Director of Native American Program - Attorney

About the role

New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA) provides civil legal services to low-income New Mexicans for a variety of legal issues including domestic violence/family law, consumer protection, housing, and benefits. The Native American Program (NAP) at NMLA serves low-income Native Americans living on or near New Mexico's 19 Pueblos and provides outreach services to the Mescalero Apache community.

The Native American Program Director leads a team dedicated to expanding access to justice, strengthening tribal partnerships, and ensuring high-quality legal advocacy for Native American communities across New Mexico. The position reports to the Deputy Director and is based on the Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, but requires statewide travel.

Responsibilities

• Leadership & Strategy
  • Lead the overall vision, strategy, and operations of the Native American Program.
  • Assess emerging legal needs and develop responsive services and outreach initiatives.
  • Identify and pursue opportunities to strengthen and expand the program through partnerships, special projects, and funding opportunities.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with Pueblo governments, tribal courts, and community partners.
• Legal Advocacy & Program Oversight
  • Supervise approximately 5-7 staff members and oversee casework and advocacy strategies.
  • Ensure high-quality legal representation and compliance with program requirements.
  • Support litigation, impact advocacy, and systemic reform efforts.
• Community Engagement
  • Represent NMLA within tribal communities and professional organizations.
  • Lead community education and outreach initiatives.
  • Strengthen partnerships that expand access to justice.
• Organizational Leadership
  • Serve as a member of NMLA's management team.
  • Collaborate with statewide leadership on strategic initiatives, technology, communications, and operational planning.

The Native American Program handles creative, challenging, and complex work. We are looking for highly motivated candidates who are passionate and strongly committed to helping NMLA better serve our client communities, including developing effective team strategies to handle complex advocacy and extended representation cases.

Requirements

• J.D. and ability to practice law in New Mexico.
• Minimum five years of legal practice experience.
• Demonstrated experience working with Native American communities, tribal governments, tribal courts, or tribal legal issues.
• Demonstrated leadership, project management, or supervisory experience.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience practicing in tribal courts.
• Experience supervising attorneys or legal teams.
• Pueblo community experience.
• Grant management or program development experience.
• Keres or other Native American language proficiency.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid BCBS medical, plus dental and vision for employees.
• Generous employer contributions toward dependent coverage.
• Paid time off includes annual leave (starting at 3 weeks/year), 6 days personal time, 15 holidays, sick leave, and more.
• Sabbatical program eligibility.
• Hybrid work schedule (3 days in office, 2 days remote each week).
• Full-time 37.5-hour work week.
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer contributions and matching.
• Meaningful mission-driven work serving New Mexico communities.

Pay

$100,000 - $115,000/year, depending on experience.