Senior Director of Talent Management

The Legal Aid Society has an opening for a Senior Director of Talent Management. The Legal Aid Society, the nation’s largest and oldest public defense and civil legal services provider is dedicated to a simple yet powerful mission: ensuring that no individual is denied the right to equal justice. For 148 years, we have protected, defended, and advocated for those who have struggled in silence for far too long – working on the front lines and behind the scenes to offer the people we serve the exceptional legal services they deserve. Through our Civil, Criminal Defense, and Juvenile Rights Practices, we offer an unmatched depth and breadth of legal expertise to vulnerable New Yorkers every year in over 200,000 individual legal matters while also impacting millions with effective advocacy, impact litigation and legislative agenda. We are dedicated to blunting the impact of poverty on individuals, families, and communities.

Reporting to the Chief HR Officer, this position plays a key leadership role in strategic planning, policy development, project management, and the coordination of effective and efficient Talent Management Strategies which includes talent acquisition, talent development and performance management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Talent Strategy, Policy, and Project Management

• Serve as a member of the CHRO’s leadership team in setting and implementing policy and leading improvements that have broad impact across the organization
• Create and lead implementation of practices that ensure Legal Aid attracts, develops, and retains the best talent, including talent pipelining, employee development, and succession planning in alignment with industry best practices
• Lead and oversee:
  • Talent Acquisition - sourcing and selection processes
  • Learning and Development strategies for professional and leadership development
  • Performance Management for union and nonunion employees across the organization (to be created after the start of the Senior Director)
• Regularly meet with leaders, managers, union representatives, and employees to assess workforce and organizational needs and develop and implement strategies, tools, and trainings to address those needs
• In partnership with stakeholders, identify and lead improvements in talent management practices across the full enterprise
• Transform existing processes where needed and develop strong connections and alignment across these 3 areas
• In partnership with the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, develop implement best practices to ensure equity throughout the hiring, development, and succession planning processes
• Collaborate with the Director of HR Data Operations on the design and implementation of technology solutions to support functions in this portfolio

Talent Management Operations

• Oversee design and continuous improvement of talent systems (ADP Recruiting, Aderant, etc.)
• Create strategy for the use of data systems, vendors, and consultants to build a solid foundation of integrated systems and processes
• Leverage expertise to develop HR policy and procedures
• Routinely meet with HR talent teams to troubleshoot operational or procedural problems or inefficiencies, support process documentation and standardization, gather accurate data and metrics, and provide collaborative & effective solutions
• Develop and routinely report out on key metrics and performance indicators
• Provide evidence-based research and connect to industry experts/consultants to infuse talent operations with thoughtful and effective practices

Supervision

• Supervise the Directors of Talent Acquisition and Learning & Development, and create and supervise Performance Management unit
• Support and perform management practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion in the workplace
• Identify, delegate, and document work responsibilities, roles, and procedures to meet the mission of the department
• Identify and implement department/unit management and accountability strategies to improve performance
• Lead organizational and culture change for the unit

Professional Development and other duties as assigned

• Participate in continuous professional development
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
• Other duties as assigned

TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 6 years in talent management (as a generalist or specializing in a specific functional area); or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Demonstrated experience with talent management strategies and operations
• Experience with information systems and data-informed decision making
• Prior supervisory experience

Preferred qualifications:

• Professional HR certification or master’s degree in a human resources related field
• Certification in project management or quality improvement methods
• Experience in a unionized environment
• Education or professional experience in anti-bias and inclusive practices
• Knowledge and/or experience in use of effective assessment tools

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Position Based Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of talent management strategies and workforce planning
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build trusting relationships and interact with staff at all levels
• Effective consultation skills and the ability to influence others
• Strong written communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines
• Ability to perform research and analysis; interpret and present data
• Working knowledge of federal and state employment laws particularly related to collective bargaining
• Proficient computers skills, including HRIS Systems, Microsoft Office Suite
• Highly analytical and systems oriented in trouble shooting and resolving issues
• Ability to lead through uncertainty, assess and gather relevant information, resolve, recommend or elevate resolution as needed
• Ability to clearly identify roles, responsibilities, delegate tasks and create systems of accountability
• Ability to create and implement communication plans that account for diverse perspectives
• Ability to provide meaningful performance feedback for professional development and performance improvement including having difficult conversations and resolving sensitive issues
• Perform duties with the highest regard for confidentiality, integrity, and respect for employee information

Organizational Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Commitment to Legal Aid Society’s mission to secure equal justice before the law for all New Yorkers.
• Interpersonal and communication skills that enable healthy and productive working relationships
• Ability to perform duties with the highest regard for confidentiality, integrity, and respect
• Commitment to Legal Aid Society’s mission and values

Physical, environment, travel, and other duties required: 

• Mostly sedentary, significant time using a computer and monitor; communicating and meeting using video
• Will require travel within NYC, across the five borough region
• Ability to lift 10 pounds on an occasional/routine basis

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.

• Resume
• Cover letter

SALARY TRANSPARENCY

The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role. The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range/ Salary: $173,000 - $182,000

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if an offer is made.

Click here to read more about the benefits of working at The Legal Aid Society

HIGHER EDUCATION AND LOAN FORGIVENESS

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs.

Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.

studentaid.gov

hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

WORK AUTHORIZATION

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

HOW TO APPLY


All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.