Equity Program Manager

State of Maryland•Baltimore City, MD

20h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Equity Program Manager (Program Manager II) serves at the pleasure of the Office of Equity and Inclusion’s Executive Director, with managerial oversight by the OEI Deputy Director. The role directs and coordinates programs and initiatives that translate the Department of Juvenile Services’ vision for racially equitable, inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and restorative practices into operations. Guided by the DJS Mission, Vision, and Pathways to Equity Framework, the manager oversees complex cross-agency projects, establishes goals and standards for systemic policy change, and develops short- and long-range plans to embed equitable practices across DJS operations. The position exercises independent judgment in specialized policy portfolios, represents the department in liaison work, and plans, coordinates, implements, supervises, and evaluates efforts to move initiatives from strategy to execution. The Office of Equity and Inclusion implements the DJS Race Equity Framework through collaboration, strategic reforms, and agency capacity building. Its mission is to identify opportunities to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in policies and practices, collaborate with local partners to address disparities, and advance equitable practices, inclusion, and racial healing to mitigate adverse outcomes for families and youth of color affected by the youth justice system. This Management Service position is based at DJS headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, and offers a hybrid telework schedule with statewide travel as needed. A resume must accompany the application.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Seven years of progressively responsible experience in youth-serving, juvenile justice, or human services programs or initiatives.
Experience leading or supporting program, operational, or reform initiatives.
Experience implementing policies or procedures.
Experience coordinating with internal and external partners.
Experience using data or performance information to improve outcomes.
A resume must accompany the application.

Nice To Haves

Professional experience evaluating programs, practices, performance data, policies, and procedures to enact actionable change that mitigates disparities and enhances operational equity.
Experience coordinating inter-agency and family-driven workgroups, committees, and advisory boards to foster participatory design, shared accountability, and culture change.
Experience shifting power and decision-making authority by formalizing and resourcing youth and family leadership in shaping systems.
Experience developing, planning, and coordinating capacity-building initiatives, toolkits, training modules, and learning experiences that strengthen staff capacity in equity, inclusion, and restorative practices.
Experience leading or supporting system-level reform initiatives in youth justice, human services, or related settings, including equity, inclusion, restorative practices, or organizational change efforts.
A proven track record establishing strong partnerships with organizations deeply connected to and serving Hispanic and Latino youth, families, and communities.
Experience developing and expanding language access infrastructure, including translation, interpretation services, and bilingual resources for non-English-speaking youth and families.
Demonstrated expertise designing and implementing culturally responsive programming and community engagement strategies tailored to Hispanic and Latino youth and families.

Responsibilities

Direct and plan the development, implementation, and evaluation of systemic reform initiatives.
Evaluate programs, practices, performance data, policies, and procedures, and enact actionable changes to mitigate disparities and enhance operational equity.
Manage comprehensive project plans and coordinate deliverables to translate executive vision into operational steps.
Develop strategic partnerships with internal divisions and community stakeholders to drive system-wide reform.
Coordinate inter-agency and family-driven workgroups, committees, and advisory boards to foster participatory design, shared accountability, and culture change.
Represent OEI as a subject matter expert by providing consultation, technical assistance, and strategic guidance to agency leadership and youth justice practitioners.
May supervise, plan, direct, and evaluate assigned staff, manage performance, and provide mentorship in alignment with OEI objectives.
Develop, plan, and coordinate capacity-building initiatives, toolkits, training modules, and other learning experiences that strengthen staff capacity in equity, inclusion, and restorative practices.
Develop standardized resources and practice guides for applying equity principles in DJS field and facility operations.
Analyze youth justice data with stakeholders to guide strategy and assess the impact of agency initiatives.
Manage a diverse portfolio of special projects, plan strategic next steps, and execute workflows independently.
Adapt to changing priorities, continuously improve skills, and expand expertise to support DJS reform efforts.
Perform other assigned duties and pivot across operational areas as needed to advance the Office of Equity and Inclusion’s mission.