Partners for Justice works closely with public defender offices to help them adopt more collaborative and holistic defense practice. Our flagship program embeds trained Client Advocates in a host public defender, immediately expanding their ability to provide clients with wraparound support and navigate the enmeshed civil penalties of arrest.
Program Manager Responsibilities
- Program management: The Program Manager will have shared responsibility for the success of PFJ programs in the West Region and direct responsibility for one or more PFJ programs at specific partner offices. This includes ensuring that PFJ meets all programmatic objectives and goals, including recruitment, training delivery, and service provision (with support from the PFJ national team).
- Technical assistance to West Region offices: Serve as primary point of contact with designated public defender partners, building meaningful, credible relationships with Advocate supervisors. Offer advice and best practices on integrating holistic defense generally and the PFJ program specifically into office practice.
- Coach, empower and supervise PFJ Advocates: Provide one-on-one coaching and mentorship to Client Advocates on service delivery, case management, and professional and personal development. Ensure PFJ’s Advocate performance expectations are consistently met. Organize regular trainings or workshops to deliver local learning experiences that meet Advocate needs (in partnership with office supervisors).
- Resource development: Working with Advocates and office supervisors, identify and build relationships with legal aid providers, community-based organizations, and government agencies providing services that benefit clients.
- Community awareness: Maintain knowledge of local dynamics and context that affect clients, including developments in the criminal and civil legal systems 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 and programming to enhance the Advocate practice and experience. Contribute to PFJ’s annual and ongoing training events.