Senior Director of Litigation

Primary Responsibilities

• Strategy Development
• Serve as a key strategic advisor to the Chief Program Officer and an active member of the U.S. Division leadership team.
• Contribute to cross-divisional priority setting, high-level decision-making, and long-term planning.
• Lead the development of an ambitious, impactful, and cohesive state and federal litigation strategy to secure legal guarantees for reproductive rights, prevent regression, and advance the Center’s integrated U.S. Division strategy.
• Drive strategic thinking and innovation by setting long-term goals, fostering a culture of experimentation, and translating complex ideas into actionable litigation strategies responsive to changing legal and political conditions.
• Collaborate with fellow senior leaders across Corporate Engagement and Policy and Advocacy Units to ensure that each team’s work is strategically aligned and mutually reinforcing.
• Identify timely opportunities for coordinated action on high-impact issues and in key jurisdictions, bringing forward bold and creative ideas that maximize the Center’s overall impact.
• Represent the Litigation Unit in division-wide and organization-wide strategic planning forums, offering insights that reflect both deep subject matter expertise and a broad, cross-functional perspective.
• Program Execution
• Ensure that litigation activities are aligned with the Division’s integrated strategy and reflect the Center’s long-term vision and values.
• Provide strategic input on case development, litigation priorities, and related non-litigation work, in coordination with senior leaders.
• Effectively execute annual and multi-year plans, while adapting to changing external conditions and emerging priorities.
• Oversee development and management of Unit budget.
• Track progress toward programmatic goals and ensure clear lines of accountability across the team. Identify gaps, risks, or areas where course correction is needed, and guide timely, strategic adjustments and prioritization.
• Lead and participate in coordinated rapid response efforts to legal and political developments by working with internal teams to take timely, strategic, and effective action in response to crises and opportunities.
• Stay abreast of U.S. legal developments and regularly brief the Chief Program Officer and CEO, and the Center leadership on jurisprudential developments, emerging risks, opportunities, and their implications for the Center’s strategy and operations.
• Proactively elevate issues through the appropriate channels from the Litigation Unit to the Chief Program Officer and CEO, ensuring they receive timely and regular updates to support effective decision-making.
• Lead and contribute to the preparation of high-quality materials and updates on litigation work for the Chief Program Officer, CEO, Board of Directors, and other senior stakeholders, including in advance of meetings and events.
• People Management
• Recruit, develop, and performance manage a diverse, high-performing Unit Leadership Team.
• Ensure all lawyers in the Unit comply with applicable ethical and practice rules.
• Address personnel or operational challenges with transparency and care, supporting a problem-solving culture and timely resolution of issues.
• Inspire commitment and build high-performing teams by developing staff, mentoring future leaders, and fostering a results-oriented culture grounded in clear direction and accountability.
• Cultivate an inclusive Unit that values open communication, shared ownership of successes and setbacks, and a commitment to professional growth, equity, and well-being.
• Communicate with clarity and purpose, share decisions transparently, and build strong relationships internally and externally, including across lines of authority, through emotional intelligence, strategic foresight, and interpersonal savvy.
• Model the Center’s core values (global inclusivity, integrity, impact, and excellence) with self-awareness and a steady, non-reactive presence. Demonstrate humility, learn from experience, and lead with confidence and composure.
• Pro Bono Relationships
• Cultivate new relationships with law firms, legal departments, and other potential pro bono collaborators to expand the Center’s capacity, extend the reach of its legal strategies, and deepen impact across jurisdictions.
• Serve as the lead point of contact for high-value pro bono relationships, including managing firm assignments, resolving challenges, and coordinating with Development and Communications to highlight impact and strengthen donor engagement.
• Partner with the Center’s pro bono team to identify, scope, and integrate pro bono support across the Litigation Unit’s active and prospective cases, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, effective delegation, and timely communication with external partners.
• External Engagement
• Represent the Center and our litigation work in external coalitions, at public events, and in strategic partnerships.

People Management

• Recruit, develop, and performance manage a diverse, high-performing Unit Leadership Team.
• Ensure all lawyers in the Unit comply with applicable ethical and practice rules.
• Address personnel or operational challenges with transparency and care, supporting a problem-solving culture and timely resolution of issues.
• Inspire commitment and build high-performing teams by developing staff, mentoring future leaders, and fostering a results-oriented culture grounded in clear direction and accountability.
• Cultivate an inclusive Unit that values open communication, shared ownership of successes and setbacks, and a commitment to professional growth, equity, and well-being.
• Communicate with clarity and purpose, share decisions transparently, and build strong relationships internally and externally, including across lines of authority, through emotional intelligence, strategic foresight, and interpersonal savvy.
• Model the Center’s core values (global inclusivity, integrity, impact, and excellence) with self-awareness and a steady, non-reactive presence. Demonstrate humility, learn from experience, and lead with confidence and composure.