Executive Director
New Hampshire Legal Assistance Seeks an Executive Director
New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA) seeks an Executive Director to lead this award winning nonprofit legal aid organization which is the cornerstone of civil justice for people in poverty throughout New Hampshire. To address legal problems which affect daily survival and most basic needs, NHLA offers its clients high quality civil legal services, including vigorous and thorough individual representation in New Hampshire’s courts and complex impact litigation and multi-faceted legislative and regulatory advocacy.
About the Position
The next Executive Director will lead NHLA at a time of great opportunity to continue and enhance the organization’s preeminence as a force for client services, nurture the rising generation of NHLA staff, and continue its leadership role in New Hampshire and throughout the national legal aid community.
High Priority Roles and Responsibilities for the Next Executive Director:
· To provide the leadership and structure to support and strengthen NHLA’s high quality legal work and maximize impact for clients.
· To increase NHLA revenue from all sources, including state appropriations, private fundraising, and grants and contracts.
· To build on NHLA’s history of successful legislative and regulatory advocacy for its client community.
· To engage creatively with the NHLA board and help board members contribute to NHLA’s success.
· To further develop and implement NHLA’s next strategic plan.
· To continue to develop exceptional staff.
· To deepen relationships among partners so that the organizations serving low income clients work increasingly better together.
· To serve effectively as the public face of NHLA in its communities and relationships.
Qualifications of the Next Executive Director:
· A deep commitment to advocacy for the legal rights of low income and vulnerable clients; experience in a legal aid organization is preferred.
· Successful experience in resource development, including state legislative funding, private fundraising and grant writing.
· Experience in or skills suited to working in the legislative arena.
· Management experience involving staff supervision, financial oversight and reporting, budget development, and compliance with grant, contract and legal requirements.
· A job/responsibility trajectory that shows drive, rapid advancement and peer recognition.
· A practice of collaborative relationship building and stakeholder interaction.
· Demonstrated success thriving in a non-hierarchical setting.
· High emotional intelligence; high work ethic; humility; unquestioned integrity of the highest order.
· JD degree and NH license or eligibility to become licensed in NH.
About New Hampshire Legal Assistance
NHLA receives generous support from a broad spectrum of the New Hampshire community and beyond. Its largest funding sources are the State of New Hampshire and the Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) program of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation. It has received grants from numerous local, state and national foundations, United Ways, and municipal, state and federal agencies. Also important is the ongoing support of local law firms, individual lawyers and others in the business community through the annual Campaign for Legal Services.
NHLA has been a pioneer in in promoting salary improvements, law school loan assistance, and other measures that enhance staff recruitment and retention in order to provide its clients with creative and skillful advocacy.
NHLA currently has a staff of 40, working in five offices. NHLA’s budget for 2018 is $3.9 million.
NHLA carries out its work in partnership with the Legal Advice and Referral Center (LARC), which provides legal advice by telephone and online intake. NHLA and LARC have integrated boards of directors which meet together and function as one policy-making and oversight body to unify the direction and vision of the two organizations. A third key partner is the Pro Bono Referral Program of the New Hampshire Bar Association which recruits and trains private attorneys to assist low income families and individuals with basic legal issues. NHLA’s advocates collaborate with a range of community agencies and allies in the legal system and in the social service network.
For more information about New Hampshire Legal Assistance, visit www.nhla.org.
About New Hampshire
New Hampshire is regularly ranked as one of the top states to live in the country. With beautiful mountains and forests, pristine lakes, and a vibrant Seacoast, New Hampshire residents are afforded a wide range of recreational and cultural activities. NHLA’s administrative office is located in Concord, which is just over an hour’s drive away from Boston, Massachusetts.
Qualifications of the Next Executive Director:
· A deep commitment to advocacy for the legal rights of low income and vulnerable clients; experience in a legal aid organization is preferred.
· Successful experience in resource development, including state legislative funding, private fundraising and grant writing.
· Experience in or skills suited to working in the legislative arena.
· Management experience involving staff supervision, financial oversight and reporting, budget development, and compliance with grant, contract and legal requirements.
· A job/responsibility trajectory that shows drive, rapid advancement and peer recognition.
· A practice of collaborative relationship building and stakeholder interaction.
· Demonstrated success thriving in a non-hierarchical setting.
· High emotional intelligence; high work ethic; humility; unquestioned integrity of the highest order.
· JD degree and NH license or eligibility to become licensed in NH.
Application Process
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. To receive full consideration, please submit your application materials by October 1, 2018. Please include a letter expressing in detail your interest in the position, your qualifications, and what you hope to contribute to the organization’s future; a current resume; and the names and contact information for three professional references.
Materials should be emailed to Alexandra@hessgehris.com.
Candidates with questions about the position or process are encouraged to contact Alexandra Lana, assistant to the Search Committee, at Alexandra@hessgehris.com or (603) 225-0477.
NHLA expects to make a hiring decision in October 2018 and hopes to have the successful candidate join the organization in November 2018.
NHLA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates with disabilities, women, persons of color and others who represent distinct linguistic or cultural communities to apply.