Director for Racial Justice – Legal Services Company

Position Summary 

The Director for this newly created role will bridge the organization’s efforts and build upon the capacity to engage in racial justice rights and work, by working with internal and external stakeholders, clients and community groups to identify issues, solutions and helping to create the skills and culture necessary to create change for the organization and its client communities leading efforts to create racial justice. 

The Director will report to the Executive Director and will be a member of the Company’s Executive Team and Management Team, with a concentrated focus to contribute to the development of organizational policies and practices and will serve as a Company leader in the community. 

Responsibilities will include:

Build Capacity for Racial Justice Advocacy:

• Collaborate with the Executive Team, Management Team, DEI Committee, and staff to develop and implement goals and strategies that advance the Company’s commitment to racial justice, to center racial justice in our operations and substantive practice, and to build capacity for civil rights and racial justice advocacy.
• Create and implement multi-pronged strategic plans using litigation, legislation, policy advocacy, community lawyering, and public education to advance the Company’s racial justice agenda.
• Assist Company colleagues in developing skills and advocacy strategies necessary to effect systemic change, and to identify and pursue racial justice in individual cases, and in systemic work, through litigation and advocacy efforts.

Engage with the Community:

• Using community lawyering principles, cultivate relationships with communities that are low-income to inform the Company’s work to affirmatively and consistently identify and address systemic and structural racism and inequity.
• Build, foster, and maintain relationships, and collaborate with other national, regional, state, and local civil rights organizations, coalitions, legal aids, government agencies, courts, stakeholders, advocates, non-profits, grassroots organizations, and lawyers to achieve racial justice.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development & Communications on media strategies that reflect and advance racial justice.

Provide Leadership:

• Build teams within the Company, engaged in racial justice advocacy.
• Collaborate with the Executive Team, Management Team, DEI Committee, and staff to implement DEI initiatives.

The Successful Candidate will:

• Be committed to the Company’s mission.
• Have relevant litigation, advocacy, policy, project management, and coalition-building experience with significant knowledge of and experience in racial justice, civil rights, and equity issues.
• Have 8 plus years of experience in legal services or other related legal work; nonprofit and management experience preferred.
• Possess leadership skills and experience.
• Have experience working with interdisciplinary teams and possess excellent interpersonal skills, including attentiveness to cultural needs and differences.
• Be licensed to practice law in Ohio (or be eligible for admission without examination).

Yardstick Management is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law.