Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services
(Administrative Office)
Topeka, KS
Executive Director:
The Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (BIDS) is accepting applications for its next Executive Director (ED).
The ED serves as the chief authority of BIDS and is responsible for the overall leadership and day-to-day administration of the Kansas Public Defense System. While the ED works in alignment with the policies and strategic direction set by the BIDS Board, the position operates independently and does not receive direct, day-to-day oversight. The ED’s work is guided by state and federal laws, constitutional mandates, administrative regulations, and established policies. Assignments to the ED are given by the BIDS Board and are made at a broad level. Assignments focus on long-term goals, compliance mandates, systemic improvements, and high-level operational oversight. The ED is expected to determine the specific approach and manage the execution of objectives without supervision.
The Mission:
BIDS, through its regional public defender offices and its assigned counsel program, represents adults charged with felonies who cannot hire an attorney. By supporting and elevating public defense in the State of Kansas, BIDS empowers its team to provide relentless representation and collaborative, holistic advocacy in service of client-centered outcomes.
BIDS is in the process of remaking its public defense model with a renewed emphasis on interdisciplinary team-based collaboration. This model uses community connections and resources to better represent not just an individual’s case, but the client as a whole.
We are looking for a dynamic, client-centered advocate who is passionate about public defense and is interested in aiding our efforts to transform BIDS into a model of collaborative public defense practice.
Responsibilities:
The ED serves as the head of BIDS and holds full responsibility for the leadership, direction, and administration of the Kansas Public Defense System.
As the head of the agency, the ED is the public face of the Kansas Public Defense System and provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and policy direction for the entire system, which includes all regional public defender offices and the private assigned counsel program. The ED operates independently and does not receive direct oversight, functioning as the final decision-making authority on all agency matters. The ED directly supervises all Chief Public Defenders across the state (currently 18 in total) and leads the Executive Leadership Team within the BIDS Administrative Office. The Executive Leadership Team includes the General Counsel, Chief Fiscal Officer, Director of Human Resources, Special Projects Director, Training Director, Lead IT Consultant, and Legal Assistant to the Director. Together, under the ED's leadership, this team supports the agency’s mission to ensure the effective delivery of constitutionally mandated legal defense services throughout Kansas. Occasional travel is required.
The ED duties include but are not limited to the following:
• Lead the Board’s comprehensive annual budget process for the $60 M+ executive branch agency. This
includes the meticulous development of the budget, assessment of current resource needs,
prioritization of requests, written budget preparation for the Board, and budget advocacy to the
Division of Budget, the Governor, and the Legislature.
• Work closely with the BIDS Executive Leadership team to establish strategic projects and partnerships to
continue to improve the quality of and access to public defense services throughout the state.
• Continuously assess the agency’s operational and programmatic resource needs including staffing,
funding, and infrastructure with ability to reallocate resources strategically to meet evolving priorities, =
approve expenditures in alignment with budgetary goals, and advocate for additional resources through
appropriate legislative and policy channels.
• Collaborate with the Director of Human Resources, General Counsel, and Chief Public Defenders to
address and resolve HR matters, including personnel management, compliance, and organizational
development.
• Collaborate with the BIDS Training Department to ensure that all participants in the Kansas Public
Defense System receive training on best practices and the most up-to-date developments in criminal
defense practice.
• Respond to media inquiries and requests for information under KOMA and KORA.
• Work collaboratively with external legal system stakeholders such as with court leadership, other state
agencies, the Governor’s Office, Legislative members, District and County Attorneys, and other legal
system stakeholders.
• Ensure BIDS clients have access to ethical and constitutionally zealous defense services across the state
through the monitoring and maintenance of workload standards in collaboration with the Chief Public
Defenders and assigned counsel throughout the state and the implementation of a weighted caseload
system within the public defender offices.
• Ensure BIDS Mission, Vision, and Values are at the heart of the decision-making throughout the agency.
• Act as a liaison with other statewide and national legal and public defense organizations such as the
Kansas Bar Association, the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association
for Public Defense, and the National Legal Aid and Defender Association.
• Provide periodic updates to the agency on issues of employee and agency concern.
• Provide the BIDS Board with periodic updates on issues of agency concern, compile and publish reports
on the agency’s work, and work with the Board to develop policies and strategies to align the agency’s
resources and the Board’s goals.
• Center well-being practices as an ethical cornerstone of sustainable public defense practice within the
agency.
• Perform other duties as needed.
Salary and Benefits:
Compensation for this position ranges from $95,000 up to $150,000. Salary may vary depending upon experience or qualifications. We are happy to discuss salary expectations with interested applicants.
The State of Kansas offers a comprehensive employment benefits package for benefits-eligible staff, which includes:
• Comprehensive medical coverage is available through the State Employee Health Plan (SEHP) and is
effective on the first day of employment. Available coverage includes medical, prescription drug,
dental, and vision benefits, as well as access to tax-advantage accounts such as a Health Savings
Account, Health Reimbursement Account, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Additional voluntary benefits including Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, and Critical
Illness Insurance
• SEHP members and their covered dependents have access to the HealthQuest Health Center at 9th
and Kansas Avenue in Topeka for in person and virtual health care services
• The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to benefits eligible staff, their family members
living in the same household, or dependent children. The EAP provides information, short-term
counseling, advice, and referrals from licensed professionals
• KPERS mandatory retirement plan and optional KPERS 457 plan (deferred compensation)
• Sick & vacation leave
• Work-life balance programs: paid parental leave, military leave, jury duty leave, and funeral leave
• Nine paid state holidays
• Discretionary Day (Subject to annual approval of Governor)
• Fitness centers in select locations
• Employee discounts through the STAR Program
Qualifications
Minimum requirements for this position include:
Education and Experience:
• Graduate from an ABA accredited law school.
• Licensed attorney who is active and in good standing in the State of Kansas at the time of employment.
• At least 5 years of experience in criminal defense and 2 years in an executive leadership role preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and decision-making skills supported by strong emotional intelligence;
• Clear and effective communication skills, both verbal and written;
• Demonstrated expertise with advocacy and stakeholder engagement;
• Ability to confidentially manage information with demonstrated ethical and professional conduct at all times;
• Excellent crisis management, problem solving, and analytical skills;
• Ability to lead with integrity, empathy, and cultural competence;
• Demonstrated leadership success in the fields of criminal justice, public defense, and other social justice issues and the
clear embrace of the principles of zealous advocacy and client-centered defense representation;
• Proven experience developing, adhering, and adjusting to a long-term strategic plan;
• Demonstrated expertise in budget development and financial oversight of an organization;
• High level of organizational and administrative expertise, with the ability to manage a wide range of detail-intensive
tasks efficiently and accurately in a fast-paced, high-demand environment;
• Demonstrated ability to successfully develop, positively coach, and appropriately supervise employees (including
supervision of remote staff);
• Ability to treat every client, employee, colleague, and other justice system stakeholders with dignity and respect;
• An interest in teaching and a willingness to assist others with developing a better understanding of BIDS’ mission, its
constitutional underpinnings, and the consequences of its work within the larger Kansas judicial system;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage confidential information;
• Sophisticated technical competency with standard word processing, spreadsheet programs, and data management
systems, and a basic knowledge of computer usage in a network environment and common cybersecurity
considerations;
• Ability and willingness to occasionally travel to other work locations throughout Kansas and to out-of-state conferences.
Conditions of Employment:
• Maintain licensure as an active attorney in good standing in the State of Kansas. Attorneys licensed in
another state must be willing and able to seek admission to the Kansas bar immediately upon hire.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• All employment is subject to the Governor’s salary approval.
Required Application Materials:
• Cover letter
• Resume
• List of three professional references
• If you are claiming Veteran’s Preference, please also include your DD214
Send cover letter, resume, list of three professional references, and DD214 (if applicable) by email to Shawn Keeling:
Shawn Keeling
Human Resources Professional, Administration Office
State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services
[email protected]
When emailing application materials, please include “BIDS Executive Director” in your email subject line.
Application deadline: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; position is open until filled. However, priority consideration will be given to candidates who submit their application materials by 5:00 p.m. on June 11, 2025.
Please note that an offer of employment is contingent upon the fulfillment of the following pre-employment conditions:
• Confirmation of licensure as an active attorney in good standing in the State of Kansas, or successful admission to the
Kansas Bar, prior to start date.
• Governor’s salary approval.
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