Strategic HR Lead: Talent Acquisition & Retention

Maryland AG; Baltimore, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD) is seeking an Associate Director of Retention and Recruitment in Baltimore to design, implement, and evaluate data-driven agency-wide retention and attorney recruitment strategies. This leadership role develops talent pipelines, mitigates attrition, and positions OPD as an employer of choice to fulfill its constitutional mandate.

The role requires leading end-to-end recruitment, stay/exit analyses, and strategic partnerships with law schools and bar

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Four (4) years of professional human resources generalist or specialist experience involving recruitment and employment, employee relations, workforce planning, policy formulation, or HR program evaluation.
• Notes: substitutions allowed for education/experience per agency policy.
• Military service experience may substitute for experience per policy.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and continuously evaluate a data-driven, agency-wide employee retention strategy.
• Lead full-cycle talent acquisition for attorneys, interns, externs, and fellows.
• Design and administer stay/exit interviews and organizational climate assessments.
• Build recruitment channels with law schools, bar associations, clerkship programs, and affinity groups.
• Present executive reports on turnover, time-to-fill, and DEI metrics.
• Coordinate onboarding and mentorship with training to align retention milestones.
• Oversee recognition, wellness, and morale initiatives across the agency.
• Advise leadership on workforce engagement and burnout reduction strategies.
• Represent OPD at career fairs and conferences (evenings/weekends required).

Skills

Recruitment

Employee relations

Workforce planning

Policy formulation

HR program evaluation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD) is seeking an Associate Director of Retention and Recruitment in Baltimore to design, implement, and evaluate data-driven agency-wide retention and attorney recruitment strategies. This leadership role develops talent pipelines, mitigates attrition, and positions OPD as an employer of choice to fulfill its constitutional mandate.

The role requires leading end-to-end recruitment, stay/exit analyses, and strategic partnerships with law schools and bar