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
Mentoring and Development
Equity, Anti-Oppression & Culture
People Management
Labor and Employee Relations
Data Analytics & Technology
Legal & Regulatory Compliance
Communication and Community Engagement
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:
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.
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