Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) is a non-profit corporation with a mission to advocate for an equitable Ohio for people with disabilities. We provide legal advocacy and rights protection to a wide range of people with disabilities.
Our vision: Voices elevated. People empowered. Equity achieved.
Our values: Justice & Dignity / Informed Leadership / Unwavering Commitment / Fierce Advocacy / Access & Opportunities
Deputy Director and General Counsel
Reports To: Executive Director
Exemption Status: Exempt
The Deputy Director and General Counsel is responsible for all aspects of Disability Rights Ohio’s risk and grant compliance. The Deputy Director and General Counsel works closely with the CEO to develop, implement, and oversee the organization’s goals including serving as a resource to department directors and coordinating interdepartmental initiatives to further DRO’s mission and its impact on stakeholders throughout the state. The Deputy Director and General Counsel provides legal supervision backup in the absence of the Legal Advocacy Director and serves as the CEO’s designee when needed.
Executive Leadership & Organizational Management
- Works closely with the CEO to develop, implement, and oversee organizational goals.
- Serves as CEO’s designee to coordinate interdepartmental projects to carry out DRO’s annual goals, support
- Board of Director committees, and other duties as assigned.
- Serves as a resource to department directors and leadership on organizational matters.
- In the absence of the CEO, has authority over all aspects of the organization.
- Facilitates collaboration across departments.
- Provides leadership in resolving complex organizational issues.
- Serves as a resource to department directors and organizational leadership.
Legal Counsel, Compliance & Risk Management
- Oversees and manages organizational legal risks including compliance with all applicable state and federal
- laws, grant requirements, and ethics rules;
- Manages DRO’s response to risk occurrences, including required reporting and investigations.
- Advises leadership regarding legal and compliance risks.
- Reports to the Board of Directors any significant issues regarding legal risk to DRO.
- Serves as a resource to leadership in identifying and resolving conflicts of interest.
- Oversees organizational insurance coverage including assessing and maintaining adequate coverage, managing claim reporting and serving as point of contact for insurance policies.
Grant Compliance & Oversight
- Oversees all aspects of organizational grant compliance including reviewing required federal grant reports
- to grant program requirements are met.
- Supports the Finance Director with risk management and compliance concerns, including the audit and 990, and review of policies and procedures.
- Supports the Finance Director to ensure programs use available funding resources appropriately, including developing policies and procedures and providing training to staff.
- Develops policies, procedures, and staff training related to grant and funding compliance.
- Supports the Associate Advocacy Director in ensuring the PAIMI Advisory Council complies with applicable grant requirements.
P&A Access Authority & Legal Enforcement
- Oversees DRO’s strategic enforcement of its Protection & Advocacy access authority.
- Works with the Associate Advocacy Director and Legal Advocacy Director to develop access policies and protocols, provide staff training, and resolves access issues.
- Advises CEO on whether to pursue judicial enforcement of DRO’s P&A access authority
- in litigation, and works with the Legal Advocacy Director to support such litigation.
Labor & Employment Risk Management
- Supports the Operations and HR Director with risk management, personnel issues, including compliance with the CBA, and policy review and development. Authorizes decisions on policies and HR personnel matters
Client Grievances, Confidentiality & Information Requests
- Oversees DRO’s client grievance process including assisting the CEO and the Client Services Committee of the Board of Directors in their review of grievances.
- Develops and implements policies and procedures for responding to requests for information including private, proprietary or confidential information about DRO clients, program activities or organizational operations.
Legal Advocacy & Supervision
- Supports the Legal Advocacy Director in developing program administration policies and training designed to ensure grant compliance and minimize organizational risk and support the highest levels of client directed advocacy.
- Provides legal supervision backup when the Legal Advocacy Director is unavailable.
Strategic Planning, Goals & Impact Measurement
- Coordinate the development of DRO’s programmatic goals for Board of Directors review in collaboration with department directors.
- Supports implementation of organizational and annual goals.
- Accountable for DRO’s impact measurement framework, working with leadership to ensure data is collected with fidelity and available for reports to the CEO, Board of Directors, funders and other stakeholders.
Other Duties
Performs other duties as requested or required.
Required Qualifications:
- Graduate of accredited law school and admitted to, or eligible for admission to, Ohio Bar and a member of good standing.
- Has strong leadership skills and experience in supervision and management.
- Possesses a thorough understanding of compliance and regulatory requirements including grant and funding compliance as well as applicable ethics rules.
- Has an understanding of labor and employment law and how to manage risk and legal compliance.
- Has at least 5 years’ experience as an attorney.
- Admitted to, or eligible for admission to, U.S. district courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
- Committed to the mission of DRO and to the civil rights of all people and client directed advocacy.
- Has excellent research skills and is highly analytical with a demonstrated ability to assess and mitigate risk.
- Is proficient in oral and written communications, as well as computer literacy.
- Has the ability to maintain strict confidentiality and deal effectively with conflict.
- Has the ability to travel.
Preferred Characteristics and Qualifications:
- Has an understanding of how teams work and relate internally to provide maximum results. This includes leveraging leadership for overall effectiveness in the office and management of staff.
- Has experience with coordinating complex projects and initiatives and that ability to work well with other department leaders.
- Has the ability to learn new areas of complex legal and grant requirements.
- Is an excellent listener with the ability to consider all perspectives on relevant issues.
- Has outstanding problem-solving skills.
- Has a deep understanding of the disability system.
- Familiarity with performance management frameworks, ability to turn complex data sets into clear, actionable insights, and ability to train and support team members on data collection best practices
- Ability to facilitate cross-departmental alignment
Schedule: Monday to Friday
Work Location: Hybrid (Office located in Columbus, Ohio)
Job Type: Full-time 35 hours per week
Pay: Range $125,000 - $175,000
Benefits:
• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Paid - Dental insurance, Vision insurance, Life insurance,
• Health insurance
• Generous Paid time off
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Parental Leave
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to HR@disabilityrightsohio.org.
We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Disability Rights Ohio is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.