Executive Director
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA) is a Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded legal aid program that has been providing free civil legal assistance to low income and other eligible residents of Broward County since January 2004. CCLA’s only office is located in Plantation, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The mission of the organization is to improve the lives of low income persons in our community through advocacy, education, representation, and empowerment.
CCLA was founded in 2003 as part of a statewide reorganization of civil legal aid programs in the State of Florida. Legal Aid Service of Broward County, the county’s only civil legal aid program at the time, was split into two programs so that the region would have both an LSC-funded and a non-LSC funded program. CCLA’s executive leadership and some of its current staff had been on the staff of Legal Aid Service of Broward County prior to the split and share its history of providing civil legal services to the poor in our community for more than 45 years. The two organizations have an overlapping board of directors, are located in the same building, and work collaboratively to serve the community.
CCLA currently has a staff of 32 and an annual budget of approximately $3.6 million. The organization’s staff is multicultural, reflective of the population in the service area. Free civil legal assistance is provided in the following primary areas of law: (1) family law and domestic violence; (2) civil legal problems of senior citizens, including housing/foreclosure, health, consumer, public benefits, and abuse and exploitation; (3) health and public benefits; and (4) services for veterans.
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is CCLA’s primary funder. Other funding sources include the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, Title III of the Older Americans Act, Victims of Crime Act, Supportive Services for Veteran Families, the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and private foundations. CCLA is financially sound with sufficient reserves to weather fluctuating revenues for the near term.
CCLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Fort Lauderdale and its surrounding areas offer opportunities for an active life style. The area offers dining, shopping, and cultural opportunities and excellent weather all year round.
The Position
CCLA is seeking an Executive Director to continue its legacy of providing excellent legal services to poor and vulnerable individuals and families in Broward County. The next Executive Director must possess a vision and a passion for advocating for the poor.
Roles and Responsibilities of the next Executive Director
• A proven record of expansion of services through grants and other innovative funding opportunities.
• Ability to work with CCLA staff to ensure that they are motivated and effective.
• Commitment and ability to work with and take direction from a board of directors.
• A deep commitment to representing poor and disadvantaged persons.
• Commitment to an ongoing partnership with Legal Aid Service of Broward County.
• Ability to work with other legal aid and legal services programs in the state in the coordination of the delivery of services to clients.
Qualifications of the Executive Director
• J.D. and licensed in the State of Florida or become licensed within one year of the start of employment.
• In depth knowledge and understanding of issues that impact low income persons.
• At least five years, and preferably ten years, of management experience including supervision of staff, financial management, budget development, compliance with grant and contract requirements, and grant reporting.
• Experience in resource development including grant writing and fundraising.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Leadership of a multi-million dollar organization, preferably a legal aid organization.
• Knowledge of LSC policies and regulations.
The Application Process
Applications for the position of Executive Director will be accepted until the position is filled. Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit their application by September 14, 2018.
Applications for the position should include a cover letter, detailing the candidate’s qualifications for the position, a resume, and contact information for three professional references. Applications should be e-mailed to: EDSearch@legalaid.org in Word or PDF format.
Submissions by mail will be accepted at Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida, Attn: Executive Director Search Committee, 491 North State Road 7, Plantation, Florida 33317.
Inquiries regarding this position may be directed to Steven Jaffe at sjaffe@uww-adr.com or at (954) 647-8158.