Planning Manager

Position:  Planning Manager 

Department: Finance & Operations 

Office Location:  The ideal candidate is located in any of the following states or major metropolitan areas where Lambda Legal has an office: New York, NY (Headquarters); Atlanta, GA (Southern); Dallas, TX (South Central); Chicago, IL (Midwest); Los Angeles, CA (Western); or Washington, D.C.   

Work Type Designation: Work from Home or Hybrid 

Reports to: Chief of Planning & Program Management 

Union Status and Grade: Non-Union 

Annual Salary Range: $85,000 - $110,000. The salary for this role will be determined by a candidate’s years of relevant experience related to the position, as well as their geographic region.  

Travel: Up to 10% for in-person planning sessions, department retreats, and board meeting support. 

FLSA Status: Full Time / Exempt 

Supervisory Responsibilities: None  

Who We Are  

Lambda Legal is a national advocacy organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Since 1973, Lambda Legal has used impact litigation and other advocacy tools to decriminalize same-sex relationships; challenge discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV in the workplace, in the home, in schools, in health care, and in the military; and protect LGBTQ+ families, including by winning and defending marriage equality. Our clients are not charged for legal representation or advocacy, and Lambda Legal receives no government funding. Headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal also has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, DC.     We believe that serving the full breadth of the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities requires cultural competency and enthusiasm for diversity of all kinds. To be successful, we must approach our work with an understanding that discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status is not the only obstacle to achieving full formal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV; rather, we recognize the intersectional nature of discrimination, specifically including biases based on race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, education, and class. Considering this reality, we prioritize a proactive commitment to counteracting these biases and their compounding effects in the work we do, but also in how we work together as an organization.   

Planning Manager 

The Planning Manager plays a critical role in translating strategy into implementation at Lambda Legal. This position enables senior leadership to focus on high-value strategic work by managing the operational infrastructure of strategic planning: coordinating cross-departmental work, strengthening data, project, and process management. The Planning Manager regularly supports executive decision-making processes, and requires access to and handling of sensitive information ensuring leaders have the clarity, tools, and insights needed to advance organizational priorities. This is a highly execution-oriented role with room to grow in setting strategy that helps translate big picture goals into actionable plans to advance Lambda Legal’s mission.  

What you’ll do:  

• Strategic Plan Implementation & Coordination 

  • Support the implementation of Lambda Legal’s strategic plan, including coordinating timelines, deliverables, and executive-level reporting across departments 
  • Lead task force coordination and metrics management, including structuring meeting logistics, agendas, work plans, progress tracking, and executive-ready updates 
  • Develop, refine, and maintain dashboards, metrics, and reporting tools aligned to strategic priorities 
  • Prepare materials and presentations for departments, executive leadership, and the Board  
  • Design and facilitate workflows and communications that enable stakeholders to make informed decisions, set clear next steps, and execute efficiently  
  • Support the annual strategy refresh process, including development of templates, timelines, frameworks, and thought partnership 

• Project & Process Management 

  • Serve as internal strategic consultant in providing project management support for high-priority initiatives that need structure, clarity, or momentum to move to completion 
  • Create and refine planning tools, templates, and management systems that promote accountability, transparency, and disciplined execution  
  • Analyze quantitative and qualitative data to surface insights, patterns, risks, and implications, translating raw information into executive-level recommendations  
  • Exercise independent judgment in identifying barriers, proposing solutions, and escalating decisions appropriately to senior leadership 

• Operational and Executive Leverage 

  • Provide operational support to the Chief of Planning & Program Management to maximize leadership capacity, including coordinating stakeholder meetings and communications, contracting vendors, and managing interns  
  • Maintain shared resources, documentation, and task-tracking systems to ensure follow through on organizational priorities  
  • Support executive management in collective bargaining strategy and preparation as needed, providing structured project and process management to ensure alignment, timelines, and deliverables are effectively managed 

Who you are: 

With the understanding that no one person will offer every desired skill and characteristic outlined below, compelling candidates will offer much of the following:   

• Minimum competencies and qualifications: 

  • 3+ years of experience in project management, operations, planning, or a related role 
  • Demonstrated ability to create and manage project plans, timelines, and deliverables across a variety of stakeholders 
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously 
  • Experience creating new processes, systems, and templates to maximize collaboration, tracking, and efficiency  
  • Structured and process-oriented thinker who can break down complex projects into actionable steps 
  • Proven ability to work independently, take initiative, anticipate needs, and follow through on assignments without constant supervision 
  • Ability to create deliverables from scratch with limited direction 
  • Skilled at upward management by providing targeted, timely updates, surfacing key decisions needed, and asking clarifying questions proactively 
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to facilitate collaboration across departments and teams, including the ability to produce board-level presentations 
  • Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment and maintain strict confidentiality when handling highly sensitive financial, labor relations, executive, and board-level information Experience tracking metrics, working with qualitative and quantitative data, and applying analytical rigor to assess progress and outcomes 
  • Comfort with providing administrative leverage, including selective scheduling, agenda creation, documentation, and follow-up 

• Preferred competencies and qualifications: 

  • Experience supporting strategic planning or organization-wide initiatives 
  • Familiarity with dashboards, reporting tools, or performance measurement frameworks 
  • Interest in organizational strategy and how planning connects to mission impact 
  • Exposure to change management and continuous improvement work 
  • Previous experience using project management systems like Monday, Asana, etc.  

Prior work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community and/or people living with HIV is highly desirable. Experience working with other historically marginalized communities (in a professional or volunteer capacity) is also preferred. 

All employees at Lambda Legal are expected to adhere to our values, DEIB philosophy, and ethical conduct in all interactions and tasks, ensuring a positive and respectful workplace environment.     

Our Values & DEIB Philosophy 

Successful candidates will embrace and champion our Organizational Values and DEIB Philosophy Statement, bringing a commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and supportive workplace. They will thrive in a diverse environment, actively contributing to a culture that respects and uplifts the full spectrum of communities Lambda Legal serves. 

Candidates can review our Organizational Values and DEIB Philosophy Statement on our Careers Page.   

Why Work at Lambda Legal? 

You get to do meaningful, life-changing work at a national level for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV. Lambda Legal also proudly offers competitive benefits for our team. We understand that our staff’s dedication and effort are instrumental in achieving our mission. A highlight of the benefits we offer include: 

• Medical benefits that begin on your start date 
• Dental, Vision, and Life insurance (effective 30 days from your start date) 
• Short & Long-Term Disability plans (effective 30 days from your start date) 
• 403(b) Retirement Plan (employer contribution and matching program begins after 90 days of employment) 
• Paid Time Off: 
  • Paid Vacation (15 Days) 
  • Sick Leave (12 Days) 
  • Personal Leave (3 Days) 
  • Religious Observance Leave (3 Days) 
  • Bereavement and Bereavement Anniversary Leave 
  • Floating Holiday (1 Day) 
• 12 paid holidays and 5 early office closures 
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA/DC FSA) and Commuter Benefits 
• Health Reimbursement Account 
• Annual professional development funds 
• $50 monthly mobile phone reimbursement 
• Summer Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day 
• Premium subscription to the Calm App 
• Paid sabbatical after 7 years of service at Lambda Legal (4 weeks for non-exempt positions and 8 weeks for exempt positions) 

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Read more about Lambda Legal's work on our blog and Instagram.

Lambda Legal believes in creating a more equitable playing field for applicants and values the depth of relevant skills built through successful education, work, and life experiences. If your background and skills are a close match for this position, you are strongly encouraged to apply.

Lambda Legal is committed to further building and maintaining a staff that reflects the full range of LGBTQ+, HIV-affected and allied communities, and is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Lambda Legal encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, disability, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender and gender-diverse people, women, people with abilities in multiple languages, immigrants, people living with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals and individuals living with HIV are all encouraged to apply.

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