Director of Programs

Position description

The International Senior Lawyers Project seeks a dynamic and capable leader with legal and international development experience to oversee ISLP’s program portfolio and develop new initiatives. The Director of Programs will be a strategic thinker with a passion for ISLP’s mission who can manage current activities while envisioning and effectuating routes to organizational growth. This important leadership role will report to and work closely with the Executive Director, manage program staff, and collaborate with the Senior Advisor and Board to shape ISLP’s future. The right candidate will be entrepreneurial, highly organized, undaunted by responsibility, and equipped with expertise in one or more of ISLP’s legal focus areas. Candidates should have legal training (JD, LLM, or equivalent). Law firm and international experience and Spanish language skills are preferred. Proximity to New York City or Washington, DC, is a plus, and ability to align with U.S. East Coast working hours is required.

About ISLP

ISLP is a mission-driven non-profit organization with global impact. We mobilize pro bono legal expertise to promote the rule of law and advance accountable, just, and sustainable economic development. In 2024 alone, our work spanned 59 countries, primarily in the Global South, and engaged 300 volunteers. ISLP has a 25-year track record as an independent and politically neutral organization. We are a registered 501(c)(3) with a Candid Platinum Rating for Transparency.

How we work. Our client-partners are primarily civil society, government, and social enterprises. All projects are carefully vetted and scoped, driven by client needs, and grounded in trust-based partnership. ISLP has a lean core team of seven professionals who are based in the United States (New York) and Africa (Lagos, Nairobi, Harare, and Johannesburg). The Program Director and Program Officers are primarily responsible for identifying and developing opportunities for ISLP to deliver expertise, cultivating local partnerships, and managing project implementation. To achieve outsized impact and a multiplier effect, ISLP leverages an expansive network of lawyer volunteers including top-tier law firms, academics, and independent experts who contribute specialized pro bono legal support in a range of practice areas and sectors.

What we do. Representative engagements for ISLP partner-clients include: negotiation support and direct representation on legal transactions; law reform and regulatory review and drafting support; capacity building and knowledge exchange including workshops, convenings, and toolkits; legal research and analysis; and publications.

Our thematic focus areas include:

• Accountability and Transparency
• Civil Society Engagement and Resilience
• Energy and Natural Resource Management
• Freedom of Expression and Media Law
• Innovative Finance and Social Enterprises
• Investment and Trade
• Responsible Technology, Digitalization and Trust
• Taxation

Key Responsibilities

The Director of Programs is a senior management role within the organization. They will provide day-to-day team and project management as well as strategic leadership to optimize ISLP’s program portfolio and impact. The role will supervise a small international team and engage regularly with ISLP lawyer volunteers, partners, funders, and counterparts. Strong contributions to ISLP’s overall organization management, fundraising, and communications priorities also will be integral to success in the position. Key responsibilities include:

• Program Implementation
  • Day-to-day management of ISLP projects to ensure goals are met, clients and funders are well-served, and impact is achieved
  • Creatively identifying avenues and project opportunities to connect legal needs on the ground to our capacities and network
  • Preparation of workplans, coordinating with partners, and overseeing or directly implementing activities
  • Monitoring and evaluation of program implementation, including developing the necessary methodologies, timelines, and tools
  • Cultivating and expanding ISLP’s international network of partner organizations, governments, and volunteers
  • Ensuring effective communications with partners, funders, and ISLP constituencies
  • Coordination with Board program committee and other advisors and stakeholders
• Strategic Planning and Fundraising
  • Assessment and strategic leveraging of ISLP’s assets to maximize organizational growth and impact
  • Application of trends, dynamics, and stakeholder perspectives in global development to refine or expand ISLP’s strategic focus
  • Development of potential new projects, clients, and partners and creating and fostering relationships for ISLP
  • Development and implementation of effective volunteer and law firm cultivation and pro bono engagement
  • Identification of specific new funding opportunities for ISLP, conceptualization of responsive program designs and partnerships, and preparation of proposals including persuasive narrative descriptions and budgets
  • Stewardship of funder relationships, including through grant reporting (narrative and financial) and personal communications
  • High-level representation of ISLP including to funders, clients, and law firms, and at meetings and conferences
• Management
  • Train, mentor and supervise program officers, legal advisors, interns, legal fellows and consultants
  • Oversee work flow, ensuring projects are appropriately staffed and allocated among team members
  • Review and provide constructive feedback on written materials prepared by team members
  • Contribute to assessing and honing organizational processes that maximize efficiency and clarity
  • Maintain project budget vigilance and contribute to prudent organizational financial management
  • Manage organizational risk related to programming, including due diligence on potential projects with regard to client governments, civil society organizations, and local context
  • Prepare performance appraisals and provide regular constructive feedback to supervisees

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in law (JD, LLM, or equivalent)
• At least 7 years experience in international law and/or international development. Experience with an international law firm, non-profit organization, or government, working with international civil society and/or governmental partners, is especially relevant. Previous experience in pro bono legal work is valued.
• Technical expertise in one or more of ISLP’s focus areas. Experience in energy, natural resources, social finance, project finance, and/or media freedom are an advantage.
• A record of success in program management, including conceptualizing, implementing, and assessing activities that advance organizational missions and result in significant impact
• Demonstrated capacity for vision, creativity, partnership building, entrepreneurship, and effectiveness in leading teams and strengthening organizations
• Experience in developing and delivering on strategic plans that assess and leverage resources and lead to growth in organizational size and impact
• Fundraising and donor stewardship experience
• Capacity to develop and maintain collaborations with wide range of stakeholders and partners across sectors, cultures, and contexts, including governments, civil society and the private sector
• Superb written and oral communication skills in English; fluency in Spanish is a strong advantage
• Excellent organizational skills, including attention to detail and the ability to manage numerous tasks simultaneously, solve problems, and work independently and in teams
• Understanding of and commitment to ISLP’s mission and to sustainable economic development and its principles
• Culturally sensitive and respectful, with a congenial and diplomatic personality and ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies

Location

ISLP maintains a small office in New York City but this position does not require consistent in-office presence. Proximity to New York City or Washington, DC, is a plus to enable in-person meetings with colleagues, partners, and board members as needed. The ability to align with U.S. East Coast working hours is required.

Compensation

For New York City-based candidates, ISLP’s good faith estimate for this role is $120,000 - $140,000. Compensation will be based on experience and qualifications, and may be adjusted to reflect regional cost-of-living differences. ISLP offers an excellent benefits package for full-time employees including health, dental, and vision insurance, participation in a 403b retirement plan, and generous paid leave in addition to nine office holidays and a winter holiday break from December 24 through New Year’s Day.

Application instructions

Candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references with contact information. Please note that only complete applications will be considered. Candidates may elect to include writing samples or other supplementary materials that demonstrate their capacity and qualifications. Please send your materials by email with a subject line including the position title and applicant’s name (e.g., Program Director - Jane Doe.) Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting on April 10, 2026. If you are interested, we encourage you to submit your application early.

We are grateful for the interest, time, and effort invested in each application. We review all applications carefully and thoughtfully. However, due to the volume of submissions, only candidates selected to move forward in the process will be contacted. Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you.

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