Healing to Advocacy Program Manager

About the Role

Essie Justice Group (Essie) is building grassroots power to dismantle the US incarceration system, a major source of racial and gender injustice. We are a community of women with incarcerated loved ones, including cisgender women, transgender women, formerly incarcerated women, gender-expansive individuals, elders, and young people. After twelve years of growth, Essie is deepening its base-building and leadership development strategies to advance decarceration agendas nationwide. We aim to transform the criminal legal system and create a Black feminist future rooted in care, equity, community safety, and liberation.

The Healing to Advocacy Program Manager is a key leader responsible for managing staff and daily operations of Essie’s signature organizing program. This role requires a master project manager who excels at implementing large, growing programs and is passionate about leadership development for those most impacted by the systems we seek to change.

Responsibilities

• Program Management: Directly manage 1-2 staff members and oversee day-to-day operations of the Healing to Advocacy Program, including logistics, childcare, contractor management, member recruitment, cohort launches, graduations, and evaluation.
• Logistics: Create and execute logistics plans to reduce participation barriers and solve complex problems.
• Childcare Program: Manage and co-design the EssieKids! Program to meet childcare needs.
• Contractor & Relationship Management: Oversee contractors and maintain external relationships essential for program success.
• Member Recruitment & Cohort Filling: Coordinate recruitment strategies, including nomination letters, phone calls, and cohort filling across California.
• Member Facilitators: Recruit, onboard, and support facilitators to co-lead program sessions.
• Cohort Launch & Graduations: Launch cohorts in 15-20 locations and coordinate graduation events.
• Evaluation: Manage data and administration goals throughout the program.
• Member Training & Support: Coordinate and facilitate Essie Facilitator Training Retreats, respond to participant needs, and track leadership development outcomes.
• Team Leadership: Ensure program goals are met, co-design evaluation systems, provide input on improvements, and oversee member retention, recruitment, and data management.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in complex program implementation, preferably in community organizing or direct services.
• Detail-oriented project manager with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of recruitment, retention, and Black feminist culture-setting best practices.
• Excellent prioritization and facilitation skills.
• Experience supervising staff with an awareness of privilege, power, and accountability.
• Strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Track record as a collaborative leader.

Skills

• Program Management: Expertise in designing and executing programs for social and personal change.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to anticipate challenges, mitigate risks, and adapt to unforeseen complexities.
• Root Cause Analysis: Identifies systemic issues and develops solutions.
• Discernment & Integrity: Trustworthy and aligned with organizational values.
• Commitment to Evolution: Continuously deepens understanding of oppression and privilege.
• Uplifting Leadership: Inspires confidence, positivity, and growth in others.

The Position

The Healing to Advocacy Program Manager is a full-time, salaried, exempt position reporting to the Associate Director of Strategy & Organizational Impact. The salary range is $90,000 - $95,000, with full benefits, optional 401(k), substantial vacation, and a monthly wellness stipend. The role can be based in Los Angeles or Oakland, California.

About Essie Justice Group

Essie Justice Group is a nonprofit organization of women with incarcerated loved ones, addressing injustices created by mass incarceration. Our Healing to Advocacy Model fosters healing, collective power, and social change. Essie is Great Place to Work-Certified™ and values applicants who are people with incarcerated loved ones, formerly incarcerated, people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals.