Director of Programs

Overview

The Director of Programs (“Director”) at The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) plays a leadership role in the CBF’s efforts to improve access to legal help for people in need and make the courts and legal system more fair, equitable, and effective for all. The Director reports to the CBF’s Chief Grants & Operations Officer.

The Director must be a licensed attorney and must demonstrate a strong commitment to the CBF’s mission. This individual must be a strong leader and excellent communicator with the ability to engage and work well with staff, partners, and various other stakeholders of the CBF, including the legal aid community; the larger legal community; judges and court staff; other community partners and organizations; and the general public.

The CBF, a nonprofit organization, offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive and generous benefits package that includes fully paid health insurance with no premiums or deductible. The CBF is an equal opportunity employer. The starting salary range for the Director is from $85,000 to $95,000, depending upon experience. This position is exempt.

About The Chicago Bar Foundation

The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF), the charitable arm of the Chicago Bar Association, brings the legal community together to improve access to justice for people in need and make the legal system more fair, equitable, and effective for everyone. The CBF’s mission recognizes that taking a leadership role to ensure equal access to justice is our legal profession’s common cause, and that we can make a distinct impact in advancing that cause by the legal community coming together through the CBF.

As the charitable arm of The Chicago Bar Association, the CBF’s work is made possible by the generous contributions of thousands of dedicated individuals, more than 200 law firms and corporations, and many other committed partners. Thanks to that strong support, the CBF awards several million dollars in grants each year and continues to play a lead role in a number of innovative access to justice initiatives.

Candidate Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

· A licensed attorney with active practice experience,

· A minimum of four years relevant work experience, including access to justice or legal aid experience,

· Experience managing or assisting in the management of a significant program,

· An understanding of, and dedication to, the CBF mission,

· Excellent communication skills, both oral and written – this individual must be able to communicative effectively both within the CBF and to audiences outside the CBF concerning the mission and goals of the CBF, and

· Excellent organizational, project management, and time management skills.

Critical Competencies:

· The ability to achieve results and deadlines with a wide range of external partners; this includes the ability to set goals, keep partners on task, problem-solve, adapt in the face of challenges and changing circumstances, provide feedback, and maintain order and consistency while still fostering the collaborative balance of relationships crucial to small work groups,

· The ability to work well within a small and dynamic working environment,

· The ability to anticipate the organizational needs of the courts, partners, and other stakeholders, including the ability to be flexible as those needs change,

· A record of working effectively towards common goals with people and organizations representing diverse sets of interests,

· The ability to work under multiple deadlines and to prioritize and work on several projects at the same time,

· Strict attention to detail,

· A willingness to learn on the job, seeking advice from others when necessary to properly carry out job duties,

· Takes personal responsibility and accountability to identify and lead ways to improve the organization, and

· Proficiency with fundamental technology tools: word processing, cloud storage, and video conferencing.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Chief Grants & Operations Officer, the Director will be responsible for the following:

Program Management (65%)

· Act as lead staff for CBF court-based projects, including the Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt (CCLAHD) program, www.cookcountylegalaid.org,

· Work with partner organizations, consultants, the Court, and other stakeholders to continuously evaluate, adapt, and improve program structure and the services provided through the programs,

· Manage data collection and coordinate evaluation associated with CBF programs,

· Represent the CBF in meetings related to court-based programs, and

· Convene, coordinate, and connect various stakeholders to encourage collaboration, coordination and sharing of best practices.

Compliance (15%)

For CCLAHD and other CBF court-based programs, the Director will work with the Chief Grants & Operations Officer to:

· Respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs),

· Coordinate with grantee partners on proposals, including program requirements and budgets,

· Ensure compliance with external programmatic reporting requirements, and

· Evaluate grant applications.

Organizational Leadership (10%)

· Maintain awareness of CBF projects, latest news in the legal community, and issues affecting the CBF mission.

· Coordinate with the Executive Director and the Chief Grants & Operations Officer as well as other CBF staff on all projects and advocacy.

Court and Legislative Advocacy (5%)

· Through working with CBF programs, identify and elevate systemic issues and work with CBF advocacy staff on legislative, administrative, and court-based solutions.

Leadership in Access to Justice Community (5%)

· Work with local, statewide, and national stakeholders to advance access to justice issues and initiatives,

· Take part in meetings, conferences, and seminars to remain up to date on trends and emerging issues affecting access to the courts and legal system, and

· Regularly attend legal aid and other legal community events to help build awareness and develop partner relationships.

How to Apply

The Chicago Bar Foundation is an equal opportunity employer seeking to build a workforce that reflects the diverse community we serve. Submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Please indicate Director of Programs in the subject line of your email. No phone calls please. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis through November 7, 2024.