Executive Director, Feerick Center for Social Justice

FORDHAM University; Armonk, West Harrison, New York (NY, IN, NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

An established university seeks an Executive Director for the Feerick Center to lead justice initiatives aimed at combating poverty. This pivotal role involves strategic planning, staff management, and collaboration with various stakeholders to enhance the Center's impact. The ideal candidate will have a Juris Doctor degree, extensive legal experience, and a commitment to public interest initiatives. Join a vibrant community dedicated to social justice and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of a respected center within a major law school.

Benefits

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts

Retirement Plans

Life Insurance

Short and Long-term Disability

Employee Assistance Program

Tuition Remission

Generous Time Off

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree with NYS bar admission required.
• 10+ years of legal experience, including program development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage justice initiatives focused on combating poverty.
• Recruit and manage staff and volunteers for the Center.
• Secure financial support through grants and philanthropy.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Communication Skills

Project Management

Collaboration

Legal Expertise

Fundraising

Mentoring

Education

Juris Doctor

Job description

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program ( EAP ); tuition remission; and generous time off.

Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Title of Position

The Executive Director leads and manages the Feerick Center, reporting to Senior Counsel and working in collaboration with the Center’s Faculty Advisor and the Center’s Advisory Board. The Executive Director’s leadership responsibilities include: development and operation of justice initiatives; recruitment and management of personnel; securing financial support for the Center through philanthropy and grants, as well as grant management and reporting; internal and external communications; and developing and maintaining collaborative and strategic relationships with partner organizations and programs within Fordham and in the broader community.

The Center will celebrate its 20th Anniversary next year and anticipates that the new ED will lead the Center through a strategic planning process that sets a course for the future to ensure that the Center draws on its strengths as a social justice center situated at a major law school that is part of a vibrant university in order to maximize its impact in the years ahead.

Essential Functions

Leads the creation, development, planning, and management of the Center’s justice initiatives focused on combating poverty.

Serves as a liaison to outside Center partners, including bar associations, community-based service providers, legal services organizations, government agencies, court personnel and officials, and advocacy groups.

Manages and recruits professional staff, administrative staff, grant-funded staff, law student fellows, and volunteers in carrying out the administrative and programmatic work of the Center.

Supervises and manages compliance with grant funding, as well as seeks and applies for new sources of grant funding.

Assists the Law School’s Senior Director of Development and other senior staff on development efforts.

Directs marketing, publicity, and communications efforts in conjunction with the Law School’s Communications Department.

Works with the Co-Chairs of the Center’s Advisory Board to support their leadership of the Advisory Board.

Collaborates with the Center’s Senior Counsel and Faculty Director in strategic planning and program development.

Mentors and supervises law students, legal interns, fellows, and/or Vista Members.

Supports, trains, and works with volunteers.

Essential Functions Note

Essential Functions Note This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.

Management Responsibilities

Management Responsibilities Provides strategic leadership and supervises others who supervise. Responsible for hiring, training, developing, managing performance, administering corrective action, makes compensation decisions and for managing strategic views at a high level.

Additional Functions

Required Qualifications: Education and Experience

Juris Doctor degree with NYS bar admission and current good standing.

Minimum of 10 years of legal and professional experience.

Minimum of 5 years of experience in the development of programs, demonstrated expertise in an anti-poverty/justice substantive area, and management experience.

Litigation experience.

Demonstrated experience with pro bono and volunteer programs.

Demonstrated experience with grants management and grants applications.

Experience mentoring, teaching, or supervising law students, recent law school grads, young lawyers, interns, fellows, and/or Vista members.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills

Demonstrated commitment to public interest initiatives

Demonstrated collaborative ability.

Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage projects effectively.

Demonstrated strategic thinking.

Excellent professional judgement, ability to assess risk in international legal frameworks, and commitment to principles of confidentiality.

Strong communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Strongly Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional proficiency in Spanish
• Experience with individual donor fundraising
• Experience with convening and planning conferences and fundraising events

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional proficiency in languages other than Spanish and English.
• Experience and demonstrated expertise in the areas of immigration and/or consumer protection

Minimum Starting Salary

Minimum Starting Salary $150,000

Maximum Starting Salary

Maximum Starting Salary $180,000

Note

Note Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.

Is this a Union position?

Is this a Union position? No

Posting Number

Posting Number A859P

Number of Vacancies

Number of Vacancies 1

Start Date

Start Date ASAP

Posting Date

Posting Date 05/08/2025

Special Instructions

EEO Statement

Fordham University is committed to excellence through diversity and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.

Fordham University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Physical Activity and Work Environment

Physical Activity

Sitting Often

Repetitive Hand Motion (such as typing)

Repetitive Hand Motion (such as typing) Often

Hearing, Listening, Talking Often

Standing

Standing Seldom

Walking

Walking Seldom

Running

Running Not Required

Bending, Stooping, Kneeling, squatting, Crouching, Crawling

Bending, Stooping, Kneeling, squatting, Crouching, Crawling Not Required

Climbing stairs Not Required

Climbing ladders

Climbing ladders Not Required

Reaching overhead

Reaching overhead Not Required

Pulling, pushing

Pulling, pushing Not Required

Shoveling

Shoveling Not Required

Lifting – up to 20 pounds

Lifting – up to 20 pounds Not Required

Lifting – up to 50 pounds

Lifting – up to 50 pounds Not Required

Lifting – over 50 pounds Not Required

Work Environment Office Environment: Employees are protected from weather conditions or contaminants, but not necessarily occasional temperature changes.

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

Resume

Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Supplemental questions you will be required to answer on the application (No action is needed on this page)

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Do you have a Juris Doctor degree with bar admission and current good standing?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have a minimum of 10 years of legal and professional experience?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have a minimum of 5 years of experience in the development of programs, demonstrated expertise in an anti-poverty/justice substantive area, and management experience?
  • Yes
  • No