Management Information Exchange (MIE) seeks its next dynamic Executive Director.
MIE is a nonprofit organization that supports leaders, managers, supervisors,
administrators, and fundraisers in legal aid programs. MIE’s mission is to promote
excellence in management to ensure high quality civil legal advocacy on behalf of
low-income people across the United States. MIE advances best practices and
innovation in leadership, management, supervision and fundraising by supporting a
full and free exchange of ideas and providing training, and consulting, an online
resource library, and a flagship journal for the legal aid community.
This position is an exciting opportunity for an organized, energetic, experienced
leader and manager who has an entrepreneurial streak and is passionate about
supporting the legal aid programs that expand access to justice across the United
States. The Executive Director can be located anywhere with excellent internet
service and from which there is the ability to travel to MIE events without exorbitant
cost.
About MIE
MIE was established in 1985 to provide training for Executive Directors of legal aid
programs, and to share expertise and cutting-edge ideas through its Journal and
national meetings. Over the years, MIE has expanded both its training and its Journal
articles to include content that supports middle managers, fiscal directors and
development professionals working in legal aid programs and has developed an
online library of information and affinity listservs useful to legal aid managers. It
sponsors regular national conferences and provides consulting and technical
assistance to the legal aid field. It is an important member of the national legal aid
support community, maintaining relationships and collaborations with other national
legal aid and bar organizations. MIE has also become the preeminent hiring
consultant for legal aid programs engaged in Executive Director transition.
MIE has a small staff and consulting team – the Executive Director, the Director of
Programs, the Administrative Assistant, and the Resource Development Support
Services Consultant, assisted by other project-specific consultants. MIE’s work is
heavily supported by and dependent upon the work of its very active Board of
Directors and other volunteers committed to the delivery of legal aid to low-income
communities. For example, Journal articles are written by MIE’s readers - legal aid
managers and staff – and trainings are planned and led by MIE staff, with training
delivered by legal aid managers. MIE’s Board is comprised of leaders in legal aid
programs who bring a high level of experience and commitment to their support for
MIE.
MIE’s small budget is reliably achieved through subscription, training, and consulting
revenues.
Responsibilities
Areas of responsibility of the Executive Director include:
- Planning and strategy: working with the Board and staff to plan and carry out
the established core work of the organization, including both the services to
be delivered and the revenue structure required to sustain MIE.
- Identifying and anticipating developing trends and issues in the delivery of
legal aid so as to inform MIE’s work and develop new programs and business
opportunities.
- Budget and finance: working with MIE’s CPA, accountant and the Board
Treasurer, planning and carrying out the annual budget and ongoing
accounting and financial oversight.
- With the volunteer MIE Journal Committee and its Chair, quarterly production
of the MIE Journal.
- With the Director of Programs, other MIE team members and volunteer
committees, design and implementation of MIE’s conferences and training
programs.
- With MIE’s consultant network, meeting the need for executive transition
services in the legal aid community.
- Recruiting and engaging volunteers for all aspects of MIE’s work.
- Maintaining subscribers and attracting attendees to MIE events.
- Hiring and supervision of staff and consultants.
- Collaborating with the Board of Directors and facilitating its work.
- Expanding MIE’s capacity and role in the legal aid community’s efforts to
enhance diversity, equity and inclusion and racial justice.
- Maintaining relationships and collaborations with other national legal aid and
bar organizations working on access to justice.
Qualifications
While all applications are welcome, the ideal candidate will have many of these
experiences and skills:
Required Skills Attributes and Experience:
- J.D. or other graduate level degree or equivalent experience.
- Demonstrated commitment to excellence in management, with a keen
understanding of the role of management in building and sustaining
organizations that deliver great advocacy.
- Proven leadership and management experience in the non-profit private or
public sector including oversight or hands-on experience with finance and
budgeting, and business plans and operations.
- Experience in managing staff and/or consultants with an inclusive,
collaborative and transparent style.
- Exceptional communications skills, including experience writing, speaking, and
presenting to a wide variety of audiences.
- Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to rapidly build and maintain meaningful
relationships with staff, partner organizations, Board Members, member
organizations and volunteers.
- Creative, entrepreneurial and visionary approach to organizational goal setting
and performance.
- Analytical and problem-solving skills that enable sound, strategic decisionmaking.
- Willingness to engage in the broad range of activities required to maintain a
small organization (from paperclips to presentations!).
- A demonstrated commitment to promoting racial justice and advancing
diversity, equity, and inclusion, including race, gender, sexual orientation,
ethnicity, gender identity, family status, and disability.
Other desired and valuable experience (candidates are likely to have some but not all
of these experiences):
- Experience as Executive Director or Deputy Director of a legal aid program.
- Demonstrated experience with, commitment to, and expertise in the provision
of legal assistance to indigent and vulnerable communities.
- Executive experience in legal aid or other nonprofit advocacy organizations.
- Familiarity with the national legal aid system.
- Experience with nonprofit fundraising.
- Experience with inspiring, recruiting and managing volunteers.
- Experience with producing and publishing newsletters or journals.
- Facility with technology tools useful in organizational management.
- Experience in serving as an organizational consultant.
- Experience in planning and implementing training and conference events.
- Experience using both traditional media and social media platforms for
organizational messaging.
- Experience working with a non-profit board.
Compensation
Compensation appropriate to the applicant’s experience and the demands of this
position.
To Apply
Applicants should e-mail a cover letter explaining their interest, along with a resume,
to ExecutiveHiring@MIELegalAid.org . MIE also welcomes nominations for the
position.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but interested applicants are
strongly urged to apply by January 7, 2022. It is hoped the new Executive Director
will start by April 1, 2022.
MIE is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to build diversity, equity and inclusion
within our organization, through our work, and in partnership and allyship with the
legal aid organizations we serve.