Director, Office of Program Performance

Legal Services Corporation•Washington, DC

1d•$188,964 - $196,599•Hybrid

About The Position

Established by Congress in 1974, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the country’s single largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. LSC currently funds roughly 129 independent nonprofit legal aid organizations with more than 900 offices throughout the nation. LSC’s mission is to promote equal access to justice and provide grants for high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans. Under the direction of the Vice President for Grants Management (Vice President), and with the assistance of the office’s Deputy Directors, the Director of the Office of Program Performance (OPP) oversees multiple grant programs and initiatives, and ensures consistent, high-quality execution of grant making and grant oversight of LSC grantees. The Director is responsible for setting office priorities, managing operations, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders and ensuring that LSC leadership has the information necessary to make informed funding and policy decisions.

Requirements

Outstanding leadership and management skills
Ability to influence, motivate, challenge, and inspire confidence among others
Ability to develop and lead high performance/high morale teams and to foster teamwork among diverse individuals
Demonstrated experience working in and leading cross-functional teams in a mission-driven organization, including prior experience in staff recruitment, mentoring and evaluation
Consistent and equitable application of LSC personnel policies
Experience with labor-management relations preferred.
Excellent written communication skills with demonstrated ability to produce professional, well-written work product
Excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to reach different audiences effectively
Skill in facilitating transparent communication
Ability to effectively articulate LSC’s mission and philosophy.
Excellent project management skills
Adaptable and able to plan and manage execute multiple and shifting priorities against tight deadlines:
Ability to work collaboratively as a part of a senior management team:
Change management experience.
Ability to use and analyze data and develop metrics to guide the measurement of grantee performance
Ability to evaluate organizational performance of grantees
Demonstrated experience evaluating and implementing AI and emerging technologies in an organization.
Unimpeachable integrity and adherence to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism
Strong commitment to principles of diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity
Understanding of and commitment to organizational mission and goals.
A law degree and admission to the Bar of the highest court in a jurisdiction.
A minimum of ten (10) years actively managing and supervising staff.
In-depth grants management and oversight experience, including familiarity with federal grantmaking frameworks, regulation and compliance requirements.
Demonstrated understanding of and experience with service delivery models and systems that support low-income individuals and communities required, direct experience working with or serving low-income communities strongly preferred, particularly with civil legal aid or related services.
Excellent research and analytical skills.
Ability to design, recommend and implement program controls, as well as identify and comprehend trends that affect LSC, its grantees, and their clients.
Ability to interpret laws, regulations, and policies.

Responsibilities

Assists the Vice President in all aspects of LSC’s oversight of the programmatic performance of LSC’s grantees. Works closely with the Vice President, OPP Deputy Directors and the Directors of the Offices of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE), Data Governance and Analysis (ODGA) and Training and Technical Assistance (OTTA) on building the capacity of LSC grantees.
In coordination with internal stakeholders, oversees the full grant life cycle (competition, award, programmatic oversight) for multiple grant programs including Basic Field, Technology Initiative, Pro Bono Innovation and Disaster grants. Ensures consistent application of policies and procedures. Recommends needed process and policy changes. Reviews application evaluations and grant recommendations prepared by staff and makes grant recommendations to LSC leadership. Coordinates with LSC’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement on subgrants. Ensures that LSC’s President and Vice President have the best information available with which to make funding, renewal, and other decisions related to LSC grantees.
Responsible for the implementation for and oversight of the Herbert S. Garten Loan Repayment Assistance Program, including managing the annual award cycle, recipient monitoring, and coordinating among internal stakeholders.
Directly supervises staff assigned to the Director and retains ultimate accountability for OPP staff performance and development. Partners with and empowers Deputy Directors to fulfill their supervisory responsibilities, including evaluation of assigned staff and final review of oversight visit reports. Demonstrates strong coaching, team building, and conflict management skills to lead a diverse, mission-driven department. Cultivates an inclusive and supportive work environment, addresses complaints and grievances fairly, and meets regularly with staff to advance strategic priorities and individual development.
Oversees the annual calendar of work including general review of workloads, assignments and responsibilities across the office. In consultation with the OPP Deputy Directors, determines composition of teams for on-site visits to LSC grantees and develops and implements annual schedule for teams for on-site visits. Provides strategic vision and operational leadership to strengthen OPP's departmental infrastructure, including, systems, tools, workflows, and coordination processes that enable staff to collaborate effectively. Develops and continuously improves OPP’s internal operations frameworks, including the OPP Procedures Manual, workflow documentation, and reporting protocols. Drives continuous improvement and change management efforts, ensuring that operational enhancements are effectively communicated, adopted, and sustained across the office.
In consultation with the OPP Deputy Directors and staff, develops strategic and performance plans for OPP to attain office goals consistent with LSC policy and LSC’s strategic plan.
In coordination with the OPP Deputy Directors, develops and manages the OPP budget. Sets annual goals and objectives for the office and for staff, and identifies and provides appropriate training, support, and guidance to OPP staff.
Leads OPP’s efforts to promote the continuous improvement of grantees’ capacity to provide high quality, effective, and efficient legal services. Directs OPP’s programmatic oversight activities and grant making investments to assess service delivery approaches, identify systemic gaps, and elevate model practices.
Leads OPP’s efforts to evaluate, adopt, and integrate the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into office operations as well as grantmaking and oversight. Champions the responsible use of AI within OPP.
Coordinates with the Office of Compliance and Enforcement on all aspects of the full grant life cycle (competition, award, and oversight) ensuring that LSC is taking a holistic approach in engaging with LSC grantees.
In consultation with the Office of Training and Technical Assistance, recommends, plans, and implements policies and procedures for the evaluation of grantee legal aid programs and for the delivery of appropriate training and technical support to grantee programs; leads the OPP liaisons in partnering with OTTA to develop consistent oversight and training materials for grantees and supports OTTA’s maintenance and enhancement of LSC University.
In consultation with the Office of Data Governance and Analysis, promotes data-driven oversight and decision making across OPP by identifying evaluation protocols, metrics, and analytic tools to assess grantee performance, guide resource allocation, and inform strategic priorities. Ensures that OPP staff are proficient in using LSC’s data systems.
Coordinates OPP personnel matters with the Office of Human Resources, including recruiting and hiring regular and temporary employees, orientation, professional development and training, designation of work assignments, review of performance plans, and implementation of performance evaluations. Assures that LSC’s personnel policies are consistently applied to OPP staff.
Serves as a member of LSC’s senior management team, working in close coordination with other senior managers regarding policy issues pertaining to corporate operations and LSC’s relationships with its grantees.
Assists with drafting letters and policy memoranda to implement and interpret requirements to comply with the LSC Act, appropriation riders, and restrictions established by Congress.
Responds to requests for information from LSC staff, grantees and others regarding programmatic matters and OPP activities.
Coordinates with the Office of Legal Affairs in the development of regulatory policy related to program operations.
Promotes and models a culture of inclusiveness, diversity and equal opportunity within OPP and across LSC.
Effectively articulates LSC’s mission and philosophy. Serves as liaison to the Delivery of Legal Services Committee of the LSC Board of Directors. Make presentations to grantee Executive Directors and at professional conferences regarding LSC activities, projects, and policies. Maintains ongoing communications with national organizations and grantees on policy issues related to programmatic functions and issues.
Performs other related duties as assigned.