Partners for Justice was founded to transform public defense locally and across the United States, diminishing the effect of race and wealth on legal outcomes. This means ensuring that public defenders are equipped to assist clients with the underlying drivers of legal system involvement, to secure better legal outcomes both inside and outside the courtroom, and to help more clients emerge from prosecution with their rights, life, and future protected. Since our launch in 2018, PFJ has grown rapidly and we now support 20+ public defender agencies across the country through embedded collaborative defense teams and capacity-building support.
PFJ works closely with public defender offices to help them adopt more collaborative, holistic practices. Our flagship program embeds trained Client Advocates in a host public defender, immediately expanding their ability to provide clients with wraparound support. The Senior Program Manager for the West region will have responsibility for our partnerships with the Los Angeles Alternate Public Defender and the Santa Cruz, CA public defender’s office. This work is critical to ensure that these offices are equipped with the knowledge, capacity, and resources to implement collaborative practice in the offices that work with PFJ. The Senior Program Manager will report to PFJ's West Regional Director.
Responsibilities:
- Program management: The Senior Program Manager will have responsibility for one or more PFJ programs at specific partner offices. This includes ensuring that PFJ meets all programmatic objectives and goals, including recruitment, training delivery, and service provision (with support from the PFJ national team).
- Technical assistance to West Region offices: Serve as primary point of contact with designated public defender partners, building meaningful, credible relationships with Advocate supervisors. Offer advice and best practices on integrating holistic defense generally and the PFJ program specifically into office practice.
- Coach, empower and supervise PFJ Advocates: Provide one-on-one support to Advocates on personal and professional development. Ensure PFJ’s Advocate performance expectations are consistently met. Work with teams to identify and integrate best practices for the PFJ program in their office. Organize regular trainings or workshops to deliver local learning experiences that meet Advocate needs (in partnership with office supervisors). Supervise PFJ-employed Advocates from a human resources perspective.
- Partnership development: Working with Advocates and office supervisors, identify and build relationships with community-based organizations and government agencies providing services that benefit clients.
- Community awareness: Maintain knowledge of local dynamics and context that affect clients, including developments in the criminal legal system or related to poverty alleviation. Help Advocates understand the communities in which they are working.
- National resources: Help define the PFJ Advocate role and experience. Gather best practices and contribute to national resources and programming to enhance the Advocate practice and experience. Contribute to PFJ’s annual and ongoing training events.
PFJ is deeply committed to justice, equity, and inclusion in hiring. People with lived experience or identities that overlap with PFJ’s clients are strongly encouraged to apply for this role.
Desired qualifications include:
- Commitment to PFJ’s mission and to our vision of collaborative, client-centered representation for low-income people involved in the criminal legal system
- Dedication to serving racially or socioeconomically marginalized communities
- While we primarily work remotely, candidates should live in California, or be willing to relocate. Deep familiarity with at least one California jurisdiction is a requirement, including knowledge of the legal system, government agencies, and other institutions that low-income people regularly interact with. Los Angeles or Santa Cruz knowledge preferred
- JD or MSW and minimum of five years’ experience providing legal or social services to low-income people facing criminal charges. Other very relevant experience will also be considered in lieu of degree requirements
- Prior work within a public defender’s office is a strong plus, especially an office with holistic or client-centered practices, or in an office providing civil legal services to low-income people
- Supervising or coaching others; while direct line supervision responsibilities are preferred, this could include serving as a teaching assistant or faculty member, a resident advisor, overseeing interns, or similar
- Working remotely with distributed teams and/or working in a start-up environment
This is a full-time, salaried position with a salary range from $75,000 - $90,000, commensurate with skills and experience. PFJ’s benefits package includes employer-paid medical and dental coverage, a 401k program, and reimbursement for Bar or other professional dues among other programs. PFJ employees work remotely with the benefit of flexible hours. We also encourage our team to rest and take care of themselves, which we support with unlimited sick leave and vacation, as well as 12 office holidays and a year-end rest period.
To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and two references to [email protected] with “West Senior Program Manager” in the subject line. Be advised that if you do not include this subject line, we may not receive your application.
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