Director of HR - Central Administrative Office
National Legal Aid & Defender Association
Position Description
Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) is seeking a Director of Human Resources in its Central Administrative Office, located in downtown Portland. This position is eligible for a partial remote work option.
Background
LASO is a non-profit organization that represents low-income clients in civil cases. LASO’s thirteen offices include regional offices that serve the general low-income population throughout the state and three specialized statewide programs that provide services to farmworkers, low-income taxpayer, and representation on Native American issues. LASO is an effective, high-quality legal services program that is committed to advocacy strategies having the broadest possible impact on client community problems.
Responsibilities
The Director of Human Resources is a management position responsible for human resource compliance and discipline for the program. This includes compliance with the ADA, COBRA, ERISA, FMLA, HIPAA, OSHA and relevant policies. The Director of Human Resources maintains, implements, and educates staff about LASO’s benefits plans; manages and documents personnel transitions in the program; and oversees personnel and disciplinary processes, as well as other HR issues for the program.
The HR Director is responsible for program-wide administrative issues including compliance with Legal Service Corporation (federal funder) and other grant requirements, policy development and implementation, as well as assistance with collective bargaining and compliance with the collective bargaining agreement. The Director of Human Resources supervises administrative HR staff in the Central Administrative Office, and is part of the Central Office executive management team. The HR Director also works closely with employment counsel for the program and assists the Executive Director and Deputy Director with other policy and practices optimization. This position reports to the Executive Director. Some periodic statewide travel is expected. Occasional after hours and weekend work may be required.
Qualifications
Highly competitive candidates will be driven by a sense of inner purpose, collaborative decision making, creativity and innovation, as well as being proactive leaders and experts in their area.
Oregon licensed attorney with employment law experience preferred, or experience with HR compliance in a nonprofit and union staffed organization with an emphasis on employee relations;
Bachelors or Master’s in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, Business Management or related field;
Ability and willingness to learn new technology skills quickly, ability and willingness to troubleshoot basic technology issues, experience with ADP and electronic file systems a plus, and familiarity with use of cloud-based platforms;
5+ years of Human Resources leadership experience in a senior management role;
Extensive knowledge of regulations (ADA, COBRA, ERISA, FMLA, HIPPA, OSHA and PLO), current employment practices, and applicable employment laws;
Driven by collaborative and strategic problem-solving;
Demonstrate good judgment, the willingness to work as a team, take initiative, and have an overall positive attitude;
Experience with trauma-informed supervision practices and employee engagement;
Driver's license, or ability to obtain driver's license within 30 days of hire.
Salary/Benefits
Compensation is based on a 35-hour work week. The salary range; $90,200-96,200 for 5-10 years of experience; $97,700-120,200 for 11-30 years of experience. Salaries are determined by relevant work experience. Additional compensation of $4,300 to $5,700 annually for bilingual ability, depending on proficiency. Full benefits package including individual and family health, vision and dental insurance coverage; 6% employer retirement contribution; generous paid holidays, vacation and sick leave; and paid moving expenses.
Closing Date
Open until filled. Review of resumes to begin July 31, 2026, with interviews anticipated for mid to late August 2026.
Applications
Send Resume And Letter Of Interest To
Emily Brown-Sitnick, Interim Executive Director
***email_hidden***
If you require reasonable accommodation for a disability during the application/hiring process, please contact Trisha Baier at [email protected]
Supplemental question
Please provide a written response to the following question and submit as part of your application materials. Limit response to 500 words.
LASO is committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. Our client communities include people of color, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. It is essential to our mission that we also work to create an inclusive and respectful workplace environment in which differences are acknowledged and valued. How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to: (1) serve our diverse staff effectively, (2) work effectively with colleagues from backgrounds different than your own, (3) acknowledge the systemic barriers, and (4) contribute to our efforts to achieve racial justice? Feel free to provide examples and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences in your response.
We celebrate diversity
LASO is committed to being an organization that reflects the communities we serve and is diverse in race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental and physical abilities, work background, experience and education. We believe that the outcome of such diversity is our greatest strength and a matter of basic human fairness. It is to this end that we strongly encourage applications from people of color and people from any other underrepresented and historically marginalized group to apply for this position.