Current Job Openings at LEAD Ohio

Buckeye Justice Forum

Northeast Ohio Regional Director, Buckeye Justice Forum

The Buckeye Justice Forum, a project of the LEAD Ohio Foundation, fosters equity, enhances access to justice, and drives reform in Ohio’s judicial system by advancing progressive majorities on Ohio state courts and by building a progressive judicial pipeline to sustain this effort into the future. 

This full-time position, Northeast Ohio Regional Director for the Buckeye Justice Forum (BJF), is focused on the work of BJF in the Northeast region of the state. Although our headquarters is in Columbus, any applicant for this position must be located in Northeast Ohio. 

Below is a general overview of the responsibilities of this Northeast Ohio Regional Director role. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties of this position as other activities may be necessary to support the growing work of BJF. A pdf version of the posting is available here.

Focused outreach & networking 

  • Create a database of individuals (including sitting and former judges, and practicing and retired attorneys), organizations, foundations, and grassroots groups within Cuyahoga and surrounding counties with values alignment and interest in the mission/goals of the BJF. 

  • Research and network to find others in Cuyahoga and surrounding counties with similar values to those of the BJF and add to the database.

  • Conduct regular outreach and discussions with these individuals, organizations, foundations and grassroots groups as well as elected leadership in these counties (including mayors, county executives and others) to advance relationships. This may include one-on-one calls, Zoom and/or in person meetings, presentations at groups/clubs, etc. As part of this regular outreach, emphasize our educational opportunities and provide communications and/or graphics that they can share within their network(s) for recruitment of possible judicial candidates and staffers into our training programs.

  • Make one-on-one calls to potential future candidates who either reach out to BJF or LEAD Ohio with interest in our training programs or those who have been recommended to us by a trusted advisor.

Educational events 

Work with BJF’s State Director and LEAD Ohio Foundation staff on our Speaker Series and other programs, including: 

  • Developing topics for the Buckeye Justice Forum Speaker Series, securing speakers, recruiting attendees, and applying for CLE credit. 

  • End-to-end communications to registrants of each event

    • Dates, times, logistics, necessary prep work, and any other instructions or guidance needed before the program begins. 

    • Follow-up communications with any materials and recordings.

  • Behind-the-scenes support work for each event

    • Preparing a “run of show” document 

    • Collecting speaker bios for all panelists at BJF events 

    • Assisting with day-of event activities such as check-in, room set-up (if in person), running Zoom controls (if virtual), issuing feedback surveys, etc. 

  • Continually working to improve existing programs and developing new educational opportunities as necessary. 

Board, donor, and stakeholder meetings 

  • Upon request, assist in preparing all materials, presentations, talking points and/or handouts for each:

    • Foundation board meeting 

    • One-on-one or small group donor meeting 

    • LEAD Ohio Foundation fundraisers 

    • BJF stakeholder summits with invested individuals and representatives from organizations, foundations and grassroots groups

  • Upon request, attend LEAD Ohio Foundation Board meetings, BJF donor meetings and stakeholder summits, taking part in presenting or speaking as needed.

Qualifications 

Professional and political experience

  • 3-5 years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas: 

    • Ohio law, legal systems and/or litigation 

    • Progressive issue campaigns in the Northeast Ohio area 

    • Nonprofit work in criminal justice reform, reproductive justice, environmental justice or any other nonprofit work in which you interacted with Ohio’s courts

  • Although not required, being a licensed attorney in Ohio would be a plus

  • Working knowledge of and interest in Ohio government and politics, specifically in the judicial space

  • Strong networks in Northeast Ohio in the areas of government, politics, law and/or judicial systems

  • Ability to work with and support a diverse group of progressive partner organizations

Administrative experience

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and in Google programs (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms)

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail

  • Ability to multitask and remain flexible

  • Track record of meeting firm deadlines

Additional responsibilities

  • Reliable transportation for meetings both in Northeast Ohio and in Columbus. Travel to Columbus will generally be for one day each week. 

  • Although the job is typically M-F, normal business hours, we frequently host educational programs on evenings and weekends, so our hours flex to accommodate these training times. (Ability to attend and support both remote virtual programs as well as in-person programs, which are typically held in Columbus, is required.) 

Please send a resume and cover letter explaining why you would be a strong fit for this role to info@leadohio.org. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 

The base salary for this position is negotiable commensurate with experience. 

LEAD Ohio is an equal opportunity employer. This application will not be used for limiting or excluding any applicant from consideration for employment on a basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law, including race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or parental status, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, personal appearance, family responsibilities, genetic information, matriculation, political affiliation, arrest record, conviction record, ancestry, military service, or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws or ordinances.

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