The Shriver Center on Poverty Law fights for racial and economic justice. We litigate, shape local policy, and train and convene multi-state networks of lawyers, community leaders, and activists to advance opportunity for all — not just the few. Over nearly 60 years, we have secured hundreds of law and policy victories with and for people experiencing economic instability in Illinois and across the country.
Our country is rife with laws and policies that systematically disadvantage certain groups while advantaging others based on their race, gender, and other facets of their identities. We believe laws and policies — and the institutions that apply them — should be designed to support people. Together, we’re turning this ideal into reality.
We are building a future where all people, families, and future generations have equal dignity, respect, and power under the law. Join the fight at povertylaw.org.
Position Overview: The Shiver Center is seeking a Director of Housing Justice to provide strategic leadership and management of its work to advance equitable housing laws and policies. They will use a community-centered approach to ensure people living in poverty, communities of color, and members of other protected classes have access to safe, decent, and affordable housing.
The Director will work to dismantle the systems and structures that create and sustain racial segregation and disproportionate outcomes for communities that are diverse or have involvement in the criminal legal system. They will work at the local level in Illinois and at the federal level through Shriver’s national networks and other select projects. The Director will help to form and manage interactions and projects with local, state, and national networks. As part of coordinated multi-state advocacy campaigns, they will contribute to litigation, legislative, and administrative advocacy strategies. They also will collect and aggregate data to measure success and make appropriate program adjustments.
The Director will supervise a team of lawyers and other advocates. These duties will include creating and executing work plans, holding regular team meetings, and conducting yearly performance evaluations. The housing justice team is part of the advocacy department.
Responsibilities:
• Provides strategic leadership and program direction on the Shriver Center’s housing law and policy efforts by contributing to the development and implementation of strategies, plans, and goals.
• Coaches and supervises attorneys, program associates, interns, and volunteers to ensure they have the necessary skills and tools to advance the Shriver Center’s housing justice agenda.
• Promotes and facilitates relationships with current and potential partners and represents the Shriver Center with local, state, and national coalitions; working groups; commissions; and task forces.
• Leads the policy and administrative advocacy agenda on housing justice issues at local, state, and national levels and ensures a community-centered approach, with direct community input.
• Advances systemic litigation and represents clients as appropriate in consultation with the Vice President of Advocacy.
• Collaborates with the Communications department to engage in media and public relations campaigns to advance the advocacy agenda and may serve as a Shriver Center spokesperson when needed.
• Collaborates with the Shriver Center’s multi-state networks and other local, state, and national networks and allies to support the housing justice agenda.
• Serves as a strategic partner to the development department in fundraising efforts for the housing justice programs, including assistance in grant proposal preparation, maintenance of the housing team budget, and reporting.
• Collaborates with the training team to support training opportunities for advocates.
• Evaluates the progress of the housing justice team consistent with organizational and team goals.
• Other duties as assigned.
Salary/Benefits: This full-time non-exempt position offers a competitive annual salary ranging from $107,456 to $128,000 and a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, generous paid leave, flexible work schedules, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, and a 401(k) plan.
Opening/Closing Date: Open immediately; closed when filled. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
• Licensed to practice law with a minimum of 7 years’ legal experience.
• 2 years’ experience supervising direct reports, including hiring, providing regular feedback, and delivering annual reviews.
• Must live in or around the Chicago metropolitan area or be willing to relocate.
• Experience and expertise with public and assisted housing programs, fair housing, healthy housing, tenants’ rights, and related advocacy.
• Demonstrated commitment to and success advancing advocacy campaigns on the legal and policy issues affecting people living in poverty and communities of color, including experience litigating, lobbying, and working with community organizers and the media.
• Experience managing and motivating diverse groups of people.
• Ability to work well as a team member while also holding direct reports and colleagues accountable.
• Self-direction and self-motivation, creativity in problem solving, and ability to work collaboratively and independently.
• Willingness and ability to travel as needed (estimated 20%).
• Complex litigation experience strongly preferred.
• Multilingual skills are a plus, but not required.
This list of qualifications describes those of our ideal candidate. We recognize that these qualifications can be gained through education, work experience, and/or lived experience, and that no one person necessarily has all of these qualifications. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.
Applications: Send a cover letter and resume with the subject header “Director of Housing Justice application” to [email protected]. Please note that the hiring committee will review the cover letter to evaluate each candidate’s relevant background and experience related to the responsibilities and qualifications listed in the job description.