Senior Project Manager - The Legal Aid Society : Job Details

The Legal Aid Society (LAS) is proud to be the largest and most influential social justice law firm in New York City, with more than 2,000 staff members providing services across all five boroughs. In 2026, The Legal Aid Society will celebrate 150 years of providing legal services to low-income New Yorkers. To mark this momentous occasion, LAS will host a year-long celebration including a fundraising campaign, events for staff, clients, and partners, as well as branding and promotional opportunities. LAS is searching for a Senior Project Manager, ensure the success of this year-long celebration and can continue leading similar high-profile and cross-functional projects on behalf of Development and the Executive Leadership Team. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer and liaising closely with the Executive Leadership Team, Practice Chiefs, and the HR, Development, Communications, and Finance Departments, the Senior Project Manager will be a key member of the administrative team. The Senior Project Manager will act as the organizational quarterback for all 150th Celebration-related events and activities and will be responsible for ensuring successful execution. To do this, they will track budget and timeline across projects, oversee and coordinate multiple committees composed of staff across the organization, ensure numerous workstreams remain on track for delivery, and proactively identify and address risks and challenges. The Senior Project Manager will also manage the campaign budget and act as the point of contact for all event and campaign contractors and vendors. In addition to 150th Celebration responsibilities, the Senior Project Manager will assist with the execution of logistics for various events, including annual events for staff, clients, and supporters of Legal Aid, such as the annual children's holiday party for the people we serve, staff award ceremonies, and the organization's annual meeting. Following the 150th celebration, the Senior Project Manager will develop and manage implementation of a sustainable staff, client, and donor engagement plan and continue leading large-scale and cross-functional projects on behalf of the Executive Leadership Team. ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIESStakeholder Coordination and Committee Oversight

• Lead and oversee a network of 150th Anniversary planning committees covering functions related to branding, events, staff and client engagement, and fundraising
• Act as staff liaison regarding event and campaign planning activities with members of the Executive Leadership Team, Board of Directors, and Board of Advisors
• Manage event and campaign budgets, leading conversations regarding how resources should be distributed and tracking expenditures with support of the Development and Finance Departments
• Develop and oversee event and campaign planning timelines working with committee members, board, leadership, and other stakeholders to meet key milestones
• Act as key point of contact with campaign and event related contractors and vendors
• Coordinate with the Development Department to integrate Anniversary activities with fundraising campaign
• Support Campaign Moves Management meetings with Development Department, helping to project manage fundraising timelines
• Liaison with Communication team on opportunities to raise the organization's branding profile in concurrence with events
• Facilitate regular meetings and communication among committee members to ensure alignment and progress

Event Planning and Management Oversight

• Oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of large-scale events and Anniversary celebratory activities ensuring they meet the organization's goals, deadlines, and budgetary constraints
• Ensure key stakeholder involvement with the event planning process
• Develop detailed event plans, including logistics, timelines, and contingency plans
• Manage event operations on the day of events, ensuring all activities run smoothly
• Coordinate cross-functional teams, assigning tasks and responsibilities to ensure efficient project progress and completion
• Act as point of contact with venues, caterers, and other service providers to secure necessary event services
• Oversee the recruitment, training, and management of staff volunteers for events
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and organizational policies during event planning and execution
• Implement risk management strategies to identify potential project pitfalls and develop contingency plans to mitigate risks
• Conduct post-event evaluations to assess the success of events and identify areas for improvement

Supervisory

• Assist in the recruitment and on-boarding of an Events Coordinator
• Act as supervisor to Events Coordinator, delegating event related responsibilities
• Indirectly supervise staff who are supporting various events or committees
• Professional Development and other duties as assigned
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
• Other duties as assigned

Professional Development & Other duties as assigned

• Participate in continuous professional development
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 6 years of work experience, a preference for work in a related field, preferably within a nonprofit or social justice organization; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Proven track record of successfully managing large-scale and complex events and/or projects
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders, including staff, senior leadership, board members, and external partners
• Experience in budget management and financial oversight of large projects or campaigns
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, especially familiarity with calendar management, goal setting, and supporting busy stakeholders
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively liaise with many stakeholders
• Strong negotiation skills and experience managing vendor and contractor relationships
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• Availability to work occasional evenings as required for event execution
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite or related software

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree, Event Management, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Nonprofit
• Management, Project Management or a related field preferred
• Project management certification (PMP) or coursework is a plus
• Supervisory experience a plus

SALARY TRANSPARENCY The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role. The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles. Salary Range/ Salary: $135,000 to $145,000SALARY AND BENEFITS The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if an offer is made. Click here to read more about the benefits of working at The Legal Aid SocietyHIGHER EDUCATION AND LOAN FORGIVENESS The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below. studentaid.govhesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programsOUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us. WORK AUTHORIZATION All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.) HOW TO APPLY All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email [email protected]. As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one's internal deeply-held sense of one's gender which may be the same or different from one's sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one's name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.