Project Director

Indiana Legal Services Seeks a Chief Executive Officer Indiana Legal Services is seeking a visionary Chief Executive Officer to lead one of Indiana’s premier civil legal aid organizations. Guide a dedicated statewide team, advance access to justice, and build on a legacy of impactful advocacy and strong community leadership. AGENCY DESCRIPTION : Indiana Legal Services, Inc. (ILS) is a statewide, not-for-profit organization that provides free legal services to eligible clients in civil cases through eight branch offices. ILS is funded by the Legal Services Corporation, Indiana Bar Foundation, United Ways, Area Agencies on Aging, and approximately 40 other funding sources. The Agricultural Worker Project (AWP) is a program designed to support agricultural workers, including seasonal, migrant, and H-2A visa workers, and those in cannery, nursery/greenhouse, livestock, forestry or beekeeping work by providing free civil legal services and advocacy. It addresses issues such as unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, employer-provided housing problems, labor trafficking, employment discrimination, and H-2A contract violations . The project also offers limited assistance with public benefits and recruitment-related legal concerns. Equal Employment Opportunity / Affmative Action Employer ILS is committed to promoting diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any category protected by law. JOB SUMMARY: This is a full-time Project Director position. The Agricultural Worker Project Director leads the Project and is responsible for the overall direction, quality, and effectiveness of the Project’s work. The Director supervises staff and volunteers to ensure the Project provides high-quality legal services to eligible clients and appropriate outreach and education to the agricultural worker community. The Director will maintain a caseload and may participate in complex litigation, appeals, administrative advocacy, community education, and other efforts related to the Project’s mission. RESPONSIBILITIES: Supervise AWP staff, volunteers, and interns; assign and review work; oversee affirmative and defensive litigation; conduct performance and case reviews; support staff development; and ensure high-quality legal representation in compliance with applicable laws, professional rules, grant requirements, and ILS policies. In coordination with the Development Department, manage project grants, grant reports and grant applications. Run and review compliance reports to ensure the project operates in compliance with all relevant statutes, regulations, rules, grant requirements, and ILS policies. Represent ILS at community meetings and engage with statewide coalition partners. Assure the project reaches all relevant areas of the state. Develop and maintain relationships with community organizations and other partners, provide community legal education. Identify significant or emerging issues affecting client communities and develop appropriate legal, advocacy, or educational responses. Perform other duties as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS: A demonstrated commitment to the mission of Indiana Legal Services, which is to use the law to fight poverty and racism, empower clients, and improve access to justice. Juris doctorate degree and licensed to practice law in Indiana, or able to become barred soon after acceptance. Fluency in Spanish and English is preferred. Management experience is preferred. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Ability to travel as needed to perform job responsibilities throughout Indiana. Ability to establish and maintain excellent relationships with diverse populations. COMPENSATION: Starting salary is $73,400 with a range up to a maximum of $110,100 depending on experience. ILS offers an excellent fringe benefits package including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, Rx), disability insurance, life insurance, a 401(k) plan, a flex benefit plan and generous vacation and sick leave. ILS will pay up to $2,500 in moving expenses if the successful applicant needs to move from another city to assume this position. Indiana Legal Services, Inc. is a statewide, not-for-profit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income individuals. We are dedicated to helping those in need by providing equal access to justice for all. If you are interested in a career with Indiana Legal Services, browse our openings and submit your resume for consideration. ILS offers an excellent fringe benefits package including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, Rx), disability insurance, life insurance, a 401k plan, a flex benefit plan, and generous vacation and sick leave. If you are attracted to a mission driven organization committed to providing holistic civil legal assistance for low-income people, Indiana Legal Services is the place for you! Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Access for you, your spouse or domestic partner, dependent children, parents, and parent-in-laws to an employee assistance program through UNUM is provided by Indiana Legal Services at no cost for all employees. The EAP provides 3 free in-person counseling appointments, unlimited telephonic support available 24/7, and access to an online resource database. Travel Assistance - Access to an employee travel assistance program through UNUM is provided at no cost for all employees. Travel Assistance can provide emergency help for the following areas: Help replacing lost prescriptions and passports Referrals to Western-trained, English-speaking medical providers Hospital admission assistance Emergency medical evaluation Transportation for a friend or family member to join a hospitalized patient Care and transport of unattended minor children Legal and interpreter referrals Wellness Activities - Staff may record up to four hours (prorated based on FTE status) per month for wellness activities, participation in events organized by the wellness committee, other wellness activities organized within offices or projects, individual wellness activities, or any combination of these. Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) - Benefit eligible employees can elect a DCFSA which is used to pay for childcare or adult dependent care expenses that are necessary to allow you and your spouse, if married, to work, look for work or attend school full-time. Retirement plan - ILS contributes to a 401(K) retirement plan for eligible employees beginning upon the first day of the month following 3 months of employment. ILS contributes 1% of the employee’s pay. ILS also matches the employee’s contribution to the 401(K) plan at a rate of 50% of the employee’s contribution up to a total of an additional 2% of the employee’s pay. Loan repayment assistance - ILS reimburses eligible employees for minimum required student loan payments (all, not just law school), with an annual cap starting at $3000 and increasing to $5250 depending on years of tenure at ILS. This reimbursement is tax-free to the employee. This program is designed to dovetail with income-based repayment and public service loan forgiveness (PSLF). Several ILS employees in this program have qualified for forgiveness of 100% of the remaining balance after 10 years under PSLF. Professional dues - ILS will pay dues for members in professional organization and Indiana bar registration fees for attorneys up to a combined annual limit of $500.00. Employees may also apply this payment amount for an Indiana Lawyer electronic subscription at a group rate. ILS will pay dues for members in professional organization for paralegals and support staff up to an annual limit of $150.00. Paid time off Leave days earned and taken will be calculated upon the normal 7.5 hour workday. Leave is pro-rated based on the start date of a new employee and is also pro-rated for part-time employees based on their part-time percentage. Vacation leave - ILS provides vacation leave to regular full and part time employees. Temporary full and part-time employees may be provided vacation leave time, depending upon the provisions of the employment contract. Years of Employment Days of Vacation Leave First & Second 15 Third, Fourth & Fifth 20 Sixth 21 Seventh 22 Eighth 23 Ninth 24 Tenth & all years thereafter 25 Health care leave - All employees will accrue 14 days of health care leave per year. Health care leave is intended to provide a measure of security and aid to an employee in the event of health care appointments, illness or other health related issues, including physical, mental, and emotional health. Holidays - All regular employees may observe the following official holidays as time off with pay: New Year’s Day Martin Luther King’s Birthday Washington’s Birthday (President’s Day) Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Thanksgiving Day and the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Personal days - each full-time employee accrues two personal days annually; all of each employee’s personal time is made available for use as of January 1. Part-time employees accrue personal days on a pro rata basis. Bereavement leave - Should an employee suffer a death in their family, the employee will receive 3 days off with full pay. Parental leave - Twelve weeks of paid leave, paid at the employee’s normal rate, are available to full-time regular employees upon the birth or adoption of a child. Approved time for attorney candidates studying to take the bar exam and other tests – Attorney candidates who are studying to take the bar exam may choose to work half time, and the balance of time spent studying will be considered time worked, thereby qualifying the candidate for a full paycheck. Alternatively, the candidate may choose to be out of the office completely during the period before the bar exam, in which case ILS will recognize half time worked, and the employee will be paid half time until taking the bar exam. ILS will consider similar arrangements for other professionals addressing licensing or similar examinations, such as paralegals, social workers, and IT and HR professionals. The number of days provided for this study may not be the same as for bar study, depending on circumstances such as length and complexity of the test and recommended preparation time. Additional leave - ILS provides additional leave for qualifying circumstances, including qualifying military service, FMLA, education leave, witness duty, and jury duty. Medical Insurance There is no waiting period for medical coverage. Coverage will begin on an employee’s first day of employment. To qualify for benefits an employee must work 20.25 hours or more per week (54% FTE). Health Insurance through Anthem - Health insurance coverage is available to benefit eligible employees. Health insurance is provided at a cost to employees and is subsidized by ILS. 2025 Health insurance plan offerings and employee cost per bi-weekly pay period: Coverage Type: Core Buy-Up High-Deductible (w/HSA) Plan Employee Only: $140.23 $160.63 $48.08 Employee +Spouse: $315.59 $358.43 $177.08 Employee + Child(ren): $239.07 $275.79 $113.20 Employee + Family: $419.06 $478.22 $246.83 Dental Insurance - ILS provides benefit eligible employees with dental insurance for themselves and qualifying dependents at no cost. Vision Insurance - ILS provides benefit eligible employees with dental insurance for themselves and qualifying dependents at no cost. Health Savings Account (HSA) - Employees participating in the High Deductible Health Plan can elect to setup a pre-tax account through Financial Center Credit Union to pay for qualified medical expenses. The employee election amount will be withheld from their checks on a pre-tax basis. Account funds roll-over from year to year. ILS provides a starting contribution to employee HSA accounts in the amount of $250 (single); $375 (employee + spouse/domestic partner or employee + child(ren)); or $500 (employee + family). Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - Employees can elect a FSA which is a pre-tax account through iSolved to receive reimbursement for qualified medical expenses. The employee election amount will be withheld from their checks on a pre-tax basis, but the full annual election amount is available at the beginning of the plan year. Account funds must be used by December 31 st and do not roll-over from year to year (see plan details for rollover limits). Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) - Benefit eligible employees may elect HRA coverage, which provides up to $1950 of reimbursement for qualified medical expenses within the annual enrollment period. Employees must pay $100 towards the qualified expense prior to receiving reimbursement. ILS provides this benefit at no cost to the employee. Life Insurance & Disability Benefits Basic Life and AD&D Insurance - ILS provides full-time employees with basic life & AD&D through Standard. Basic life is 1x the employee’s annual salary. Basic Dependent Life Insurance - ILS provides benefit eligible employees working a minimum of 30 hours per week basic dependent life insurance, if it has been elected by the employee. Dependent Life Insurance provides a spouse benefit of $5000 and a child(ren) benefit of $2500. Additional employee and dependent life insurance can be elected by enrolling in voluntary life benefits. Voluntary Life Insurance - Voluntary life insurance can be purchased by all benefit eligible employees. Voluntary life insurance is available through UNUM and is paid for in full by the electing employee. Voluntary life insurance can be elected for the employee, a spouse, or child(ren). Short-term disability insurance - Short-term disability insurance is provided by ILS to all benefit eligible employees at no additional cost. Short-term disability provides financial support for up to 60% of an employee’s wages when they are experiencing a qualifying event. Long-term disability insurance - Long-term disability is provided by ILS to all benefit eligible employees at no additional cost. Long-term disability provides financial support for up to 60% of an employee’s wages when they are experiencing a qualifying event. #J-18808-Ljbffr