Director, Office of Program Performance

Under the direction of the Vice President for Grants Management (Vice President), and with the assistance of the office’s Deputy Director, oversees the performance of 133 legal aid programs across the United States that receive funding from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). Manages the day-to-day functions of the Office of Program Performance (OPP), which employees 27 staff, including 17 lawyers.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Assists the Vice President in all aspects of LSC’s oversight of the programmatic performance of LSC’s grantees. Works closely with the Vice President and the Director of the Office of Compliance and Enforcement on policy implementation.
• Recommends, plans, and implements policies and procedures for the evaluation of grantee legal aid programs and for the delivery of appropriate training and technical support to grantee programs. Identifies evaluation protocols, metrics, and data needs to assess the quality of the legal services provided by grantees using LSC funding.
• Oversees the grant awards process and the grant oversight process. Ensures consistent application of policies and procedures. Recommends needed process changes. Reviews application evaluations and grant recommendations prepared by staff and makes grant recommendations to LSC leadership. Coordinates with LSC’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement on subgrants. Ensures that LSC’s President and Vice President have the best information available with which to make funding, renewal, and other decisions related to LSC grantees.
• Plans, supervises, reviews, and assesses the work of OPP staff directly assigned to the director. Provides general supervisory support to all OPP staff, including final review of reports of oversight visits to LSC grantees. Meets with staff regularly to create new strategies and projects and to advise on work matters.
• Determines composition of teams for on-site visits to LSC grantees and develops and implements annual schedule for teams for on-site visits.
• Serves as a member of LSC’s senior management team, working in close coordination with other senior managers regarding policy issues pertaining to corporate operations and LSC’s relationships with its grantees.
• Assists with drafting letters and policy memoranda to implement and interpret requirements to comply with the LSC Act, appropriation riders, and restrictions established by Congress.
• In consultation with the OPP staff, develops strategic and performance plans for OPP to attain office goals consistent with LSC policy and LSC’s strategic plan.
• Oversees the development of LSC’s best practices resources for grantees, including materials for the website, newsletters, and webinars and trainings.
• Develops and manages the OPP budget. Sets annual goals and objectives for the office and for staff, and identifies and provides appropriate training, support, and guidance to OPP staff. Evaluates performance of staff directly assigned both formally and informally and reviews assessments of staff assigned to the deputy director. Provides staff with needed coaching and support. Resolves informal complaints and grievances, and provides advice and counsel to staff related to work and administrative matters.
• Coordinates OPP personnel matters with the Office of Human Resources, including recruiting and hiring regular and temporary employees, orientation, professional development and training, designation of work assignments, review of performance plans, and implementation of performance evaluations. Assures that LSC’s personnel policies are consistently applied to OPP staff.
• Responds to requests for information from LSC staff, grantees and others regarding programmatic matters and OPP activities.
• Participates in the development of regulatory policy related to program operations.
• Promotes improvement of grantees’ capacity to provide high quality, effective, and efficient legal services and assesses service delivery approaches to develop models that improve client service.
• Promotes inclusiveness and diversity within LSC.
• Effectively articulates LSC’s mission and philosophy. Serves as liaison to the Delivery of Legal Services Committee of the LSC Board of Directors. Makes presentations to grantee Executive Directors and at professional conferences regarding LSC activities, projects, and policies. Maintains ongoing communications with national organizations and grantees on policy issues related to programmatic functions and issues.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.