Assistant Director Of Columbus Office

About Us:

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) is the state agency responsible for providing legal representation and other services to people accused or convicted of a crime who cannot afford to hire an attorney.

Our Mission: Advocating. Fighting. Helping.
Our Vision:    A Fair Justice System.
Our Values:   Compassion. Dignity. Equity. Integrity. Service. Community.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:  Our commitment to inclusion is inseparable from our commitment to a fair justice system. We strive to ensure inclusive spaces and services for our staff, our clients, and Ohio's diverse communities. We are committed to building a work environment where all our team members have a voice and can embrace our differences to innovate service to the public. We can best meet our public defense mission through a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace, where employees thrive, our mission is accomplished, and Ohioans are served. #TeamOPD is grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion as we work together to pursue fairness and justice for all people.

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About the Position and What You'll Do: 

The OPD is seeking a passionate, organized, and strategic leader to join its executive leadership team!  As the Assistant Director of the Columbus Office, you will provide the vision, leadership, strategic direction, personnel, and operations management for our Columbus Office Divisions, which include Appellate Services and Policy and Outreach.  Internally, you will report to the Director (the State Public Defender) and help advance the agency's mission, vision, and objectives and inform policy decisions that impact the indigent defense community in Ohio. You will assist the Director by leading legislative and internal agency communications. You will work closely with all levels of OPD staff and various external stakeholders in the county indigent defense community and justice system. You will be instrumental in assisting the Public Defender with adopting the recommendations of the Ohio State Bar Association's Indigent Defense Task Force and those from the HB150 legislative Task Force, as they are examining the present funding and structure of indigent defense in Ohio. You will communicate regularly with the agency Director, Trial Services Assistant Director, Chief Fiscal Officer, Human Resources Director, and other members of OPD's leadership team. You will also work directly with external members of the justice system, private attorneys serving as contractors, and county commissioners. You may also carry a limited caseload of direct client representation. 

You will directly supervise the Deputy Director of the Appellate Services Division, the Deputy Director of the Policy and Outreach Division, and an Executive Program Administrator.  Appellate Services is the agency's largest division and focuses mainly on an individual's post-conviction rights and advocacy in the criminal justice system and it contains six departments (appeals and postconviction, death penalty, intake and prison legal services, mitigation and investigation, wrongful conviction, and youth defense).  The Policy and Outreach Division supervises the compliance of county indigent defense systems with the Public Defender Commission's standards and guidelines, processes millions of dollars of reimbursement to Ohio's 88 counties, manages legislation and public information, provides technical aid and assistance to local indigent defense service providers, and serves as main point of contact for all indigent defense system stakeholders in Ohio's 88 counties.

To be successful, you will have prior leadership experience in public defense and will demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly, connect employees to a shared mission, vision and values, and innovate within complex systems to continually improve client service and reduce inequities.

Essential Functions of the position include, but aren't limited to:

• Advise the Director on matters of policy, personnel, and budget. Represent agency on committees, boards, and commissions and acts for Director in their absence regarding legal, operational, and administrative matters. Serve as Appointing Authority to review and impose discipline regarding matters of misconduct.  Lead and manage complex legal environments to accomplish agency and division strategic initiatives, goals, and assignments.
• Direct legislative engagement objectives to develop and maintain productive relations with public defense stakeholders. Monitors emerging issues and trends to determine the potential impact to Ohio's Public Defense System.
• Direct internal agency communications and assists in developing and enacting communications across a variety of media platforms, including written (email) and verbal (in-person and virtual meetings and town halls).
• Supervise the Deputy Directors of the Appellate Services Division and Policy & Outreach Division: 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; complete succession planning and position reviews.
• Oversee budgets and financial resources in support of the division/agency strategic initiatives and mission (e.g., approves training and travel requests, major project and equipment requests).
• Ensure that operating objectives and standards of performance are owned by division and department management as well as employees.
• 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 courts across the state. May directly handle a reduced caseload; applies a high level of technical and legal skills to formulate innovative legal strategy that effectively and successfully represents indigent criminal defendants.

This position does require in-office time (3-4 days per week), and you will have the opportunity for occasional work-from-home. The position also requires some travel in and outside the State of Ohio.  

**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 Office of the Ohio Public Defender complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact Tamra Meister, ADA Coordinator, at 614-466-5394 or HCM@opd.ohio.gov.

What's in it for you: 

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

Medical Coverage

• Quality, affordable, and competitive medical benefits are offered beginning first day of the month following your start date. You have three options to choose from.

Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance

• Dental, vision and basic life insurance premiums are free and coverage is offered beginning first day of the month following your start date.

Time Away From Work and Work/Life Balance

• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, and sick leave 
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth/Adoption leave

Employee Development Funds

• The  State of Ohio offers a variety of educational and professional development funding that varies based on whether you are a union-exempt employee or a union-represented employee.

Ohio Public Employees Retirement System

• OPERS is the retirement system for State of Ohio employees.  The employee contributes 10% of their salary towards their retirement.  The employer contributes an amount equal to 14% of the employee's salary.  Visit the OPERS website for more information.

Deferred Compensation

• The Ohio Deferred Compensation program is a 457(b) voluntary retirement savings plan. Visit the Ohio Deferred Compensation website for more information.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a Model Employer of Individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

This position requires the following: Admission to Ohio Bar pursuant to Section 4705.01; 5 years' experience as a licensed attorney practicing criminal law; and 12 months' experience in supervision.  Job Skills: Executive Leadership, Law, Leading Others.