Partners for Justice (PFJ) was founded to transform public defense locally and across the United States to ensure that race and wealth no longer determine legal outcomes. We are recruiting a Program Manager to lead our work with the Harris County Public Defender, one of our largest partnerships, and expand our programs in Texas.
Overview:
For PFJ, transforming public defense means ensuring that defenders are equipped to assist clients with the underlying circumstances driving legal system involvement, secure better legal outcomes both inside and outside the courtroom, and ensure that more clients can walk away from the criminal legal system with their rights, life, and future protected. Since our launch in 2018, PFJ has grown rapidly and we now support twelve public defender offices across the country.
PFJ works closely with public defender offices to help them adopt more holistic, community-oriented practices. Our flagship program embeds trained Client Advocates in a host public defender, immediately expanding their ability to provide clients with wraparound support. The Texas Program Manager will have responsibility for our partnership with the Harris County Public Defender’s Office, one of PFJ’s largest relationships. The Program Manager will help train Client Advocates, build relationships within HCPDO, provide resources and support to the Advocates’ on-site supervisors, build a network of local partner organizations, and provide coaching and support to Advocates. This work is critical to ensure that HCPDO is equipped with the knowledge, capacity, and resources to implement holistic practices in the offices that work with PFJ. In addition, the person in this role will have the opportunity to help grow our program in Texas, adding new offices to their support portfolio.
Program Manager Responsibilities
1. Capacity building: Act as primary point of contact with designated public defender partners, building meaningful relationships with Advocate supervisors. Offer advice and best practices on integrating holistic defense generally and the PFJ program specifically into office practice.
2. Coach and empower PFJ Advocates: Provide one-on-one support to Advocates on personal and professional development. 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).
3. Partnership development: Working with Advocates and office supervisors, identify and build relationships with community-based organizations and government agencies providing services that benefit clients.
4. Fundraising: With support and direction from PFJ’s leadership, identify possible Texas-based grant opportunities to support PFJ’s work and contribute to relationship building and proposal development.
5. 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.
6. National resources: Help define the PFJ Advocate role and experience. Gather best practices and contribute to national resources to enhance the Advocate practice and experience. Contribute to PFJ’s annual and ongoing training events.
7. Coordination: Facilitate communication between national PFJ team and local Advocate and office teams, ensuring visibility on national initiatives and local dynamics
Compensation & Benefits
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 coverage and a 401k program. 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 14 office holidays.
We are 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.
Requirements:
1. Commitment to PFJ’s mission and to our vision of holistic, client-centered representation for low-income people involved in the criminal legal system
2. Minimum of 7 years’ experience working in the legal system on either criminal or civil matters relevant to PFJ’s clients
3. Dedication to serving racially or socioeconomically marginalized communities
4. Ability to travel occasionally (public health conditions permitting)
Desired skills or experience:
1. Prior work within a holistic public defender’s office is a strong plus; JD preferred
2. Deep familiarity with Harris County or another Texas jurisdiction, including knowledge of the legal system, government agencies, and other institutions that low-income people regularly interact with
3. Relationships with relevant local community organizations, government agencies, or funders
4. Leading a team, including supervision responsibilities
5. Building external partnerships and leading through influence and collaboration
6. The ability to identify, prioritize, and proactively drive creative initiatives that increase our impact
7. Working remotely with distributed teams, while remaining effective and productive
8. Experience working in a start-up environment
Please send a cover letter, resume, and two references to [email protected] with “Texas 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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