Job Details

Overview

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing legal assistance and advocacy for low-income individuals and families. We work to ensure access to justice and fair treatment in the areas of housing, consumer rights, family law, and other essential legal services. Learn more about our work at

As a critical member of the management team, the Chief of Staff provides strategic leadership and support to the CEO and management team, ensuring effective organizational development, team management, staffing, work planning, and cross-team collaboration and alignment. This includes executing organizational planning processes, supporting division chiefs in fostering effective teams, and strengthening cross-team cohesion.

What you get when you come to JALA

JALA is the premier litigation legal aid firm in the Southeastern United States. We are mission-driven, and our team makes a difference in our community. As a JALA employee, you can expect immediate hands-on experience interviewing and counseling clients as well as litigating cases in Federal and State courts. Staff can expect to take on challenging cases for our at-risk clients while being mentored and supported in taking on such cases.

While there is a premium placed on initiative and self-motivation, you can expect to be supervised by lawyers who are recognized as subject matter experts in their field. Our lawyers and paralegals regularly serve on local and statewide committees, and our lawyers have gone on to become hearing officers, magistrates, judges, and administrative law judges. In addition to the opportunity to litigate early, our lawyers and staff are trusted as professionals - we have adopted a hybrid work environment (although not all positions are able to work remotely).

Regardless of what others may prefer, we embrace diversity and inclusion as a way to ensure we are the most prepared to offer the best and highest level of representation for clients, as this is what they deserve from us.

Salary/Benefits

Salary commensurate with experience. Sign-on bonus. Benefits package include, but are not limited to, hybrid work model, medical, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, group life insurance, 401(k) (match 100% of deferrals up to 6% of compensation), generous leave policy (13 paid holidays plus 22 personal leave days in first year, one-month sabbatical every four years), and membership in Access Perks, a private discount network. $82,350 yearly minimum if 8 years of experience.

How to apply

To apply, submit a resume, a minimum of two professional references, and salary requirements, if any.

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Responsibilities

• Organizational Development:
  • In collaboration with the CEO, lead the development and implementation of strategic planning
  • Oversee and collaborate with senior management on annual work planning and monitoring progress towards goals
  • Plan and execute staff meetings and organizational development activities
  • Evaluate and strengthen the organization's staffing model and structures
• Executive Support:
  • Advise the CEO on organizational development and management needs
  • Collaborate with HR in executing senior leadership hiring and onboarding
  • Coordinate and facilitate key organizational meetings
• Team Management:
  • Supervise, support, and evaluate managing attorneys and division chiefs in performing their team management duties and achieving team development goals
  • Collaborate with HR to provide professional development to managing attorneys and division chiefs, implement succession planning, and support conflict resolution
  • Lead initiatives to strengthen internal communication and alignment around JALA's organizational values, cross-team collaboration, and collective achievement of internal organizational goals
• Supervisory Responsibilities and/or Key Relationships:
  • Responsible for partially supervising and supporting the success of division chiefs and directors in effectively managing and developing their teams
• Division Chiefs and Directors
  • Provide leadership, vision, and guidance to staff in organizational development, team building, and planning activities

Qualifications

• Excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Strong leadership and people skills, with the ability to motivate and support teams and stakeholders
• Immense level of emotional intelligence, and proven interpersonal, conflict-resolution, and relationship-building skills
• Excellent organizational, planning, and project management skills
• Exceptional communication (verbal and written)
• Deep commitment to the mission and values of JALA, including equity and inclusion

Education and Experience

Required:

• Member in good standing of The Florida Bar
• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in nonprofit leadership, management, or equivalent related experience, with proven success in organizational strategy, planning, and implementing staff development and building effective and cohesive teams
• Experience working with diverse communities, including communities of color and low-income populations
• Experience working with diverse communities, including communities of color and low-income populations
• Experience working for nonprofits in the legal, policy, or social justice fields

Compensation

$82,350 yearly minimum

The mission of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. is to provide high-quality legal assistance to low-income and special needs groups, to empower them to accomplish energetic and affirmative advocacy, all to alleviate the circumstances, incidents, and causes of poverty and discrimination.

Developed during the Great Depression and subsequent recession of 1937, the organization that has become Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. (JALA) was born when a group of Jacksonville Bar attorneys banded together to provide legal services to those in need.

Called different names over the years, including Duval County Legal Aid Association, it was officially named Jacksonville Area Legal Aid in 1973. The organization achieved 501(c)3 status in 1976. JALA now serves 17 counties of North Florida, including Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union.