Job Description

Overview
***INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY***
Agency Summary
The Marion County Public Defender Agency provides legal representation for Marion County citizens who cannot afford to hire their own lawyer in matters involving liberty interests, including criminal cases. Our services are provided as a public service. We work with the felony, misdemeanor, Title IV D, civil commitment, and juvenile courts. We also work on cases related to termination of parental rights as well as appeals. Our agency also offers education, services, and programs to provide our clients with alternatives to incarceration. Our Agency accomplishes this by cultivating a productive, collaborative, and compliant work environment allowing our workforce to meet the needs of the constituents of Indianapolis and Marion County.
Job Summary Position is responsible for supervising administration staff and paralegal staff. Provides leadership on special projects as directed by the Chief Public Defender. . Acts as liaison to Public Defender Board, client community and to the general public and other governmental entities. Provides consultation and assistance regarding specific matters within identified area of expertise. Reinforces the mission, vision, and core values of the agency. Independent judgement is regularly utilized when there are no available policies and procedures. Independent actions and judgement are exercised in making decisions that are complex in nature and have considerable impact of Public Defender Agency policy. Decisions and actions may be controlled by state and federal laws. The actions and decision-making process allow for considerable latitude in making informed judgements, quick decisions, or decisions without benefit of consultation. The incumbent is expected to exercise initiative, creativity, and independent problem-solving skills. Position reports to Chief of Operations.
Position Responsibilities

• Direct supervision of Administration office and Paralegal staff to include interviewing, hiring, training, mentoring and performance evaluations
• Manage, coordinate, and facilitate the progress and results of special projects and provide updates to the Chief as requested
• Liaison for Public Defender Board, facilitates meetings, agenda and minutes
• Responsibilities include mapping out development plans for divisions and individuals, function as direct report for absence notifications, participates in developing performance plans and disciplinary decisions.
• Manage, design, develop, coordinate, and conduct all training programs for Administration office and Paralegal staff
• Function as intermediary for clients and family to resolve complaints and issues before escalation to Chief Public Defender
• Must maintain confidentiality at all times
• This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities that management may deem necessary from time to time

Qualifications
Minimum Job Requirements and Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Political Science, Management, or a related field of study and at least five (5) years of related work experience. One (1) year of related work experience may be substituted for each year of required education. Must have knowledge of current administration's vision, governmental policies, and address them on an administrative level, should be skilled in conflict resolution. Effective in treatment of customers whether face to face and/or telephonically in a professional and courteous manner. Knowledge of spreadsheet(s), database(s), and other software is required. Must be able to type, update and/or create reports, and spreadsheets as needed. Demonstrate creative ability when presented with unformatted projects and/or ideas. Must be able to communicate effectively both in oral and written formats.
Preferred Job Requirements and Qualifications
Master's Degree preferred.
Independent Judgment
Working Conditions
Essential functions are regularly performed in an office setting without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
Physical Conditions
Sitting at a desk the majority of the day
Some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10) pounds
Tasks may involve extended periods of time at keyboard or workstation
Tasks require the ability to perceive and hear sounds and see visual cues or signals
Tasks require the ability to communicate orally
Equal Employment Opportunity
The City of Indianapolis Marion County is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We value diversity in perspectives and experiences among colleagues and the residents of this city of whom we serve.
All rates are bi-weekly.
2026 Rate Sheet - To view our rate sheet, please copy and paste this link into your web browser: https://indygov.sharepoint.com/sites/HR/Benefits/SiteAssets/SitePages/Home/2026%20Rate%20Sheet%20Bi-weekly%20Civilian.pdf
Life Insurance Employee Only (rates per $1,000 per month):
Basic: Employer Paid
Optional Life Insurance Employee Only (rates per $1,000 per month)
Additional:
25-29 $0.058
30-34 $0.083
35-39 $0.099
40-44 $0.132
45-49 $0.223
50-54 $0.363
55-59 $0.600
60-64 $0.795
65-69 $1.329
70 + $2.054
IMPORTANT PERF UPDATE:
*For more information on eligibility options, refer to Proposal 21-288 https://bit.ly/3exq8yR
1. All employees hired/rehired after 1/1/2022 have a choice to select the PERF Hybrid plan (3% + Pension) or the INPRS My Choice: Retirement Savings plan (3% + 1% Contribution). The Hybrid plan consists of two components:
Annuity Savings Account (ASA) -This consists of the mandatory employee contribution of three (3%) percent of compensation (made for the employee by the City), plus interest credits or earnings. You're always vested in your ASA portion - it's always yours.
Pension - The pension portion of the retirement benefit is funded by contributions made by the employer over the course of the employee's career and separate from the annuity savings account. Employees enrolled in the PERF Hybrid plan are eligible for retirement benefits at age sixty-five (65) if they have ten (10) or more years of creditable service. After June 30, 1995, employees may retire at age sixty (60) with at least fifteen (15) years of credible service or if the member's age in years plus the years of credible service equals at least 85 and the member is at least fifty-five (55) years of age. With fifteen (15) or more years of creditable service, the employee may retire as early as age fifty (50) with a reduced pension.
2. Employees hired/rehired by the City and County between 1/1/2017 and 12/31/2021 will be automatically enrolled in the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings plan. This plan is an annuity savings account (ASA) only plan and does not have a pension component. Any service that an employee has in the My Choice: Retirement Savings Plan will not count toward the service time requirements for pension eligibility in the Hybrid Plan.
With the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings Plan, the ASA is split up into two parts:
Part one - This consists of the mandatory employee contribution of three (3%) percent of compensation (made for the employee by the City), plus interest credits or earnings. You're always vested in your ASA portion - it's always yours.
Part two - This consists of an additional variable rate contribution paid by the City toward your ASA. This variable rate contribution is currently 1% of your gross wages. Vesting in the value of the variable rate employer contribution will vary by length of participation. You are:

• 20 percent vested after 1 full year of participation

• 40 percent vested after 2 full years of participation

• 60 percent vested after 3 full years of participation

• 80 percent vested after 4 full years of participation

• 100 percent vested after 5 full years of participation

3. All employees hired/rehired prior to 1/1/2017 are grandfathered into PERF Hybrid plan. The Hybrid plan consists of two components:
Annuity Savings Account (ASA) -This consists of the mandatory employee contribution of three (3%) percent of compensation (made for the employee by the City), plus interest credits or earnings. You're always vested in your ASA portion - it's always yours.
Pension - The pension portion of the retirement benefit is funded by contributions made by the employer over the course of the employee's career and separate from the annuity savings account. Employees enrolled in the PERF Hybrid plan are eligible for retirement benefits at age sixty-five (65) if they have ten (10) or more years of creditable service. After June 30, 1995, employees may retire at age sixty (60) with at least fifteen (15) years of credible service or if the member's age in years plus the years of credible service equals at least 85 and the member is at least fifty-five (55) years of age. With fifteen (15) or more years of creditable service, the employee may retire as early as age fifty (50) with a reduced pension.
4. City Employees hired/rehired between 1/1/2017 and 12/31/21 that are members of the City AFSCME labor union can choose to enroll in either the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings plan or the PERF Hybrid plan. Both plans are described above. Employees have 60 days to choose which option they want, and by state law this cannot be changed. If no choice is made, the employee will then be automatically added to the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings plan.
The Indiana General Assembly has enacted a provision that allows public employees to make voluntary contributions in addition to the mandatory three percent (3%) contributions. Employees may contribute up to an additional ten- percent (10%) of their compensation per pay period to the annuity savings account. This means that the maximum level of contributions to the annuity savings account under this new provision is thirteen percent (13%) of an employee's compensation per pay period.
Employees who separate from the city within their first ten (10) years of employment need to contact INPRS - PERF regarding their ASA account.
Questions relating to PERF may be directed to INPRS - PERF at:
Indiana Public Retirement System
Public Employees' Retirement Fund
One North Capitol, Suite 001
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(888) 236-3544

Skills Required