

• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies
• Participate in continuous professional development
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
• Other duties as assigned

TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor s degree in a relevant discipline preferred. 6 years of progressive technology development experience including 3 years of leadership experience leading a team of developers or engineers; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Extensive knowledge and experience with data and business systems at mid to large nonprofits, including Case Management Systems or equivalent
• Thorough understanding of automated data integration and exchange among different data systems, including cloud-based data systems
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft cloud products, including Azure, Power Platform, SQL cloud, and M365
• Proven experience managing coding on and reporting from MS SQL Server, C#, or Angular
• Technical knowledge of modern application standards and software systems used by the legal industry
• Effective organizational skills with the ability to set priorities and coordinate multiple tasks

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a related field
• Experience in a leadership role within a tech-focused or nonprofit organization
• Familiarity with Agile methodology and Microsoft cloud-based solutions

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.

• Resume
• Cover Letter

SALARY TRANSPARENCY

The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role. The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range/ Salary: $170,000 - $185,000

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if, an offer is made.

HIGHER EDUCATION AND LOAN FORGIVENESS

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs.

Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York State to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

WORK AUTHORIZATION

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email .

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one s internal deeply-held sense of one s gender which may be the same or different from one s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.