Vice President for Grants Management

Overview:       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 135 independent, non-profit legal aid organizations with more than 900 offices throughout the nation.  The Corporation’s mission is to promote equal access to justice and provide grants for high-quality civil legal assistance.  The Vice President for Grants Management plays a central role in shaping and developing LSC’s strategy to accomplish these goals.  The Vice President assists the President in the leadership and management of LSC and has primary responsibility for planning, developing, and implementing systems for LSC’s nation-wide grant-making and grants management.  The Vice President’s mandate focuses on promoting effective and efficient delivery of legal services to the poor, ensuring sound fiscal and management oversight, and ensuring compliance with the LSC Act, other governing provisions of the law, and LSC’s guidelines, policies, and grant conditions.  The Vice President reports directly to the President.

 PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversees the day-to-day programmatic operations of the Corporation in fulfilling its mission to provide funding for legal services to the poor in the most effective and efficient manner, consistent with the LSC Act, implementing regulations, and strong fiscal and managerial practices.  Serves as a member of the President’s senior leadership team and assists in the development and implementation of policies and procedures for the operation of the Corporation.  Works closely with the President and senior leadership team to set and achieve the Corporation’s priorities. 
• Manages the annual grant-making process and the assessment and oversight of grantees.  Manages the collection and analysis of data from applicants and grantees.  Recommends grant decisions to the President (who, by law, makes all grants).  Ensures focus on the following areas:  program quality and service delivery to clients; regulatory compliance; assessment and mitigation of program risks; fiscal oversight; strategic identification of program needs, objectives, and metrics; and enforcement of the Corporation’s policies and procedures on grants management.  Responsible for identifying and implementing best practices, policies, and processes for grant-making and grantee evaluation.  Develops and implements processes for ensuring sound management of LSC funds. 
• Supervises the Directors of the Office of Program Performance, the Office of Compliance and Enforcement, and the Office of Information Management, and, at the discretion of the President, the directors of such other offices as may subsequently be created and staffed; ensures leadership of all programmatic functions is consistent with statutory requirements.
• Coordinates communications regarding solicitation, review, and evaluation of grant applications.  Makes recommendations to the President for grant terms and conditions.  Serves as the point person for issues related to grant administration, management, and reporting.  Works with staff to ensure careful and detailed administration of approved grants, complete and prompt reporting, and payment tracking. 
• Works cooperatively with the Corporation’s Inspector General:  to comply with the LSC Act, implementing regulations, and other requirements; to detect and deter waste, fraud, and abuse; and to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the Corporation. Implements and manages systems that encourage Corporation’s employees and grantees to report suspected fraud, waste, and abuse without fear of retaliation.
• Manages the Corporation’s client complaint system and ensures that all client complaints are reviewed, investigated, and responded to in a timely, fair, and transparent manner.      
• If designated by the President pursuant to the Corporation’s By-Laws, and subject to applicable legal requirements, responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Corporation in the absence or unavailability of the President, with all necessary powers and subject to the same restrictions as if he/she were President.
• Promotes inclusiveness and diversity within LSC.
• Evaluates job performance of assigned staff, sets objectives for next evaluation period, and provides training where needed.
• Assists the President in preparing for Board meetings, including the development of agendas, and assists in the development and presentation of the Corporation’s budget to LSC’s Board of Directors and appropriate Congressional Committees.  Develops an annual budget request for LSC’s grants management program and, upon approval, assists the President in presenting the request to the Board of Directors.   
• Builds and maintains a strong network of professional partnerships for the accomplishment of the Corporation’s mission and represents the Corporation at meetings, conferences, hearings and Board meetings, as necessary.  Serves as subject-matter expert and media resource on matters related to Corporation’s grants-management program.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Outstanding leadership and management skills; grants management experience strongly preferred; excellent written and oral communication skills; strong commitment to principles of diversity; high degree of flexibility, capacity for self-management, and attention to detail; understanding of and commitment to organizational mission and goals; ability to influence, motivate, challenge, and inspire confidence among others; ability to develop and lead high performance/high morale teams and to foster teamwork; demonstrated experience working in and leading cross-functional teams in a mission-driven organization, including prior experience in reorganizations, change management, staff recruitment, mentoring, and evaluation; unimpeachable integrity and personal ethics; experience with labor-management relations preferred.

Technical/Specialized Skills and Experience: 

Admission to the Bar of the highest court of a state, territory or the District of Columbia; advanced degree in business or public administration (MBA, MPA, or similar degree) preferred; knowledge of the legal services delivery system, including grantee programs, other funders of legal aid programs, the private bar, and law schools; aptitude for rigorous data analysis; capacity to interpret laws and regulations applicable to LSC and its grantees; knowledge of and familiarity with fiscal oversight; ability to articulate the LSC mission and function, both internally and externally; commitment to a federally-funded legal services delivery system that works cooperatively with state and local governments and  private partners to promote equal justice under the law for the nation’s poor.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Salary:  $138,841 to $168,348 (including Locality Pay), depending on qualifications and experience. Excellent benefits package.  

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Submit a résumé, cover letter, and salary history to:

Legal Services Corporation

Office of Human Resources

3333 K Street, NW, 3rd Floor

Washington, DC  20007-3522

Fax:  202.337.6383

E-mail:  jobs@lsc.gov

Note:  Electronic applications are preferred.  If applying by e-mail, please include the job title in the subject line.  If reasonable accommodation in the application process is required, please notify OHR at 202-295-1571.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT:

LSC embraces diversity as a core value.  We recognize that our success as a Corporation depends upon creating and maintaining a diverse team of talented professionals, and we are committed to a workplace that reflects and supports diverse individual backgrounds and perspectives.  Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and non-discrimination includes race, sex, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, personal appearance, genetic information, political affiliation, marital status, family responsibilities, disability and status as a veteran, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws or regulation.  We strive to have a workplace that is comfortable and welcoming for everyone.