Initiative Director, Greater Justice New York

About the Team

The Greater Justice New York (GJNY) Program Director leads the program’s work—from a macro-level vision of Vera’s role in reforming New York’s criminal justice and public safety systems to the micro-level day-to-day responsibilities of supervision, management, fundraising, relationship building, and delivering on the work itself. You serve as Vera’s lead expert on New York’s criminal justice issues and opportunities for reform, both as an internal thought partner and as an external representative to stakeholders. While primarily operating within Vera’s 501(c)(3) function, you will frequently collaborate with Vera Action, Vera’s 501(c)(4) sister organization. The GJNY Program Director leads an 8-10 person team.

About the Role

As a senior leader within the organization, the Director shapes the vision of Vera's work in New York at both the city and state levels. The role requires extensive and nuanced knowledge of New York's criminal justice system, state and local policy workings, deep relationships with government and community stakeholders, and demonstrated experience leading campaigns to win policy change. The Director must value both "inside-lane" work to build government champions and an "outside-lane" approach partnering with advocates, organizers, and grassroots allies. A commitment to race equity and inclusion (REI), passion for driving social change, and professional or lived experience with the criminal justice system are essential.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Management
  • Lead the development, design, and implementation of advocacy strategies for GJNY policy campaigns, including management and execution of research, writing, publications, projects, partnerships, and other deliverables.
  • Manage and operationalize various components of the team’s strategy, ensuring cohesion of workstreams.
  • Partner with Vera Action to lead c4 and political advocacy campaigns, creating political buy-in for a new approach to safety, accountability, and justice among candidates and elected leaders.
  • Develop and measure metrics to assess the impact of the established strategy.
  • Collaborate with Vera’s Research, Communications, and Advocacy teams to support strategy development and execution.
  • Partner with the development department to accomplish fundraising goals, cultivate funder relationships, and manage proposal creation and reporting deadlines.
• Strategic Partnerships and Field Building
  • Manage GJNY’s stakeholder relationships at all levels of government in New York City, Albany, and across the state, as well as with advocates, community leaders, organizers, and organizations impacting New York’s work.
  • Navigate complex political dynamics to advance GJNY’s goals.
  • Lead or partner with other organizations, coalitions, or groups to advance GJNY’s objectives.
• Driving Public Opinion and Debate
  • Represent Vera as an expert in media outlets (op-eds, interviews), conferences, webinars, and other external events.
  • Serve as an organizational spokesperson in media, public forums, and conferences, including as Vera’s primary expert on New York criminal justice issues for journalists.
  • Draft and edit program reports, proposals, presentations, and internal/external blog posts to communicate updates on GJNY’s work.
• Team Management, Mentorship, and Supervision
  • Oversee and supervise direct and indirect staff, including professional development, goal setting, advancement, and accountability, aligned with Vera’s commitment to anti-racism, equity, and an inclusive workplace.
  • Manage all elements of the team’s operations, including budget, deadlines, staff deployment, and team management.
  • Maintain regular contact with the finance department to develop, track, and manage budgets.

Requirements

• Advanced degree and 12+ years of relevant experience. In lieu of a degree, applicable work or life experience may be considered.
• Firsthand and extensive experience with New York’s criminal justice system—as an advocate, practitioner, policymaker, lawyer, researcher, or someone directly impacted.
• Experience managing staff, including those newer to the field and those with more experience.
• Expertise in creating advocacy strategies from idea to infrastructure to implementation, including grassroots organizing and coalition building.

Qualifications

Preferred:

• Juris doctor or graduate degree in a social science or related field; or equivalent work experience; or relevant work or educational background and lived experience as a person directly impacted by the criminal justice system.

Skills

• Curiosity and willingness to research, learn, and translate knowledge about New York’s criminal justice field into strategic implementation and policy changes.
• Demonstrated ability to produce excellent writing for reports, briefing memos, media opinions, and editorials.

Location

This role reports to Vera’s Brooklyn, NY office. Employees adhere to a hybrid schedule, working in-office approximately 10 days per month.

Pay

The compensation range for this position is $160,000–$175,000. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including experience and performance.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off.
• Comprehensive health insurance plan.
• Student loan repayment benefits.
• Professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annually for education costs relevant to Vera’s work.
• Employer-funded retirement plan.
• Flexible time.
• Merit pay.

For more details, visit Vera’s benefits page.