The OPD is seeking a passionate, organized, and strategic indigent defense leader to join its
executive leadership team as a Trial Services Deputy Director 4 responsible for effective office and
personnel operations. You will lead the directors of four county offices across Ohio (Ross, Trumbull,
Athens and Washington counties) to ensure the sustainability and quality of work environments,
employee experience, and client service provision. You will set a clear and strategic vision for the
county office teams, ensuring everyone understands the goals and their role in achieving them. You
will implement retention and professional development programs; coordinate strategic trial litigation;
Trial Services Deputy Director –
Trial Office Management and Support (250007QH) advise the director and assistant directors in legal, operational, and administrative matters; and build a
culture of client-centered collaboration and communication. You will also serve in an advisory
capacity to the Assistant Director of Trial Services, Assistant Director of Columbus Office, and the
State Public Defender, and may carry a small caseload.
- This position entails active, independent responsibility for performance development and personnel
management. To be successful, you must have prior leadership experience in public defense, and
demonstrate the abilities to coach people, to proactively build and reinforce trust among staff, even
during times of conflict, to innovatively use resources, and to collaborate with others to identify and
implement solutions.Essential functions of the position include but aren’t limited to:
Manage operations: - Conduct regular one-on-one and team meetings to provide support, discuss challenges,
and monitor the performance and development of managers. Provide feedback,
recognition, and support. Identify areas for improvement and provide and help develop
training opportunities. - Cultivate a positive and collaborative work environment where open communication is
encouraged. Identify tools and information the staff need to meet goals and ensure those
are available to and understood by staff. Travel regularly to county offices to provide inperson
support and training. - Allocate resources based on project requirements, client needs, and external demands.
Develop original and innovative solutions for current service delivery and staffing issues.
Work closely with Human Resources Department to ensure teams stay current with best
practices and various responsibilities under rules and policies. - Work with Office Directors, Social Work Supervisor, and Assistant Director to develop and
implement collaborative defense models in offices. - Recruitment, Retention, and Development:
Lead pipeline initiatives to connect with candidates (for example: pursue opportunities to
host externs and interns; organize outreach and presence at Law School campuses and
classrooms). - Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive onboarding for new staff.
Work with directors, supervisors, and training staff to implement new programming and
create procedures and policies. Evaluate efforts and outcomes and work to continually
improve efforts. - Implement a variety of innovative methods to coach and develop attorney and non-attorney
staff.Advisory capacity:
- Assist in the formulation of policies, procedures and administrative rules; assist with
formulating, implementing, and evaluating the agency budget; assist with the evaluation of
proposed and recently enacted legislation affecting agency operations.Supervision:
- Directly supervise attorneys: approve work schedules; respond to questions and concerns
and resolve problems; disseminate and interpret policies and procedures and best
practices; provide coaching and training, and complete timely performance reviews;
succession planning and position reviews. - Oversee budgets and financial resources in support of the division/agency strategic
initiatives and mission (e.g., approve requests for training, travel, projects, and equipment).Special projects and other duties:
- Render legal advice to county public defenders and members of the private bar on all
matters of criminal law and the provision of representation to indigent criminal defendants. - Serve as an attorney-at-law to represent indigent criminal defendants in the courts across
the state. May directly handle a reduced caseload; apply a high level of technical and legal
skills to formulate innovative legal strategy that effectively and successfully represents
indigent criminal defendants.
This position requires in-office time and extensive travel in the State of Ohio as well as occasional
travel outside Ohio. You will have an office location in our Columbus office.
When you submit your application, please upload a Resume and a Cover Letter indicating how you
are best qualified for this position and why you feel you are the best fit at the Ohio Public Defender’s
Office.
The Trial Services Regional Director position is assigned to the State of Ohio’s E-2 Pay Range 44.
Target compensation for this position is $137,000 to $145,000.