Program Counsel for Disaster Grants II/III

Department: Office of Program Performance

Employment Status: Regular/Full-Time/Exempt

ABOUT LSC:

Established by Congress in 1974, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the country’s single largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. LSC currently funds 131 independent nonprofit legal aid organizations with more than 800 offices throughout the nation. LSC’s mission is to promote equal access to justice and provide grants for high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans.

This position is based in Washington, DC, and will require working from an office in DC in accordance with LSC’s hybrid work model. The successful candidate must live in the DC metropolitan area.

BASIC FUNCTION:

Under the general direction of the Director of the Office of Program Performance (OPP) and their designee, coordinates the work of the Legal Services Corporation’s (LSC) various disaster relief and recovery grant projects. Helps to administer disaster-related grant programs and performs related activities. This includes helping to develop, improve, and implement disaster-related grant administration processes, evaluating the performance of grantees, and working with grantee programs to coordinate disaster relief and recovery initiatives. Moderate travel is required. This position is included in a collective bargaining unit represented by the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, Local 135.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conducts programmatic oversight of disaster grantee programs and promotes improvement of grantees' ability to provide high-quality, effective, and efficient legal services in its disaster recovery efforts.
• Contributes to developing LSC-wide strategy for addressing disaster-related legal needs for low-income individuals, including grant protocols and processes.
• Establishes and communicates performance expectations to grantees; conducts on-site visits to monitor activities and to evaluate grantee performance; ensures adherence to all grant terms and conditions; identifies compliance concerns and refers grantees, as necessary, for compliance and enforcement; reviews grantee requests for extensions and other grant-related requests; recommends dispositions; reviews and approves project milestones and budgets.
• Provides technical assistance to grantees related to disaster legal aid service delivery and disaster recovery and preparedness.
• Responds to inquiries from applicants and the public regarding disaster relief grants.
• Evaluates disaster-related grant applications and makes funding recommendations to OPP management and the Executive Office.
• Coordinates with other LSC offices in LSC’s overall work on disaster grants, providing information and other assistance as needed. Keeps LSC OPP management, the Executive Office, and the Office for Government Relations and Public Affairs informed of the status of disaster grants, the impacts of disasters on LSC grantees, and other information, as requested.
• Participates in conferences, serves on panel discussions, and conducts presentations regarding disaster relief and recovery, particularly related to legal aid assistance.
• Researches and assesses approaches to disaster relief and recovery, particularly related to legal aid assistance.
• Promotes knowledge-sharing and improvement of the grantees’ capacity to provide high-quality, effective, and efficient legal services, particularly as to disaster relief.
• Serves as a subject matter expert for all LSC disaster-related projects, including but not limited to the Legal Aid Disaster Resource Center website (LADRC.org), Heartland Disaster Help website (heartlanddisasterhelp.org), and any other LSC Disaster team materials.
• If applicable, serves and participates on regional and national disaster legal aid-related partnerships, committees, networks, or advisory groups, as appropriate.
• Other related duties, as assigned.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

General:

• Excellent written communication skills with demonstrated ability to produce professional, clear, well-written work product that requires minimal editing.
• Excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to reach different audiences and effectively manage conflicts.
• High degree of flexibility, capacity for self-management, and attention to detail.
• Strong organizational abilities, including capacity to manage multiple priorities with shifting and/or competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Excellent customer service focus and unimpeachable integrity and adherence to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
• Ability to influence, motivate, challenge, and inspire confidence among others, and work effectively with team members.
• Ability to function in a discreet, diplomatic, and confidential matter.
• Understanding of and commitment to the organizational mission and goals.

Technical/Specialized:

• A law degree from an accredited law school and admission to the Bar of the highest court in a jurisdiction. Must be in good legal standing.
• Must have a minimum of five years of experience in the practice of law for a Program Counsel II position or a minimum of eight years of experience in the practice of law for a Program Counsel III position.
• Ability to conduct thorough program evaluations and reviews of program practices through effective interviewing, research, and application of relevant regulatory authority.
• Ability to identify and understand trends that affect LSC, its grantees, their clients, and the broader legal services community. Must possess solid research and analytical skills.
• Capacity to interpret the LSC Act, Appropriations Riders, LSC regulations, policies, and rules as they influence the legal services delivery system, and the ability to design and implement changes that respond to these laws.
• Knowledge of or familiarity with the emergency management cycle preferred, but not required.
• Familiarity and experience with grants management and project management. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite.