Executive Director at Public Justice Center

The Public Justice Center is a leader in public interest law reform in Maryland and around the country. We work in coalition with legal advocates, direct service providers, policy advocates, community organizing groups, and law firms to challenge injustice, and we contribute our legal knowledge and skills to support initiatives identified by communities that enhance community members' power.

About the Organization

Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, the Public Justice Center is a leader in public interest law reform, pursuing systemic change to build a just society.

Using legal advocacy tools – litigation and client representation; legislative, administrative, and appellate advocacy; know-your-rights education; and collaboration – we address the causes of poverty and racial inequity. We work in coalition with legal advocates, direct service providers, policy advocates, community organizing groups, and law firms to challenge injustice, and we contribute our legal knowledge and skills to support initiatives identified by communities and that enhance community members' power.

The PJC chooses projects and cases that will make a significant impact on systems, laws, and policies. We represent people facing unlawful evictions, wage theft, healthcare barriers, and discriminatory school pushouts. We advocate to reform pretrial detention; we use appellate cases to establish good law in poverty and civil rights cases; and coordinate a national coalition that works to establish a right to counsel in basic human needs civil cases. By challenging injustice, elevating community leadership, and advancing equity through the law, we not only defend rights—we support the transformation of systems. With a bold and intersectional approach to justice, we seek to be a critical force for change in Maryland and beyond.

We know that in order to effectively dismantle systemic barriers of oppression, racial equity must be incorporated in our projects, cases, and strategies. You can learn more about our race equity commitment here.

To learn more about the PJC visit: www.publicjustice.org

About the Role

What You'll Do

As the Public Justice Center (PJC) readies itself for its next phase of growth and impact it is looking for a strategic, inclusive, and hands-on leader committed to racial equity and dismantling oppressive laws, policies, and practices to serve as its next Executive Director (ED). As the organization's chief executive, the ED will lead the creation and implementation of a strategic plan that provides mission clarity and a long-term roadmap for PJC's future. As the PJC's culture champion and carrier, the ED will foster a culture of trust, accountability, equity, and belonging, promote collaboration, ensure internal cohesion, and advance the organization's commitment to race equity and its anti-racist practice. In a changing social, political, and funding landscape, the ED will continue to steward the PJC's legacy by deepening and diversifying external partnerships and funding streams that elevate the PJC's visibility and impact at both local and national levels.

The ideal candidate is a values-driven, people-centered leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy, systems change, and a strong commitment to intersectional equity. The incoming ED will have a demonstrated ability to lead during moments of transition, understand the unique demands of a mission-centered legal organization, and align a bold vision with the infrastructure needed to sustain it.

Key Responsibilities Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Strategic Setting and Vision

• Articulate and champion a unifying vision that reflects the PJC's values, race equity commitments, and community-rooted approach to justice
• Engage staff, board, and key stakeholders to clarify the organization's mission and long-term goals, ensuring they are widely understood and internalized
• Guide the PJC through its growth trajectory, ensuring practices, structures, and programs scale sustainably
• Maintain and deepen the PJC's role as both a legal powerhouse and a voice for those most directly impacted by injustice
• Lead a collaborative and inclusive strategic planning process that charts the PJC's next era of impact, ensuring alignment across programs, operations, and advocacy priorities

Organizational Management and People Leadership

• Foster a strong, values-driven organizational culture rooted in trust, transparency, equity, and belonging, with a commitment to racial and social justice
• Manage all day-to-day operations (including legal, finance, fundraising, and communications) and staff, with ultimate accountability for the success of the organization
• In partnership with senior leaders and the team, assess and strengthen the PJC's core internal infrastructure—including HR, internal communications, and performance management systems—to support staff wellbeing, enhance staff cohesion, and enable the team to work efficiently and effectively
• Lead with a people-first approach by mentoring, coaching, and empowering a high-performing team, while ensuring accountability and opportunities for growth

External Relationships and Board Engagement

• Strengthen and diversify funding by cultivating strong relationships with individual donors and foundations
• Partner with the Board of Directors to steward the PJC's mission, strategic vision, governance, and financial health
• Serve as a bold external voice for the PJC, advancing its policy advocacy, litigation priorities, and movement partnerships
• Cultivate and deepen relationships with community organizations, elected officials, and peer institutions to expand the PJC's impact and visibility
• Champion and model community-centered advocacy, keeping the voices and leadership of directly impacted people at the heart of the PJC's work

Who You'll Work With

You will report to an active and engaged Board of Directors.

You will supervise a team of three senior leaders (Legal Director, Director of Development, and Director of Finance and Administration) and oversee a staff of 32.

Required Skills and Experience

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• At least 15 years of professional experience, including senior leadership experience in a nonprofit, advocacy, legal services, or movement-building organization
• An authentic passion for the PJC's mission with an ability to serve as an exemplar for the PJC's values and a deep commitment to intersectional and race equity with experience advancing these values in organizational practices
• Outstanding organizational leadership skills, with proven success in leading strategic planning and organizational change efforts
• Experience overseeing the financial management and financial strategy of an organization (i.e. developing budgets, creating financial reports, reporting financial health to the board)
• Strong people leader and manager who brings a collaborative and empathetic approach to the work and a demonstrated capacity to partner well with others and influence leaders across sectors
• Ability to engage in and support fundraising efforts, ideally with prior experience fundraising and/or cultivating and maintaining relationships with institutional funders, individual donors, and/or philanthropic partners
• Skilled at strategically allocating resources (i.e. capital and people) while keeping spending on track and within budget
• Public speaking and communication skills with the ability to serve as a strong external spokesperson for an organization
• J.D. degree required; it is preferred that the candidate is a licensed attorney in good standing

Additional Details

Location: This role is based in Baltimore, MD and will require in-office presence; there is flexibility for some remote work.

Benefits

The PJC provides an excellent cafeteria benefit package in the current annual amount of $16,200 (with customary annual increases each fiscal year). The cafeteria benefit package offers health, dental, vision, and life insurance, and retirement options. Cafeteria benefits packages give employees flexibility to choose how to direct their benefits. For example, this package can cover 100% of employee healthcare premiums, but an employee can choose to direct those funds towards retirement if they already have health insurance, or can have remaining funds added to the employee's taxable salary.

Equity at Public Justice Center

The Public Justice Center is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage Black, Latine, Indigenous, and other applicants of color, people with disabilities, and other people historically underrepresented in the practice of law to apply.