Executive Director

The Community Legal Center (“CLC”), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation located in Memphis, Tennessee, seeks an Executive Director (“ED”) who possesses a vision and demonstrated passion for serving and advocating for lower income and other vulnerable populations. With a FY2021 operating budget of over $820,000 and a staff of 13, the CLC receives in excess of 4000 calls a year, providing civil legal services ranging from brief legal advice to full representation for about 2000 persons each year. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for the Community Legal Center’s staff, programs, and execution of its mission. The successful candidate, who must be an attorney, will initially develop deep knowledge of core programs, operations, and the business plan currently prioritizing the organization’s work.

The CLC’s mission is to provide civil legal services to those with limited means and those at risk, including populations not served by other legal aid agencies. This comes from our conviction that regardless of one’s circumstance in life, each person deserves the opportunity to seek justice. Only when other basic needs have been met do most people have sufficient income to pay for a private lawyer.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Management

• To have ultimate responsibility for the implementation and direction of CLC according to policies set by the Board of Directors;
• To regularly keep the Board of Directors fully apprised of CLC’s on-going financial status and to highlight fiscal issues that need Board action;
• To oversee and maintain compliance with the requirements for all current and potential funding sources, including Federal and State Governments, IOLTA and private donors;
• To have ultimate responsibility for obtaining funding support, developing the program budget, allocating program resources according to priorities and maintaining accurate financial records;
• To provide the leadership and structural support for staff to strengthen, protect and deliver high quality legal representation for clients;
• To collaborate with client organizations, partners, and service providers on behalf of eligible clients in seeking funding, raising the profile of the organization in the broader community, and providing services to appropriate clients;
• To have ultimate responsibility for all personnel matters including establishing qualifications for all staff positions, hiring and firing all attorney, non-attorney and management staff as necessary, establishing personnel policies and establishing all operational procedures;
• To mentor and build team leaders within the organization; to actively promote supervisorial training, improved communication and the development of skills for all CLC administration, management and staff;
• To have ultimate responsibility for all attorney supervision; and
• To perform other duties as the Board may from time-to-time describe.

Fundraising and Communications

• To serve as the public face of CLC, carrying out a leadership role in maintaining and strengthening CLC’s collaborations with legal aid networks, client community organizations, and other legal services and program-related organizations;
• To maintain and strengthen our existing funding relationships; and
• To develop and cultivate new relationships with individual and corporate donors that lead to an increase and diversification of our funding sources.

Strategic Planning and Execution

• To conduct effective, ongoing strategic planning;
• To help CLC achieve the goals established by the Board of Directors in its strategic plans;
• To creatively work with the Board of Directors so its members actively contribute to the success of CLC; and
• To regularly advise the Board of Directors on policy matters, implement Board policies and attend Board meetings, and support the Board in identifying goals and priorities for CLC.

SALARY RANGE: $75,000 - $85,000, depending on qualifications and experience.