Senior Program Manager and Staff Attorney, Edley Center on Law & Democracy (5219C), Berkeley La[...]

University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,500 - 163,200; Full time

Job summary

The University of California, Berkeley is seeking a Senior Program Manager and Staff Attorney for the Edley Center on Law & Democracy in Berkeley, CA. The role leads national programming to strengthen civil rights protections, combat public corruption, and expands opportunities for student researchers and external partners.

You will oversee program design, budget oversight, fundraising, and collaboration with faculty and partners to advance impactful public initiatives and policy work across

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of federal and state constitutional and administrative law.
• Expertise in legal research, analysis, and advocacy strategy development.
• Strong understanding of program design, development, and evaluation.
• Interpersonal skills to collaborate with faculty, students, staff, and external partners.
• Excellent written and oral communication for reports and policy materials.
• Experience with multi-source budgets (grants, operational, restricted funds).

Responsibilities

• Design and direct innovative national programming to build capacity across states.
• Lead drafting and filing of amicus briefs, motions, and policy materials.
• Direct and administer programs and supervise student staff.
• Manage budgets and fundraising activities for the Center.
• Deliver public presentations and trainings for external audiences.
• Develop MOUs and partnerships with external institutions.

Skills

Legal research

Advocacy strategy

Program design

Evaluation

Collaboration

Communication skills

Budgeting & oversight

Leadership & supervision

Education

J.D. or LL.M. or equivalent

California Bar membership

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Zoom

Job description

Overview

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. This job description outlines the responsibilities and qualifications for the Edley Center on Law & Democracy, including its mission to strengthen democratic institutions through actionable research, program development, and public leadership, and to engage with students and external partners in support of these goals.

We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to contribute to Berkeley’s strategic plan and ongoing achievements.

Position Summary

The Senior Program Manager and Staff Attorney in the Edley Center on Law & Democracy designs and directs innovative national programming to build infrastructure and capacity across the states to combat public corruption, promote civil rights protections, and support an emerging national association of state civil rights chiefs. The role includes producing public reports, building Berkeley Law capacity to engage with these issues, and supervising student researchers. As the Center grows, the position may hire additional staff. The role supports the Center’s mission through development of academic program proposals, funding proposals, MOUs for programs and partnerships, model policy and practice development, and direct engagement with program participants.

The position requires experience in developing and leading high-stakes programming, litigating and enforcing civil rights and/or anti-corruption, staff management, budget oversight (including restricted funds), intergovernmental collaboration, and the development of scalable student training opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Program Design and Partnership
  • Design and develop programs to engage students, practitioners, policy-makers, and the public in Edley Center activities.
  • Coordinate the Center’s work with internal partners (e.g., pro bono program) and stakeholders to advance practicums and experiential learning opportunities.
  • Direct the development of conferences, publications, training materials, online resources, and related tools.
  • Propose and develop litigation and advocacy strategies, independently or with partners, to support Center initiatives.
  • Identify emergent topics and respond to changing circumstances to expand program offerings.
  • Leverage political acumen and substantive knowledge to build capacity, partnerships, and relationships to grow and iterate programs.
• Program Management
  • Direct and administer programs to strengthen state and local capacity to respond to unlawful government actions.
  • Oversee student employees and staff to ensure timely achievement of goals and high-quality results; facilitate engaged research experiences for students.
  • Collaborate with faculty, Berkeley Law staff, and external institutions to design and implement high-quality programs and initiatives.
  • Develop systems to manage multiple programs serving diverse audiences with consistency and efficiency.
  • Oversee administrative work as needed to meet program needs and deliverables.
• Direct Impact Work
  • Lead drafting and filing of amicus briefs, motions, and policy materials to advance program goals.
  • Make court appearances as needed.
  • Design learning opportunities for students to support these efforts.
  • Build coalitions and partnerships through MOUs and other agreements.
  • Conduct and direct research conducted by students and collaborators.
  • Deliver public presentations; lead trainings and events; and develop outreach strategies for external audiences.
• Program Evaluation and Budget Management
  • Assess program effectiveness and recommend content or policy changes.
  • Solicit feedback and measure performance with input from leadership and stakeholders.
  • Participate in advanced program budgeting and accounting for a sustainable financial structure.
  • Prepare reports and communicate progress to leadership.
  • Identify opportunities to reduce costs, increase revenue, and support financial sustainability and growth.
  • Collaborate with Business Services and Finance to monitor budgets and ensure compliance with university policies.
• Fundraising and External Relations
  • Identify funding opportunities and revenue sources to support programs and resources.
  • Represent the Center with external partners to advance knowledge and expand state capacity initiatives.
  • Develop proposals for new initiatives using advanced program design and evaluation expertise.
• Supervision
  • Hire, train, and supervise student employees; support workforce planning as the Center expands.
  • Direct work of administrative staff as needed; guide research and related work of students and partners.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of federal and state constitutional and administrative law and practice.
• Expertise in legal research, analysis, and advocacy strategy development.
• Strong understanding of program design, development, and evaluation.
• Interpersonal skills to collaborate with faculty, students, staff, and external partners across diverse environments.
• Familiarity with law student development and legal education frameworks.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality.
• Computer and technical skills with standard platforms (Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Zoom) and the ability to learn new tools.
• Strong project and program management abilities to oversee multiple initiatives and deliver high-quality results.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills for reports, policy materials, and public presentations.
• Significant litigation and/or administrative enforcement and policy experience.
• Experience leading sensitive intergovernmental and coalition policy work.
• Experience administering multi-source budgets (grants, operational, restricted funds).
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities to design long-term initiatives influencing legal outcomes.
• Understanding of complex legal issues with thorough analytical and writing skills.
• Commitment to ethical standards and attention to detail.
• Experience supervising or directing others to achieve institutional goals and collaborating across diverse backgrounds.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive environment within the UC Berkeley community.
• Strong interpersonal skills to engage with varied academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender, and ethnic backgrounds.

Education / Training

• Advanced degree in Law (J.D., LL.M., or equivalent) required.

Licenses / Certifications

• Active membership in good standing with the California Bar Association required.

Salary & Benefits

Salary range and benefits information are provided on the University’s Compensation & Benefits site. The posted range for this position is $130,500.00 — $163,200.00 annually. This is an exempt, full-time position eligible for UC benefits.

• This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
• This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.

How To Apply

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This position is eligible for up to 1 day/week remote work within the United States. Exact arrangements are determined with supervision.
• This is not a visa opportunity; this position does not include sponsorship for a new H-1B visa petition.
• This position is covered by the UC/UAW collective bargaining agreement for RP.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.