Executive Director

Minnesota Department of Corrections; Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory (MN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cannabis Expungement Board (CEB) seeks an Executive Director to lead staff, implement the Board’s statutory mandate, and coordinate with courts, prosecutors, public defenders, and state agencies. The role directs operations, governance support, case review, legislative relations, and accountability to the public and Legislature.

Ideal candidates bring significant leadership in law, criminal justice, or public administration, with strong communication skills and a track record of

Qualifications

• Six (6) years of progressively responsible professional experience in law, criminal justice, or public administration.
• A JD or Masters Degree may substitute for 18 months of experience, and a bachelor’s degree may substitute for one year of experience.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in supervision, team leads, or management programs.
• Knowledge of expungement law and the criminal justice system as required by Minn. Stat. §609A.06.
• Experience managing an organizational budget or major program with accountability for results.
• Ability to communicate complex legal and policy issues clearly, in writing and orally.
• Ability to build trust and work across courts, law enforcement, prosecutors, state agencies, advocates, and communities affected by cannabis criminalization.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, and develop CEB staff; set priorities and performance expectations.
• Manage the agency budget, contracts, HR, and admin operations in compliance with state law.
• Build internal systems and data infrastructure to move cases through review at volume with quality.
• Serve as Board’s principal staff; prepare agendas and materials for monthly public meetings.
• Carry out Board decisions and keep the Board informed of operations and risks.
• Develop procedures governing how the Board sets priorities and approves legislation.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Strategic planning

Communication

Cross-agency collaboration

Policy analysis

Education

JD or Master’s degree (substitutes for experience)

Public administration degree (preferred)

Job description

The Cannabis Expungement Board (CEB) was created by the Legislature in 2023 as part of Minnesota's adult-use cannabis law. The Board reviews felony and certain misdemeanor cannabis convictions that were not automatically expunged and decides whether each should be expunged, vacated, and dismissed, or resentenced to a lesser offense. It then notifies the judicial branch of eligible individuals. The Board has five members: the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or designee, the Attorney General or designee, a public defender, the Commissioner of Corrections or designee, and a public member with experience in victims' rights advocacy.

The Executive Director is the agency's chief executive. The position serves at the pleasure of the Board in the unclassified service (Minn. Stat. § 609A.06, subd. 2). The Executive Director leads a staff of attorneys, paralegals, and administrative professionals. The Executive Director is responsible for carrying out the Board's statutory mandate accurately, efficiently, and with integrity. The work includes agency operations, Board governance support, case review, legislative and external relations, and accountability to the public and the Legislature.

Agency leadership and operations

• Lead, supervise, and develop CEB staff; set priorities, performance expectations, and a healthy, accountable workplace culture.
• Manage the agency budget, contracts, interagency agreements, human resources, and administrative operations in compliance with state law and policy.
• Build and maintain the internal systems, standard operating procedures, and data infrastructure needed to move cases through review at volume and with consistent quality.

Support to the Board

• Serve as the Board's principal staff and advisor; prepare agendas and materials for at least monthly public meetings conducted under the Open Meeting Law.
• Carry out Board decisions and direction, and keep the Board informed of operations, risks, and progress.
• Develop, for Board review and approval, the procedures that govern how the Board sets priorities, including how legislative proposals are developed and approved.

Case review and statutory mandate

• Oversee identification and review of eligible cases, including the public-interest analysis and Board determinations required under Minn. Stat. § 609A.06.
• Ensure victims receive required notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard.
• Coordinate with the judicial branch, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, prosecutors, public defenders, and other partners so determinations are filed and carried out accurately.

Legislative and external relations

• Develop legislative proposals in collaboration with the Board, obtain Governor's Office approval, work with the Revisor of Statutes on bill drafts, and testify before legislative committees as the Board's spokesperson.
• Build working relationships with legislators and committee staff, state agencies, the courts, county attorneys, community organizations, and people with cannabis-related records.
• Serve as the agency's public representative with media and the community.

Accountability and reporting

• Track and report performance measures, including case volume, outcomes, and equity measures, and prepare required reports to the Legislature.
• Plan for the Board's eventual completion of its work, including records management and transition of remaining obligations.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

To be qualified for and considered for this position, ensure that your resume contains descriptions of your work experiences sufficient for comparison against the requirements stated below and indicate the beginning and ending month and year for each job held. A cover letter is strongly encouraged.

• Six (6) years of progressively responsible professional experience in law, criminal justice, or public administration.
• *A JD or Masters Degree in a related field may substitute for 18 months of experience, and a bachelor’s degree may substitute for one (1) year of experience
• Demonstrated leadership experience, which may include experience as a supervisor, lead worker, team lead, project lead, or completion of a State of Minnesota leadership program (e.g. ELI or SLI) or similar.
• Knowledge of expungement law and the criminal justice system, as required by Minn. Stat. §609A.06, subd. 2.
• Experience managing an organizational budget, operations, or major program with accountability for results.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex legal and policy issues clearly, in writing and orally, to boards, elected officials, and the public.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and work effectively across courts, law enforcement, prosecutors, state agencies, advocates, and communities most affected by cannabis criminalization.

Preferred Qualifications

The following qualifications are strongly desired of applicants seeking consideration for this position:

• Juris doctorate or master's degree in public administration, public policy, criminal justice, law, or a related field.
• Executive leadership of a public safety, corrections, or law enforcement organization, including oversight of budgets, labor relations, and large or complex workforces.
• Experience leading a state agency, board, or commission, or reporting to a governing board.
• Minnesota criminal law knowledge and work experience, including criminal procedure, expungement, sentencing, and post-conviction practice.
• Law enforcement knowledge or experience, including law enforcement leadership.
• Experience working with or on behalf of crime victims or implementing victim notification and participation rights.
• Experience with Minnesota's legislative process, state budget process, and state human resources and procurement requirements.
• Experience leading high-volume, data-driven case processing or review operations.