The Bronx Defenders (BxD)—an innovative, progressive, holistic defense office in the South Bronx—seeks a Recruiting Director to manage high volume recruiting and hiring.

The Bronx Defenders 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 doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals with a strong commitment to public defense to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of almost 400, 70% of whom are unionized, includes interdisciplinary teams of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have pioneered a groundbreaking, nationally recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for our clients. 

Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, child welfare, 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 reform at the local, state, and national level. We take what we learn from the clients and communities that we serve and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.

Recruiting

BxD is committed to recruiting and hiring a strong and diverse pool of applicants dedicated to defending people in the Bronx community and effectively collaborating with colleagues across practice areas and positions within our organization. To further this goal, we participate in a variety of career fairs, on-campus events, pipeline programs, and educational panels across the nation to promote awareness about and interest in our work. In turn, we receive thousands of competitive applications every year for internships, externships, and full-time employment opportunities. As the volume of opportunities and interest in BxD increases, we seek a Recruiting Director. Reporting to the Chief People & Equity Officer, the Director will lead recruiting efforts to meet the demand by delivering a thoughtful, comprehensive, and equitable hiring processes.

• Lead the recruiting process, end to end including:
  • Collaborating with leaders of internal teams and practice areas to determine talent needs; developing and implementing an effective hiring strategy, which will include engaging, screening, and interviewing prospective candidates; supporting the team’s process in selecting new hires; and collaborating across the organization’s departments to develop and manage position-specific onboarding processes
  • Roles include: legal interns, legal fellows, attorneys, social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators as well administrative roles across the organization
• Collaborate with the academic community to promote BxD opportunities, public defense careers, and engage with the legal community:
  • Attend on-campus events including career fairs, panels, conferences, etc.
  • Develop and maintain productive relationships with academic faculty and administrators as well as industry professionals
• Manage the execution of the summer and term-time internship programs, legal externships, legal clinics, and the comprehensive programming for each group
• Ensure that administrative materials and resources, and platforms and documents that support the recruitment and hiring process are current and effectively support the work
• Provide strategic insights based on continuously analyzing internal and external data to inform and improve the recruiting and hiring process
• Continuously assess compensation data and provide relevant insights to ensure that our total compensation is competitive
• Collaborate with the Collective Bargaining Unit to ensure that all recruiting and hiring practices and processes are consistent with and reflective of agreed guidelines per the union contract
• Deliver training to staff on effective and equitable recruiting and hiring processes
• Manage a Recruiting Associate and Coordinator
• Lead regular team meetings with peers and junior staff

• At least three (3) years of experience recruiting legal staff at all levels who represent and support people navigating criminal, family, immigration, and/or civil legal proceedings in a public defender office; experience in holistic defense strongly preferred
• Ability to effectively communicate, collaborate, and connect with people with various identities, backgrounds, and experiences with a lens toward equity, inclusion, and cultural consciousness
• Significant experience managing high volume recruitment and demanding internal clients
• Significant experience with iCIMS or other ATS
• Excellent organization skills as well as meticulous attention to detail 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to effectively manage and develop junior staff
• Ability to travel domestically 25%

The following qualifications are preferred, but not required:

• Written and oral Spanish language proficiency
• Experience with unionized employees
• Physical Demands

To cultivate the deep subject matter knowledge, strong interpersonal relationships and collaborative approach that are critical to the position’s success, it is essential that the candidate be able to participate in-person and onsite in both internal and external meetings and events. The role requires travel to several recruiting and industry events throughout the year.

Compensation

Salary is commensurate with experience.  The salary range for this position is $145,000 to $155,000 annually. 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; and a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy.    

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, exempt employees are compensated hourly based on their annual rate and therefore are entitled to over-time, whereas exempt employees are not.  

To apply, please upload both a cover letter and resume as a single document when prompted. Applications missing any components or not submitted in the requested manner will not be considered.

The Bronx Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a 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 serve.