Description:

Responsible for the operations of a large program or center at the university. Oversees staff, budgets, and projects.

1. Oversees a large department, program or center.
2. Manages budget and engages in strategic planning to ensure all goals are met.
3. Hires and directs the activities of staff.
4. Resolves personnel issues as they arise.
5. Engages in budget-planning, grant oversight, and policy development.
6. Implements new programs and projects and monitors ongoing activities of department or center.
7. Reviews department policies and processes and implements improvements as needed.
8. Represents department or center to internal and external constituents.
9. Performs other job-related duties as required.

Additional Job Posting Information:
The University of Houston Law Center Legal Aid Clinics (the “Clinics”) are a teaching pro bono law firm as well as an academic program with 11 in-house clinics and 1 external placement clinic, with 19 faculty, 4 law clerks, a full-time administrative assistant, 4 work study students, and more than 90 law students and sundry volunteers each semester.

Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Clinical Programs, the Program Director is the administrative anchor for the Clinics. This leader manages and guides daily operations across all areas of the Clinic: administration, client intake, case management, human resources and fiscal management, and outreach. The Program Director also oversees all administrative staff and functions as the primary point of contact for fund development and marketing.

Key Responsibilities include:
1. Daily Administration
• Write, maintain, and communicate policy manuals covering financial procedures, technology, professional responsibility obligations, and office procedures for faculty, students, and staff.
• Serve as a primary points of contact for current and prospective clinic students on enrollment and office policy matters.
• Coordinate student recruitment, application, course enrollment, orientation and certification under relevant student practice rules, including admission to state and federal courts.
• Coordinate with faculty and adjunct faculty to ensure compliance with UH administrative requirements and deadlines.
• Maintain malpractice insurance policy information and oversee annual application.
• Develop and maintain interpretation and translation resources, including a list of available interpreters and connections to institutions involved in that work.
• Train faculty, staff, students, and volunteers on online law practice management system.
• Coordinate with Law Center facilities staff to monitor and oversee the maintenance and operation of the clinical offices within the Law Center building.
• Coordinate with the Law Center’s Office of Information Technology about equipment needs and issues.

2. Client Intake Case Management and Records
• Coordinate potential client intake processes and referrals for those potential clients the Clinics are unable to serve.
• Supervise the maintenance of paper and electronic law practice management systems to ensure confidentiality and compliance with ABA standards, grant requirements, and applicable professional responsibility rules

3. Human Resources, Fiscal Management and Procurement
• Manage the employment documentation, timesheets, and payroll for all student employees, consultants, and administrative staff.
• Conduct hiring, training, and performance evaluations of staff in consultation with appropriate faculty; supervise administrative support personnel in alignment with the Clinics’ mission and UH policies; resolve personnel issues as they arise
• Work with the Assistant Dean of Clinical Programs to prepare annual budgets, review monthly financial reports, reconcile purchasing card statements and ensure the Clinics remain within budget.
• Manage all facets of the Clinics’ budget and grant initiatives, including grant applications and periodic grant reporting. Monitor and keep accurate accounting records of all revenues and expenditures. Provide authorization for and manage all expenditures and petty cash disbursements.
• Maintain use of purchasing card, including making purchases and reporting such purchases.
• Coordinate work-related travel for faculty and staff, including submission of travel requests, booking air travel, hotel reservations, and payment of registrations.

4. Outreach, Communication, and Events
• Work with the Assistant Dean of Clinical Programs to write newsletters, brochures, website updates, social media posts, and other materials to market the work of the Clinics. Oversee the production and distribution of these materials.
• Develop and implement a plan for alumni relations and marketing the Clinics.
• Coordinate conferences, events, workshops, and pro-se clinics related to the Clinics, including media and logistics.
• Supervise the maintenance of the Clinic website and social media sites to ensure that all information is up to date.

5. Additional Responsibilities
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs.

Preferred Qualifications
Juris Doctor Degree
Demonstrated experience managing budget, grants, and financial reporting
Experience supervising staff and managing human resources functions
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write policies, reports and marketing materials
Experience in a law school clinical program, legal aid organization
Familiarity with ABA standards
Experience with grant administration and compliance reporting

Experience will be considered in lieu of education.

Materials required: CV, cover letter, three references.

MQ: Education: Requires a thorough understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of an analytical, technical or professional discipline; or the basic knowledge of more than one professional discipline. Knowledge of the discipline is normally obtained through a formal, directly job-related 4 year degree from a college or university or an equivalent in-depth specialized training program that is directly related to the type of work being performed. Experience: Requires a minimum of five (5) years of directly job-related experience. Certification/Licensing: None.

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.