The John Paul Stevens Foundation is seeking a full-time Program Director to lead the John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship program, manage all grant-making activities, and help guide the Foundation’s evaluation and strategic planning efforts.  The Program Director will be the second employee of the Foundation and will report to and work closely with the part-time Executive Director.

The ideal candidate will have a passion for supporting public interest law students, building relationships with grantee law schools and nonprofits, furthering the legacy of Justice John Paul Stevens, and working collaboratively with the Foundation Board of Directors and the network of attorneys who clerked for Justice Stevens. They have a proven ability to design, implement, and lead programmatic strategies, including in periods of rapid expansion.  This is an ideal role for candidates who are seeking a senior leadership role in a small and growing organization.

Location: California. While the Stevens Foundation is a fully-remote organization, all employees must live in California.

About the Stevens Foundation: Advancing a Legacy of Justice

The John Paul Stevens Foundation seeks to build a more just and equitable society. As a living tribute to Justice John Paul Stevens, the Foundation works to protect and promote democracy and the rule of law, access to justice, and equality by supporting law students, lawyers, and others working in the public interest. The Foundation furthers the legacy of Justice Stevens through the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship Program, which supports law students in pursuing public interest careers through: (1) a summer stipend for students working in unpaid public interest placements and (2) year-round programming for summer and alumni Stevens Fellows.  The Foundation is currently in the second year of a three-year plan of ambitious growth, expanding from 80 to over 159 summer Stevens Fellows and becoming the second largest summer public interest fellowship program in the United States.  (For more information please see www.jpstevensfoundation.org.)

Key Responsibilities

The Program Director is responsible for directing the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship Program, which includes designing and executing on all the Foundation’s grant-making and programmatic efforts as follows:

• Grant-Making: Design and maintain robust grant-making systems and processes including monitoring and negotiating grant agreements, stewarding relationships with grantees (law schools & nonprofits), and creating technical assistance and quality control programs in grant administration to ensure the successful implementation of the strategic plan for the Stevens Fellowship program.
  • Relationships with Grantees: building and maintaining strong relationships with the Foundation’s grantees (currently 42 law schools and nonprofits), including the administration of grant agreements and grant payments.
  • Technical Assistance and Quality Control in Grants: providing technical assistance to grantees in the administration of the Stevens Fellowship program, including the selection of Fellows, the inclusion of Justice Stevens’ values and legacy in the process, and the recognition of Stevens Fellows during their Fellowship.
• Summer Fellowship Program: Direct the Fellowship Program, ensuring its purpose as a living tribute to the legacy and values of Justice Stevens, and supporting approximately 160 summer Stevens Fellows, who are selected by the network of grantee law schools and nonprofits by providing financial support and programs (in development) during and beyond the summer.
  • Summer Programs: design and execute high-quality training and other programs in support of the summer Stevens Fellows during their summer public interest placements, build supportive relationships with Fellows over the summer; and create a sense of community between in the summer cohort of Fellows. This includes managing the application and review process of the four summer Stevens Fellows placed at nonprofit grantees.
  • Administration: manage the logistical administration of the summer Fellowship, including obtaining information about the Fellows from grantees, ensuring payment of the stipends, managing summer communications strategies including the social media announcement of Fellows, and leading evaluation strategies at the end of the summer.
  • Supervision: supervise a small group of summer volunteers (usually college students) in support of the summer Fellowship.
• Alumni Fellowship Program: create and direct a program supporting alumni of the summer Stevens Fellowship, including:
  • Year-Round Programming: design and execute high-quality training and other programs in support of the alumni Stevens Fellows.
  • Other Supports & Resources: design and implement other supports and resources for alumni Stevens Fellow, including mentorship programs.
  • Build the Alumni Network: design and implement strategies to build a connected network of alumni Stevens Fellows and forget connections among Alumni Fellows and Stevens Clerks, including by creating an active online community in a LinkedIn group.
• Strategy & Evaluation: work with the Executive Director to develop and manage a set of strategies to evaluate the impact of the Stevens Fellowship program, and ensure the on-going implementation of the multi-year plan to achieve the Foundation’s vision and mission, including:
  • Work with Evaluation Consultants: lead the work with the Foundation’s evaluation consultants to develop strategies and approaches to evaluating the Stevens Fellowship.
  • Strategic Planning: work with the Executive Director to ensure implementation of the Foundation’s 2022-2024 Strategic Plan.
• Other Operational Strategies as needed: The Stevens Foundation has two staff members: this Program Director role and a part-time Executive Director who is responsible for revenue generation and finance. The Program Director will work closely with the Board of Directors on programs, strategy, and evaluation, and there will occasionally be other organizational management tasks that the Program Director will either own or share with the Executive Director.

Requirements

• This position requires a JD but does not require being licensed to practice law in California.
• At least 8 years of experience in the legal profession, of which at least 5 years must have been in public interest roles in the nonprofit or public sectors.
• At least 2 years of senior-level responsibility for directing, overseeing, and implementing programs with demonstrated ability to deliver results
• An equity mindset (awareness of the inequities that exist at multiple levels from the personal to the systemic) and demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrated significant self-motivation and ability to work independently.
• Passion for and commitment to public interest lawyering as a tool for social change.
• Travel is required within California and nationally to fulfill the position responsibilities.
• The John Paul Stevens Foundation requires COVID-19 vaccination for all staff, with exemptions available in accordance with federal law

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong communications skills, including ability to write clearly and communicate effectively
• Ability to think strategically and to work collaboratively with others, including building internal and external relationships
• Experience delivering presentations or trainings.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize and work on multiple projects, activities, and actions.

Compensation

Salary for this position is based on a fixed salary scale based on experience level. This is a Director-level position. The base salary for this level of position is $107,000, plus $2,000 for each full year of prior experience in Director-level positions at public interest nonprofits with commensurate responsibilities, authority, and accountability. For example, the salary for this position with 2 years of prior experience in a commensurate Director-level role is $111,000, and the salary for this position with 5 years of prior Director-level experience would be $117,000. The maximum salary for this position is $129,000 for 12 or more years of experience in commensurate Director-level positions. The John Paul Stevens Foundation offers a competitive benefits package.

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three references by email to admin@jpstevensfoundation.org. Applications received by Thursday, December 22, 2022 will be prioritized; applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Your cover letter should speak to: (1) why you are interested in working at the John Paul Stevens Foundation; (2) how your background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to contribute to our work and perform the required and preferred qualifications; and (3) how your background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to contribute to the Foundation’s commitment to diversity and cultural responsiveness. Feel free to think broadly about your response to these questions, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.

The John Paul Stevens Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from persons of color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and persons from other traditionally underrepresented communities and historically oppressed groups.