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CLSO is inviting qualified candidates to apply for our Executive Director position

Community Legal Services of Ottawa / Services juridiques communautaires d’Ottawa (CLSO) is a not-for-profit community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario. CLSO’s 30 staff members include lawyers, community legal workers, a community developer and administrative and support staff members. Together, we provide legal services to ensure justice for the low-income and vulnerable residents of Ottawa; we work closely with many partner organizations; and we engage in community development initiatives, law reform advocacy and public legal education activities. CLSO has three full-service locations to serve clients and provide justice in our communities.

CLSO is inviting qualified candidates to apply for our Executive Director position. The Executive Director is responsible for all CLSO operations. Working with strong management and staff teams, the Executive Director coordinates and ensures the effective delivery of high-volume legal clinic services. The Executive Director reports to and works closely with an engaged community board of directors. As a focused community-driven leader, the Executive Director collaborates with many stakeholders and is a community spokesperson.

Position: Executive Director
Effective Date: June 2022
Reports to: Board of Directors
Responsible for: Overseeing and managing the legal clinic; coordinating and directing staff teams of approximately 30 staff; all service delivery
Location of Work: During COVID-19 measures: Both virtual and/or on-site following safety protocols measures in place

After COVID: On-site full-time (Ottawa, Ontario)

Salary: $115,000 – $142,000 plus generous group benefits and RRSP or pension contributions

CLSO encourages applications from: women; Indigenous people, First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons; black people; members of racialized communities; persons with disabilities; and people of diverse gender identities or expressions. We are committed to providing an accessible, barrier-free recruitment and selection process.

Main Responsibilities:

Management of Service Delivery and Legal Clinic Operations

  • Oversee all plans for the delivery of high-quality legal clinic services
  • Work with and supervise CLSO’s management team to ensure delivery of high-quality services, to coordinate activities between CLSO’s locations and to manage CLSO’s workplaces and resources
  • Oversee CLSO’s annual priorities
  • Monitor CLSO activities and ensure effective systems and procedures are in place
  • Ensure that highly effective relationships are maintained with partner legal clinics, funders, government and political representatives and many other stakeholders
  • Oversee CLSO’s law reform, community legal initiatives, public advocacy, media and outreach work
  • Supervise activities at one CLSO location
  • If licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, provide direct client services on a limited basis

 Financial Management

  • Monitor all finances, budgets, and financial controls (with CLSO’s director of administration)
  • Oversee annual financial audit
  • Financial reporting to Board of Directors and funders
  • Identify and pursue funding opportunities

Supporting the Board of Directors

  • Ensure Board of Directors has all information and resources to fulfill its governance responsibilities
  • Support, advise and make recommendations about planning, policies, programs and finances
  • Maintain knowledge of corporate requirements and relevant legislation; advise the Board about risks

Human Resources Management

  • Recruit, hire and supervise staff members
  • Oversee compliance with personnel policies
  • Mentor staff members
  • Promote employee engagement and a positive organizational culture

Policy Development and Implementation

  • Develop and oversee implementation of legal clinic policies

Experience and Qualifications:

  • Post-secondary education in law is strongly preferred, or in a related field
  • Law Society of Ontario license in good standing is strongly preferred
  • 5 years of progressive management and leadership experience in the not-for-profit sector, including financial oversight, planning and reporting, and human resource management
  • Strong management and leadership experience in directing an engaged team of professional and administrative staff
  • Experience working with a community board of directors
  • Community legal clinic or equivalent experience serving low-income clients and vulnerable populations a strong asset
  • Capacity to work in French is preferred. Fluency in other languages spoken by CLSO clients is an important asset

In addition to review of qualifications, interviews and reference checks, successful candidates may be invited to participate in a written test and/or other assessment tools.

How to Apply

Please send a cover letter and resume to CLSORecruitment@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 25, 2022. Attention to Ms. Lauren Evans.

About CLSO

Please visit our website for more information about our organization @ https://www.clsottawa.ca/

This position requires full vaccination against COVID-19.  Should you reach the point in the selection process where it is necessary to verify terms and conditions of employment you will be asked to provide proof of vaccination.