At a national level, PFJ focuses on recruiting and training Client Advocates, building relationships with Public Defenders, and ongoing coaching and support to Advocate teams and their offices. This work is critical to ensure that PFJ Advocates have the right skills, support, and community to fight on behalf of their clients. With PFJ’s rapid growth, we are expanding our national team and seeking a Regional Program Director to work directly with Advocates and our Public Defender partners in California. This person will be PFJ’s primary point of contact with a portfolio of partner offices and their Advocate teams, playing a crucial role in creating robust holistic services for PFJ clients. The Regional Director will also help drive our growth in California, seeking out and developing new partnerships and resources to support PFJ’s work.

Regional Director Responsibilities

• 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).
• Technical assistance to offices: Act as primary point of contact with designated public defender partners, building meaningful relationships with Advocate supervisors. Offer advice and best practices on integrating the PFJ program into office practice.
• Partnership development: Working with Advocates and office supervisors, identify and build relationships with community-based organizations and government agencies providing services that benefit clients. Identify public defenders who are a good fit for the PFJ program and work with them to bring Advocates to their office.
• Fundraising: With support and direction from PFJ’s Executive Directors, identify possible California-based grant opportunities to support PFJ’s work and contribute to relationship building and proposal development.
• 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 to enhance the Advocate practice and experience. Contribute to PFJ’s annual and ongoing training events.
• Coordination: Facilitate communication between national PFJ team and local Advocate and office teams, ensuring visibility on national initiatives and local dynamics

Desired qualifications

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 and will be prioritized in the hiring process.

Requirements:

• Commitment to PFJ’s mission and to our vision of holistic, client-centered representation for low-income people involved in the criminal legal system
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience working in legal services, social services, or community organizing
• Dedication to serving racially or socioeconomically marginalized communities
• Ability to travel at least 25% of the time (public health conditions permitting)

Desired skills or experience:

• Experience working in the legal system, either criminal or civil matters relevant to PFJ’s clients
• Deep familiarity with Alameda County or Los Angeles County, including:

o Knowledge of the legal system, government agencies, and other institutions that low-income people regularly interact with

o Relationships with relevant local community organizations, government agencies, or funders

• Supervising or coaching other adults
• Experience identifying and vetting grant opportunities; clear and compelling writer
• Building external partnerships and leading through collaboration
• The ability to identify, prioritize, and proactively drive creative initiatives that increase our impact
• Working remotely with distributed teams, while remaining effective and productive
• Experience working in a start-up environment
• An MSW or JD can be helpful in this role, but are not a requirement

Regional Directors should also model the characteristics we look for in outstanding Client Advocates:

• Creative problem-solving, with the ability to find innovative and efficient solutions to unusual obstacles
• Proactive and takes the initiative
• Able to handle ambiguity and thrives on working independently, with limited oversight
• Resilient, tenacious, and optimistic in the face of challenges

Compensation and other perks

The total compensation package for this position is up to $90,000, inclusive of medical, vision and dental coverage if desired, and commensurate with experience. PFJ offers unlimited vacation and sick leave, 13 office holidays, and the ability to work remotely. We think the biggest perk of working at PFJ is being able to shape something new that makes a difference and the opportunity to work with our amazing advocate teams!

To apply:

Please send a cover letter, resume, and two references to hiring@partnersforjustice.org with “CA Regional Director” in the subject line. Be advised that if you do not include this subject line, we may not receive your application.