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 and holistic practice. Our flagship program embeds trained Client Advocates in a host public defender, immediately expanding their ability to provide clients with wraparound support. The South Region Program Manager will have partial responsibility for our partnership with the Missouri State Public Defender, though they may manage other partnerships over time. They will report to PFJ's South Regional Director.
Responsibilities:
- Program management: The Program Manager will have shared responsibility for the success of designated PFJ programs in the South Region. 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).
- Coach, empower and supervise PFJ Advocates: Organize onboarding for new Advocates. Provide one-on-one support to Advocates on personal and professional development through regular check-ins. 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).
- Partnership development: Working with Advocates and office supervisors, identify and build relationships with community-based organizations and government agencies providing services that benefit clients. Ensure each assigned office has an updated resource guide for Advocates to draw on.
- Technical assistance to South Region offices: Offer advice and best practices on integrating collaborative, holistic defense generally and the PFJ program specifically into office practice. Anticipate and remedy programmatic issues within host offices. Serve as a resource on PFJ programs and procedures for supervisors.
- 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 within the Midwest or South region, or be willing to relocate. Deep familiarity with at least one jurisdiction in these geographies is a requirement, including knowledge of the legal system, government agencies, and other institutions that low-income people regularly interact with. Strong preference for candidates currently based in Missouri or with knowledge of the Missouri legal system and social services
- Five years’ relevant experience at an organization that provides legal or social services to low-income people. Other very relevant experience will also be considered in lieu of this requirement. A JD or MSW can also substitute for years of experience
- Prior work within a public defender’s office is a strong plus, especially an office with holistic or client-centered practices, or in an organization 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 $65,000 - $80,000, 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 “South Region 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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