Executive Director
Legal Aid of Western Missouri
Executive Director
Kansas City, Missouri
Legal Aid of Western Missouri (LAWMO) seeks an Executive Director to serve as the chief executive officer with organization-wide responsibility over strategic vision, financial oversight, stakeholder relationships, fundraising, program development and delivery of quality, efficient client services. This position is also responsible for overseeing the management of the organization and implementing policies established by the Board of Trustees.
The Executive Director’s key areas of responsibility include:
Program Development and Delivery of Quality, Efficient Client Services
- Ensures that LAWMO has a long-term strategic plan and oversees the implementation of that plan.
- Provides leadership in developing programs and strategies for delivering quality legal services.
- Ensures LAWMO is meeting program goals in quantity and quality.
- Demonstrates creativity and initiative in creating new programs.
- Maintains and utilizes a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the field.
Administration
- Divides and assigns work effectively, delegating appropriate levels of freedom and authority.
- Oversees eight director-level positions including: the Deputy Director, Director of HR, Director of Finance, Development Director, Director of Litigation, Director of Advocacy, Director of IT, and the Director of the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Provides vision and high-level problem-solving while working through strategies and across seven offices in a 40-county region.
- Ensures compliance with LAWMO policies as well as applicable state and federal regulations.
- Maintains a climate which attracts, retains, and motivates a diverse staff of top-quality professionals.
Community Relations and Fundraising
- Serves as an effective spokesperson for the organization, representing its programs and perspectives to stakeholders and the general public.
- Establishes sound working relationships and cooperative arrangements with community groups and organizations.
- Effectively advocates for funding.
- Manages donor and funder relationships and maintains effective stewardship.
Financial Management and Compliance
- Works with the Finance Director, Finance Committee, and the Board to prepare a budget and ensures that the organization operates within budget guidelines.
- Ensures adequate control and accounting of all funds, including maintaining sound financial practices.
The qualified candidate will have the following:
- Missouri Bar admission, with ten or more years of legal experience.
- An active Missouri bar license in good standing.
- Substantial experience in legal aid or similar non-profit or governmental programs and demonstrated competence in supervision, management and development.
- Management experience involving staff supervision, financial oversight and reporting, budget development and compliance with grant, contract and legal requirements. A minimum of 8-10 years of management experience is required.
- Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong skills in relationship building and stakeholder interaction rooted in collaboration.
- Demonstrated understanding and knowledge in development and fundraising.
- Experience and skill in communicating with an active and engaged Board of Trustees.
- Ability to establish and maintain close working relationships with an experienced staff.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:
The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. and stand or sit stationary position much of the time. Normal office working conditions, the noise level in the work environment is quiet to moderate.
Benefits:
- Medical Plans with PPO or HSA options
- Dental Plan
- Vision Plan
- Life Insurance
- Short-term and long-term disability
- Accident Insurance
- Critical Illness Insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care
- Health Savings Accounts
- Paid Time Off: Holidays, Personal, Sick and Vacation
- Travel and parking reimbursement
- 401k and employer match.
Please visit http://www.lawmo.org/careers/current-openings to submit your application, resume and cover letter.
Note:
We invite you to follow the link to our website for the official announcement regarding Alicia Johnson, our current Executive Director, and to learn more about this important leadership transition: https://lawmo.org/alicia-johnson-to-step-down-in-march-2026/
We invite you to follow the link to our website for the official announcement regarding Alicia Johnson, our current Executive Director, and to learn more about this important leadership transition: https://lawmo.org/alicia-johnson-to-step-down-in-march-2026/
LAWMO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Those applicants requiring accommodation to the interview/application process should contact Human Resources Department at EEO@lawmo.org.
Job Type: Full Time
Salary Range: $100,000 and over
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