Interim Chief Information Officer

MAJOR PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Legal Aid Society has an immediate opening for Interim Chief Information Officer (CIO). Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Interim CIO will engage closely with senior leadership. The Interim CIO will serve as The Legal Aid Society’s principal IT Officer, leading all aspects of technology operations including managing infrastructure, technology development, service delivery, cybersecurity and disaster recovery for the Society’s 2,400+ staff and 20+ office locations. The Interim CIO is responsible for ensuring consistent and efficient delivery of technology services, modernizing and maintaining technology systems, infrastructure and applications. The Interim CIO will also lead and coach a staff of technology professionals, ensuring high performance and the highest standards of industry best practices. The successful candidate will be strategic, knowledgeable, and committed to serving LAS’s clients and staff. The successful candidate will be able to work remotely as needed and will be expected to travel to offices in Lake Success, Long Island and to the Lower Manhattan office locations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer, IT internal team leadership, and practice area leadership to design and execute effective and measurable policies, protocols, and standards that govern IT work and ensure the Society’s technology needs are routinely monitored
• Provide strategic guidance and leadership to the Society’s executive management around the implementation and administration of technology
• Develop, operationalize, and track implementation of the Legal Aid Society IT strategy , including providing guidance on responsible use of AI and associated implementation support
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships to support the Society in the delivery of current and future technology requirements
• Manage the annual IT budget and deploy strategies to maximize its impact
• Ensure the most appropriate structure and allocation of resources are in place for serving the technological needs of all departments and practices areas across the Society
• Manage and direct the work of the IT teams responsible for building and maintaining the Society’s IT infrastructure, software, and cybersecurity
• Provide oversight and support to the IT team in the management of day-to-day service delivery
• Nurture an inclusive and diverse workplace culture within IT, which includes oversight of the implementation of a professional development and training program and annual staff performance evaluations
• Ensure policies and protocols meet industry best practices regarding cybersecurity and disaster recovery. Routinely review, test, and update the Society’s disaster recovery plan, ensuring system functionality to support operations at varying levels of “disasters”
• Ensure that technology products and services meet Society needs and are accessible to staff
• Ensure core technologies—e.g., computers, cellphones, case management system, cloud computing, servers, etc.—have routine replacement cycles, and that these cycles are executed
• Ensure all IT processes and services comply with all applicable requirements, laws and regulations
• Oversee the planning, management, and implementation of special projects to meet the Society’s technology needs, as needed
• Complete special projects and ad hoc assignments, as requested
• Other duties as assigned

TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of ten years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Master’s degree preferred
• Expert knowledge of industry standards pertaining to information technology software and hardware
• Experience leading large, sophisticated teams of diversified staff with significant technical skills
• Expert in conducting technological transformations, building and coaching teams, and combining crisis management with execution of long term strategic initiatives
• Excellent communication and presentation skills including conveying benefits of technological advancements to users with a range of skills
• Ability to navigate complex organizations with competing interests and limited resources
• Excellent diplomacy, communication, presentation, analytic, organizational and problem solving skills
• Sense of professionalism, confidentiality, independent judgment, and an exceptional work ethic
• Passion for justice and the non-profit sector preferred

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range: $200,000 - $220,000

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Click here to read more about benefits.

Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.

studentaid.govhesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs

WORK AUTHORIZATION

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be completed online via the career portal. We do not accept emailed applications. Submit the following documents as a combined PDF:

• Cover Letter

• Resume

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email TalentAcquisition@legal-aid.org.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients (people), to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us and our ability to build strong relationships with our colleagues. Every member of our community is expected to continuously learn about the dynamic, evolving, and emerging field of knowledge of identity, bias, and systemic forms of oppression and participate in productive efforts to dismantling bias in all forms.