Director of Innovative Housing Initiatives - New York, NY

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The Legal Aid Society's Civil Practice hasan opening for a Director of Innovative Housing Initiatives, in our Housing Justice Unit. The Director of Innovative Housing Initiatives for the Housing Justice Helpline will report to the Attorney-in-Charge of the Housing Practice and the Director of Intake.

The Civil Practice's Housing Justice Helpline provides access to high quality legal assistance via a live answer phone line open Monday through Friday during business hours. Callers to the helpline receive information, advice, brief services and referrals on housing law and related matters for NYC tenants. The program provides legal assistance with a broad range of individual tenant legal matters, including but not limited to holdovers & nonpayment proceedings.

The Director will supervise all facets of the helpline work, including Paralegals, the Program Manager, and Supervising Attorneys. The Director will work collaboratively with the Housing Leadership Group, the Housing Defense teams, the Information Technology team, the Development Team and the Grants and Contracts teams. The Director is involved in all aspects of the day-to-day operations, mentors new and experienced supervising attorneys, coordinates grant projects, and participates with other staff in prioritizing legal issues. The Director will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, maintaining, and pursuing opportunities to integrate technology systems, including the use of AI, to support and enhance the services provided to the community. The Director participates in Practice-wide management discussions and decision-making.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Management

• Coordinate intake and advice/brief representation provided to callers
• Monitor and maintain a high standard of client service
• Support the development, funding, implementation and reporting of programs
• Oversee the use of AI-driven tools and other related technologies to enhance the intake process
• Respond to client, community, and staff concerns
• Evaluate the project's needs and identify necessary resources to address the needs
• Support the maintenance of technology systems
• Collaborate with IT to maintain and improve intake systems
• Analyze legal issues, develop legal strategy, and supervise the dissemination of advice based on the strategy.
• Prepare and submit necessary grant reporting paperwork, and work with the Grants and Contracts department to identity funding opportunities
• Provide oversight of pro bono initiatives

Community Engagement and Advocacy

• Develop and maintain community support and relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, government agencies, elected officials, and the courts
• Conduct community education, training, and outreach, and promote the work of the helpline, the Housing Unit, the Civil Practice, and The Legal Aid Society in the community
• Assist with planning and conducting citywide and statewide coalition meetings and task forces

Team Development and Supervision

• Schedule employee hours, assign work, approve time off and remote work schedule requests following the guidance of LAS policy and procedures.
• Manage and coordinate staffing changes, i.e. processing separations, requesting new job postings, hires, coordination of leaves and accommodations
• Attend management meetings, participate in management trainings, and utilize current employment policies, practices and guidance as provided by management and Human Resources
• Conduct management and supervision practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion in the workplace
• Supervise direct reports in setting performance standards, provide routine feedback as well as coaching/counseling, and issue disciplinary action as needed.
• Identify and provide training and development opportunities and ensure mandatory trainings are completed. Identify, delegate, and document work responsibilities, roles, and procedures to meet the mission of the department
• Identify and implement department/unit management and accountability practices to improve performance
• Resolve employee conflict, complaints, and address union concerns, with guidance from Human Resources
• Lead organizational and culture change for the unit

Professional Development and other duties as assigned

• 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

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• Admission to the New York State Bar
• 5+ years of legal practice is required
• 3+ years of experience supervising and mentoring staff
• Experience using technology, such as AI, to streamline processes and maximize efficiency

Preferred qualifications:

• 10+ years of legal practice preferred with a primary focus in NYC Housing Court is preferred
• Pro bono, government, public service and academic experience will be considered
• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND abilities

Position Based Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience litigating individual and group cases and litigating in various forums, including State and federal courts
• Excellent technology skills
• Excellent oral and written advocacy skills
• Demonstrated commitment and experience in public interest law and civil legal services
• Demonstrated commitment to policy advocacy and administrative reform
• Experience working with vulnerable populations including but not limited to seniors
• Demonstrated leadership ability
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills
• Commitment to exploring alternative approaches for legal practice including the use of AI and other related technologies
• Ability to work in and value a collaborative team model

Supervision Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to schedule, assign, and manage work and resolve problems as needed
• Ability to identify opportunities to use technology to advance housing justice work city-wide
• Ability to manage the work including: assessment of work process and outcomes, gathering relevant information about the work, recommending alternatives, or elevate issues as needed
• Ability to clearly identify roles, responsibilities, delegate tasks and hold people accountable
• Ability to create and implement effective communication plans
• Ability to provide meaningful performance feedback for professional development including having difficult conversations and resolving sensitive employee issues
• Pursue continuous learning on forms of systemic oppression of marginalized identities and establish team norms and management practices using an equity mindset and informed by inclusive practices

Organizational Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Commitment to Legal Aid Society's mission to secure equal justice before the law for all New Yorkers.
• Interpersonal and communication skills that enable healthy and productive working relationships
• Ability to perform duties with the highest regard for confidentiality, integrity, and respect
• Commitment to Legal Aid Society's mission and values

Physical, environment, travel, and other duties required:

• Mostly sedentary, significant time using a computer and monitor; communicating and meeting using video
• May or will require travel within NYC, across the five-borough region

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range: $155,000 - $165,000

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Click here to read more about benefits.

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.

studentaid.gov

hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs

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 via the career portal. We do not accept emailed applications. Submit the following documents as a combined PDF:

• Cover Letter

• Resume

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

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.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

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 (people), to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us and our ability to build strong relationships with our colleagues. Every member of our community is expected to continuously learn about the dynamic, evolving, and emerging field of knowledge of identity, bias, and systemic forms of oppression and participate in productive efforts to dismantling bias in all forms.

Citywide