Chief of Staff The Lawyers’ Committee is one of the nation’s leading national civil rights legal organizations, with the principal mission of fighting racial discrimination faced by African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities. The Lawyers’ Committee was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar’s leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity. The Lawyers’ Committee seeks an experienced and skilled Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff (COS) is responsible for ensuring the success of the Office of the President and Executive Director, enabling them to work most effectively with internal and external stakeholders. This is not an administrative role; it is highly strategic and facilitative and requires a combination of focus and flexibility. The COS helps to create structures and processes that both seize on opportunities and address the challenges inherent in a culturally and functionally diverse organization. The COS facilitates strategic thinking, and develops and institutes effective management systems and procedures. The Chief of Staff plays a critical role across all Projects in helping to ensure the organization achieves its mission and embodies its values. They provide support at every level, serve as a trusted advisor and resource to the President and Executive Director, and foster communication and knowledge-sharing throughout the organization. The Chief of Staff reports directly to the President and Executive Director and is a member of the senior management team. While the COS serves as a confidante and advisor to the Executive Director, they are also a collaborative and strategic thought partner to senior staff. The Chief of Staff ensures the regular and ongoing monitoring of and alignment between mission/values, strategy, structure and organizational culture. The Chief of Staff actively works toward strengthening bonds and working relationships among staff, recognizing and leveraging intersectionality and diversity, and encouraging shared collaboration and accountability. Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
Support the President and Executive Director, and work collaboratively with the Executive Management Team; Serve as a confidante, thought partner and trusted advisor to the President and Executive Director;
Collaborate with the President and Executive Director and the Executive Management Team to manage current and future organizational structure and cultural change; In conjunction with core staff, ensure that managements systems are in place to develop, mentor and empower and diverse workforce; Oversee efforts to support the development and sustainability of the organizational culture, emphasizing organizational commitment to inclusion and racial equity; Work with Human Resources and the Executive Management Team to ensure that all decisions related to staff hiring, management, performance, compensation, professional development and retention are thoughtfully considered; Supervise professional development opportunities, and establish career paths for attorneys and non-attorneys; Provide leadership on workplace culture; Promote employee engagement and high performance; Support the work of core Lawyers’ Committee’s staff committees focused on compensation, professional development and more; Establish policies, processes and procedures that ensure consistency and support continual improvement; Promote transparent decision-making processes; Chair some Board-driven committee meetings; promote best practices on board governance; create space, time, and processes for planning and preparation; and track follow-up tasks and outcomes; Support the President and Executive Director in projects with the Board; Help refine and implement the President and Executive Director’s agenda; Assist the President and Executive Director in managing relationships with organizational partners, as needed; Serve as proxy for the President and Executive Director in key settings, as needed; and Contribute to the organization’s thought leadership, including managing selfreflection efforts to ensure that the organization is continuously iterating, learning and improving.
Desired Characteristics: The Chief of Staff must have extensive experience as a senior manager and leader. The ideal candidate will be process- and systems-oriented and take pride working to build a stronger organization. The candidate must believe in the core values of the Lawyers’ Committee and embrace its mission. The ideal candidate can handle complex situations and multiple responsibilities simultaneously, mixing long-term projects with the urgency of immediate demands. They have the demonstrated ability to deal with confidential information and act as a liaison between the President and Executive Director and other constituencies,
both internal and external. They exhibit the skills to collaborate with and achieve actionable results through others, the ability to build strong and sustainable relationships and the capability to interact within all levels of the organization. The strongest candidate for Chief of Staff is a highly intelligent self-starter who demonstrates a commitment to the organization’s core mission. This individual is collaborative, builds rapport with others easily and establishes credibility. They have the ability to discern, clearly articulate and operationalize the President and Executive Director’s ideas, thoughts and perspectives as they relate to the organization’s internal purpose and objectives. The individual has a creative resourcefulness and a proven track record of consistently making sound and sometimes difficult decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience and judgment. The individual has a proven ability to foster diversity, equity and inclusion; manage growth; demonstrate significant accomplishments and past successes; be a strategic thinker and a hands-on planner and problemsolver; and be comfortable leading and sustaining change. They are a strong coach and problem solver, diplomatic change agent, and expert in understanding organizational dynamics. Minimum Qualifications:
Undergraduate degree required; JD or advanced degree in business, public administration, nonprofit management, organization development or a related field highly desired; At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience directly related to this position, in a nonprofit organization of comparable size; Problem solving, project management and resourcefulness; Collegial management style reflecting the ability to manage and lead people and groups, develop leaders and teams, build organization and staff capacity and promote individual and organizational success; Ability to gain credibility and respect with internal and external audiences; Excellent track record of working with diverse teams; Willing to conquer tasks big and small with an understanding of their vital importance in the success of the organization; Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, religion, sexual orientation, ability and socio-economic circumstance; and Commitment to working collaboratively and respectfully to resolve obstacles and/or challenges.
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume to https://podio.com/webforms/22891161/1624086. No calls will be accepted. Please note that applications will be accepted until the positon is filled. Salary and benefits are competitive for a nonprofit legal organization. Staff Benefits include Employer Sponsored (Medical, Dental and Group Life & AD&D); Voluntary Benefits (Vision
Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability and Supplemental Life) coverage; the opportunity to participate in the 403(b) Retirement Plan; Voluntary Flexible Spending (Medical and/or Dependent Care) and Commuter Benefits; 11 paid Holidays and Vacation/Sick days. The Lawyers’ Committee does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, personal appearance, genetic information, matriculation, political affiliation, or any other status protected under law. We strongly encourage candidates of color and candidates from underrepresented communities to apply. Accessibility Assistance: Although calls will not be accepted regarding questions about the position, if you are an individual with a disability and need assistance completing the online application, please call 202-662-8600 and ask for an applicant accommodation or send an email with the subject line “Applicant Accommodation” to
[email protected].
