The Bronx Defenders – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks a visionary and transformational leader who is ready to lead and elevate people operations at Bronx Defenders, including innovative initiatives in equity, inclusion, workplace wellness and anti-oppression.  

The Bronx Defenders (BxD) is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in so doing, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of approximately 400 includes criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, team administrators, organizers, mentors, and communications specialists who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend.  

Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, family, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.  

The Opportunity 

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Chief People & Equity Officer (CPEO) will be a member of the executive management team, which includes the Deputy Executive Director, and the Chief Operations Officer. The CPEO will partner with members of the Bronx Defenders leadership team to define strategic direction and prepare equity-informed policies, processes and staff to meet strategic goals in alignment with BxD’s mission and values. The CPEO will lead all human resources and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Specifically, they will direct the equity, anti-oppression and people management functions of the organization including employment, recruitment, hiring and succession planning, performance management, training and development, workplace wellness, compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations, internships and mentoring programs, workforce data analytics, HR legal compliance, and the cultivation of an anti-oppressive work culture throughout the organization. 

The CPEO will lead a growing team of professional staff (currently 11 members) and help manage an annual compensation budget of $42 million, plus a benefits budget of $12 million, to support over 400 full and part-time staff of legal professionals, social workers, investigators, administrative and operational employees, the majority of whom are within a collective bargaining unit. The department has recently undergone a comprehensive assessment with the aim of strengthening operational capacity, growing and fortifying the infrastructure, and elevating its organizational impact. Building on this foundational work, this will be an opportunity for a forward-thinking visionary and transformational leader to lead and elevate all aspects of the diversity, equity, and inclusion and human resources functions within the Bronx Defenders. They will have the unique opportunity to expand and manage the execution of a vision and infrastructure to build-out and advance a culture of equity, transparency, support and accountability to our large, diverse and evolving staff. Direct reports to the CPEO include: the Director of People and Culture who supervises compensation and benefits as well as employee relations; Director of Recruitment and Hiring, Director of Workplace Wellness and Manager of Equity, Inclusion & Engagement.  

Strategic Leadership 

• As a member of the Executive Management Team, work as a strategic and operational partner to Bronx Defenders’ Executive Director, acting as a trusted advisor and leader in all aspects of people operations  

• Plan, develop, execute, and evaluate the organization’s strategic vision for people operations – emphasizing accountability, accessibility, creativity, and commitment to engaging staff with compassion and care – to cultivate an anti-oppressive work culture, and improve the employee experience from recruitment through retention  

• Strengthen coordination and collaboration among and within PEIT teams, ensuring seamless continuity and a sense of shared ownership and pride in the department’s work.  

• Foster a holistic approach to people management that supports the growth, development, safety and wellbeing of employees at all stages of their career, aligning with the organization’s mission, values, and commitment to equity, inclusion and anti-oppression  

Mentoring and Development 

• Provide vision and effective leadership for the team, empowering team members across all functional areas to be knowledgeable, confident partners to BxD employees and to provide well considered, impactful guidance  

• Standing as an accessible, present, and engaged leader, ensure that all members of the team feel valued and well supported in their roles 

Equity, Anti-Oppression & Culture  

• Lead through change. Assess the current organization of people operations, including equity, inclusion, anti-oppression, workforce wellness, employee relations, and the benefits and compensation functions, and align the department’s staffing and infrastructure with organizational priorities and human resources and DEI best practices.  

• Establish equitable policies and practices from recruiting to retention to offboarding, and implement innovative strategies for fostering a safer, supportive, anti-oppressive workplace that equitably supports staff in navigating disability, trauma, burnout and other wellness challenges  

• Lead the department in developing and delivering training curriculum on equity and anti-oppression education, supervision and support, conflict navigation and other subject areas to support supervisors, managers and staff in meeting workplace expectations; building the knowledge and skills to navigate the judicial system with an anti-oppressive lens  

• Directly communicate, consult, and collaborate with the Executive Management Team and PEIT Team on policies, practices and procedures to ensure that decisions are made through an equity/anti-oppression lens.  

• Work with other members of the Executive Management Team and PEIT members to establish and execute a Equity & Institutional Transformation strategic plan with the goal of fostering a stronger culture of equity and anti-oppression and sustainable work and wellness balance  

People Management  

• Design and implement structures that will support managers to ensure the professional development and retention and of their teams, including ongoing, multi-tiered training curriculum to provide opportunities for staff to develop their skills, flourish in their roles, and enjoy promotional opportunities across the organization  

• Establish vision, protocol and programming for an equity career development program and a professional development pipeline to support staff from marginalized identities and experiences in identifying and achieving their professional goals while filling diversity and equity gaps within the organization  

• Ensure that employees have access to high quality and cost-effective benefits that can serve as an effective driver in recruitment and retention. Develop and deploy an equitable total compensation strategy keyed to market competitiveness as well as internal fairness and equity  

• Develop the process for and support the recruiting and hiring and P&C teams in executing a comprehensive onboarding process, ensuring that staff have what they need to successfully acclimate to the organization 

Labor and Employee Relations  

• Collaborate with the P&C Director and General Counsel to create policies, practices and troubleshoot escalations related to personnel conflicts, grievances, disciplinary matters, and investigations 

• Work as a key management partner in labor relations. In collaboration with General Counsel and other members of the Executive Management Team, oversee negotiations with the UAW Local 2325 - Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (AFL-CIO), the union representing the collective bargaining unit at Bronx Defenders  

• Labor relations is a critical component of the people operations work at Bronx Defenders as the majority of employees, including attorneys, social workers, other legal staff, as well as operations and administrative staff, are represented by a collective bargaining agreement  

Data Analytics & Technology  

• Cultivate and champion a culture of continuous improvement, focusing on key equity and people operations metrics to track progress  

• Evaluate, identify, and oversee implementation of opportunities to streamline processes through the inventive use and implementation of people operations/human resource technology  

• Leverage organizational resources to institute a robust information system to support data-centered decision making. Frame issues supported by data analytics and benchmarking insights, to drive priority goals  

• Monitor trends in employee data and regularly survey the internal and external work environment to track, report and address issues and conflicts related to race, class, power and privilege as well as assess safety and wellness needs, and other variables that may impact BxD employees  

Legal & Regulatory Compliance  

• In partnership with the Office of General Counsel, ensure compliance with policies, laws, and practices that impact recruitment, employee relations, retention, separation, and other personnel matters.  

• Collaborate with General Counsel and Director of People & Culture to develop strategic responses to issues of inequity, oppression and harm in the workplace in compliance with the law  

Communication and Community Engagement 

• Effectively lead people operations related communications, developing clear, concise, and relevant messaging to staff and other constituents regarding people operations and equity, inclusion and anti-oppression programs, policies, processes, and initiatives 

• Advocate and promote the department's ability to function as an effective, efficient, and compassionate partner to managers and staff of all levels and in all areas. Advance and articulate the department’s contribution to the overall BxD mission 

• Promote a customer service orientation, education, and ease of access for all employees and prospective employees. Ensure that all PEIT processes show a demonstrated commitment to engaging with compassion and care  

• Collaborate with BxD Development or Communications offices on external communications as needed to ensure the accuracy of reported staffing information and people operations initiatives or to assist in applying an equity and anti-oppression lens in framing their messages 

The successful candidate will be a visionary and transformational leader who is ready to lead and elevate people operations at Bronx Defenders, including innovative initiatives in equity, inclusion, workplace wellness and anti-oppression. Certification or an advanced degree in human resources or a related field is preferred.  

In addition, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following qualities:  

• Experienced people manager with increasingly responsible leadership positions in the people operations arena and proven record of success in managing organizational change. Prior experience within a collectively bargained workplace with a proven record of success in labor relations is preferred  

• Unwavering commitment to social justice, equity, and anti-oppressive practices with a demonstrated appreciation of how these principles inform people operations policies and practices.  

• Deep experience analyzing HR systems and nonprofit programming from a DEI lens, then engaging team members in envisioning and implementing initiatives to dismantle oppressive systems and make processes and programs more just, equitable, and inclusive.  

• Proven record of success and deep knowledge of people operations functions and technology, including recruitment and hiring, training, performance management, employee relations, labor relations, and compensation and benefits  

• Knowledge of and demonstrated facility with applicable state and federal employment and labor laws. Keen attention to risk management and regulatory compliance required  

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, and the ability to organize, analyze, effectively tailor and present initiatives to diverse groups of staff, the BxD Board of Directors, prospective funders or other constituents with open, effective communication and broad constituent engagement  

• Experience in utilizing and maximizing technology and efficient practices to deliver data, service, and support to a range of constituent employee groups and management  

• A record of attracting, mentoring and retaining diverse, talented staff and building empowered teams among dedicated and ambitious individual contributors  

• Exceptional judgment, communication, interpersonal, conflict management and mediation skills 

• Commitment to confidentiality and the highest ethical standards  

• Demonstrated appreciation of and commitment to challenging the systemic injustice the people we represent face daily and understand how that informs the priorities, nature, and operation of Bronx Defenders’ workplace 

This is an in-person position with regular contact with staff and community members.  

Salary is commensurate with experience. For candidates with directly relevant experience, the salary range for this position would be approximately $220,000 to $250,000. Full-time employees are also eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403(b) plan with employer contribution; a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy. More specific information about salary and benefits will be provided when and if an offer is extended.  

Approximately 70% of The Bronx Defenders' staff, including attorneys and non-attorneys, are represented by UAW Local 2325 - Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (AFL-CIO). This position is not within the bargaining unit.  

This position is exempt. By law, nonexempt employees are compensated hourly based on their annual rate and therefore are entitled to overtime, whereas exempt employees are not.  

To apply, please click APPLY TO THIS JOB ONLINE and upload your resume and a cover letter in one document when prompted. If you would prefer to send in a video or audio statement in lieu of a cover letter, you may upload your resume as a document and separately upload a video or audio statement instead of a cover letter. Your cover letter or video/audio statement should share why you want to do this work at our office, some key lived and/or professional experiences that have prepared you for this position, and any additional information you would like for us to consider. Your cover letter may be up to one page if written or up to 3 minutes if an audio/video statement. This information allows us to understand your distinct perspective, experience and potential beyond the work history summarized on your resume. If selected for the position, your resume will be used to determine the number of years of professional experience you have doing directly relevant work and determine a salary based on that analysis; we encourage you to include all directly relevant experience on your resume. Please remember that you may submit a written cover letter or an audio/video statement, but not both, and applications without a cover letter—in either written or video form--will not be considered.  

Applications will be accepted through September 13, 2024. However, interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis and the position will be filled as soon as we find a qualified applicant. Please contact Wesley Caines, Interim Executive Director, via email at Wesleyc@bronxdefenders.org with any questions regarding the position.  

The Bronx Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and is cultivating an anti-oppressive workplace that embraces staff with a diversity of backgrounds, identities and experiences. We acknowledge the ways in which systemic oppression and injustice 

can undermine access to professional opportunities and are committed to conducting hiring and promotion processes that are equitable and accessible to those commonly excluded from the workforce. We do not discriminate against and in fact specifically encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, neurodivergent and those directly impacted by criminal, civil, family and immigration legal systems. We value lived as well as professional experience and particularly welcome applications from the Bronx community that we work with.