Director of Administrative Services

The Opportunity

Are you ready to join an organization where you can make a difference in peoples’ lives?

Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Inc. (SMRLS) is seeking a Director of Administrative Operations located at its St. Paul, Minnesota office. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this position is responsible for overall management of the administrative operations of the organization.

The position is one of six members of the company’s executive leadership team that assists in setting strategic direction and determining key decisions across all assigned aspects of the organization. In addition to being a contributor to the company’s overall business strategy, this leader will have significant input for how the firm approaches its business operations and service delivery.

Responsibilities:

1. Direct Administrative Operations (30%)
   • Works with the CEO and Executive Team to identify, develop and implement operation business plans and monitor key metrics.  Collect and analyze evaluation information that measures the success of the organization’s program efforts; assist regional leaders and others in refining or changing programs in response to that information.  Responsible for monthly case data reporting, providing data for evaluations, annual case/hours reporting, board reporting, and regular case demographics reporting for practice group strategic planning.
   • Partner with Executive Team members to identify and provide administrative, technology, process, or other support as appropriate to facilitate the overall success of SMRLS’ initiatives or projects.
   • Oversee compliance issues related to major Federal, State and local funding sources.    Establish and maintain effective internal controls to improve SMRLS’s operational performance.  Ensures that SMRLS’ leadership stays abreast of current trends related to its business operations in a legal setting.  Participate in meetings of SMRLS Executive Team.
   • Provide direct supervision (in all non-legal duties) of the 3 regional leadership attorneys including ongoing assessment of leadership capabilities.  Support these leaders in development and execution of best practices in firm wide administrative matters. Take responsibility to ensure region meetings of program-wide specialists and special projects

2. Oversee Technology (20%)

• In partnership with the technology vendor, oversee the vendor contract to ensure they are, managing and maintaining various active network and server systems to help support SMRLS business objectives, including overseeing a variety of application-related projects, testing and modifying existing programs, and working on application modifications.
• Supervise, direct and develop frontline IT staff to help support SMRLS strategic technology plan.
• Provide analysis and recommendations on hardware and software necessary to obtain strategic technology objectives.
• Oversee technology grants and ensure budget and deliverables are met.

3. Direct Intake/Hotline (20%)

• Ensure effective operation of the program’s intake and hotline functions.
• Develop strategies and business models to maximize the incoming case potential while delivering high-quality service to SMRLS clients.  Utilize industry best practices to create an efficient and smooth-running operation to support the SMRLS mission.
• Participate on the Statewide Coordinated Intake Working Group; determine best methods to implement required changes for SMRLS.

4. Direct VAP Program (20%)

• Ensure effective operation of the firm’s Volunteer Attorney Program.
• Supervise VAP staff to help support SMRLS strategic plan.
• Develop strategies to maximize and sustain outside attorney participation throughout SMRLS geographic domain.

5. Direct Service Delivery and Quality Assurance (10%)
   • Position will promote a culture throughout SMRLS of providing client-focused access to justice.  Working with the Executive Team, the Director will set a tone of accountable, flexible leadership that results in high-quality business services with positive outcomes based on solid data.
   • Identify and implement service quality and client satisfaction tools

Qualifications and Skills:

• Advanced degree in Business required
• Experience in nonprofit management or a related field required, with minimum of five (5) years in senior management in a non-profit business.
• Preferred experience in high-level leadership of legal services program.
• Experience in strategic planning design and implementation preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work with persons from different cultural backgrounds is essential.
• Excellent communication skills are necessary along with the ability to learn quickly and to work hard, independently, efficiently and under pressure. 
• Strong computer competency required. 
• Juris Doctor preferred, but not required.
• Ability to Travel throughout Southern Minnesota

Benefits:

SMRLS offers a competitive compensation package with full benefits including:

• Paid time off,
• Health insurance,
• long-term disability,
• Group life insurance,
• The firm also offers voluntary benefits including dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term care and additional life insurance
• Option to work remotely up to 2 days a week

Salary

$80,217 + DOE, according to scale.  Excellent benefits provided

To Apply

Send a cover letter, resume and three references to:

John Joachim

55 East 5th St, Ste 800

St Paul MN  55101

John.joachim@smrls.org

Online at smrls.org

About Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Inc. (SMRLS)

SMRLS is a non-profit law firm that provides free, high-quality legal services to low-income people in critical civil matters. We receive federal, state, local, public and private funding to provide free legal help to low income and elderly people who reside in 33 counties of southern Minnesota, as well as, the areas served by its farm worker unit.

As Minnesota’s oldest legal aid program (founded in 1909), SMRLS has an experienced, dynamic staff of approximately 60 attorneys and 45 additional staff. Hundreds of volunteer attorneys help staff provide legal assistance to over 10,000 eligible persons each year.

SMRLS is a client-centered organization which is committed to its mission of providing a full range of high-quality legal services, in a respectful manner which enables clients to enforce their legal rights; to maintain freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness and abuse; and to empower persons and ensure equal opportunity, thus, helping persons to help themselves and to become economically self-reliant, to the extent their individual abilities and circumstances permit. SMRLS values, welcomes and promotes diversity in all aspects of its work. 

SMRLS IS COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE.WOMEN, MINORITIES, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.