Legal Services Director jobs in Colorado

Job Title: Deputy Director

Location: Denver

Classification: Exempt

Reports To: Executive Director

Salary Range: $144,200 – $157,200 (this amount represents salary plus $4,200
yearly stipend). Salary commensurate with experience.

Application Deadline: Rolling, with interviews anticipated to begin in mid-January 2024

Organization Overview:
Colorado Legal Services (CLS) is Colorado’s statewide nonprofit legal aid program, with thirteen
offices providing civil legal assistance to low-income Coloradans throughout the state. CLS
provides free legal assistance in a broad variety of legal areas, including family law, public
benefits, eviction defense, consumer protection, services to survivors of serious crime and
human trafficking, and many others.

CLS has strengthened lives, assisted families, and supported communities–one person at a time
for over 90 years. We are committed to providing high-quality, free legal advice and
representation to eligible individuals throughout Colorado. We have a long history of successful
impact and advocacy. CLS strives to bring about substantive, transformational change in the
lives of those we serve.

Position Summary:
In partnership with the Executive Director and the other members of the Colorado Legal
Services senior leadership team, the Deputy Director will be a catalyst for mission-driven
growth at Colorado’s statewide legal aid nonprofit. Working in close partnership with three
directors of advocacy, the Deputy Director will oversee program delivery and advocacy for
Colorado Legal Services, ensuring a focus on client-centered, impactful client representation
and litigation. The Deputy Director will be a partner in change with the Executive Director,
working in tandem and in coordination with Colorado Legal Services staff to write the next
chapter to the organization’s nearly 100-year story of life-changing impact for low-income and
vulnerable Coloradans.

Essential Duties:

• Program delivery oversight (60%)

between six and eight legal or other program teams reporting to them.
o Working with the three advocacy directors, oversee all aspects of program

delivery at Colorado Legal Services.
o Guide the development of a strategic litigation program at Colorado Legal

Services.
o Oversee one or more Colorado Legal Services Programs directly, depending

on experience, interest, and need.
o Develop evaluation tools to enhance the quality and efficiency of programs.
o Nurture an organizational climate that attracts, retains, and motivates a

talented, committed, and diverse staff.
o In partnership with other senior leadership, ensure the accurate, timely, and

strategic work of grant applications and management.

• Change management (25%)

organizational plan in response to changing external realities. Serve as a
visionary and catalyst for change, proposing changes to procedure, strategy,
and tactics to the Executive Director, senior leadership team, and Colorado
Legal Services Board of Directors. And once approved, oversee the
implementation of such changes.

o Guide and oversee Colorado Legal Services priorities in the program delivery
side of the organization. For example, work with other CLS senior leadership,
to ensure the implementation of a performance management and growth
system.

o Serve as a thought partner to advocacy directors and managing attorneys,
encouraging and promoting a culture of innovation, inclusion, and impact.

• Executive Director support and special projects (15%)

partnership, DEI, and impact for all program delivery teams through
meetings, emails, retreats, and other culture-first engagements.

o Stand in the shoes of the Executive Director for internal programmatic
decisions when the Executive Director is unavailable or delegates authority.

o Working with the Executive Director and other CLS staff, maintain and grow
Colorado Legal Services’ leadership role among city, state, community
partners and national anti-poverty advocacy organizations, and coordinate
our work with those groups.

o Encourage and drive participation of Colorado Legal Services attorneys in
external stakeholder engagement.

o Lead and/or participate in other strategic projects in collaboration with the
Executive Director and other senior leadership.

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated commitment to equal justice and poverty law.

• Possess strategic vision and agility, including the ability to think strategically, foresee

January 2024

• Demonstrated commitment to the wellbeing and growth of staff, including a successful

• Must be licensed to practice law in the state of Colorado or be clearly eligible to waive

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Detail-oriented with strong critical thinking and analytical skills.

• Ability to set clear priorities and delegate.

• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize, develop, implement, and evaluate programs.

• Keen analytic, organization, and problem-solving skills, and professional judgment that

• Excellent human resource skills, including coalition building, supervision, mentoring,

• Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications:

• General counsel experience for a large organization, including knowledge and

• Entrepreneurial approach to building fundraising and stakeholder engagement.

• Immersed in partner community and Colorado legal community stakeholder

relationships.

Compensation and Benefits:
We offer a generous plan that includes 100% employer paid premiums for employee health,
dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance as well as partial employer paid premiums
for spouses/dependents, based on a sliding scale. We also offer Dependent Care and Medical
Flexible spending accounts, a 403(b) retirement account, and an Employee Assistance Program
(EAP). Additionally, CLS offers a $350.00 monthly stipend (to be used as you choose), generous
paid time-off and 12.5 paid holidays per year. CLS values its employees’ commitment to
working hard for the population it serves and recognizes the importance of work/life balance;
therefore, we offer flexible work schedules and hybrid work arrangements as appropriate. We
promote and foster a diverse, inclusive, equitable, and psychologically safe work environment,
striving to be a “Best Place to Work” in Colorado.

How to Apply:
Please email a copy of your resume and cover letter to hiring@colegalserv.org. Please include
“Deputy Director” in the subject line.

Note: Please mention how you heard about the job announcement in your email.

Please no solicitations from recruitment firms.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging:

January 2024

CLS embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as an Equal Opportunity Employer. We
are committed to building and retaining a workforce that respects and empowers each
individual and represents a variety of diverse cultures, perspectives, skills, and experiences. We
encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position.

January 2024