Who we are:
The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, is a nonprofit criminal justice organization that strives to build just government institutions and safe communities free from the scourge of racism, white supremacy, profit, and inequity that is pervasive in this country’s legal systems. We are an “inside” lane organization that drives change at scale with ambitious public sector leaders who share our commitment to building anti-racist, reparative systems that deliver justice. We leverage our access to government to transform these systems and work collaboratively with stakeholders across many movements—including advocacy, grassroots, and grasstop organizations. Our role is to pilot solutions that are transformative and achievable, harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice, and use advocacy and communications to change narratives and norms.
Vera has a staff of 300 people and offices in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people’s educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.
Who you are:
The Workplace Services Department plans, designs, equips, maintains, and operates Vera’s physical space, property, and infrastructure and provides related services to support Vera’s mission of driving change.
Our team is responsible for security, safety, emergency preparedness and compliance. In addition, our team manages the real estate transactions including but not limited to, leases, brokers and landlord partnerships, space assessment and layout design, space planning, set-up and utilization that responds to Vera’s needs office related vendor agreements and invoice processing office furniture, and equipment.
The office intern will support Workplace Services in day-to-day administrative tasks and activities. Learn to plan, organize, and schedule with confidence as well as assessing priorities and managing multiple office projects while working cooperatively and independently on assigned tasks.
What you'll do:
Participate and help with office space management and maintenance
- Assist with new office set-up, signage design, communication to staff of new office practices
- Prepare communications, such as memos, emails, invoices, and other correspondence Book conference rooms for meetings
- Assist in setting up videoconferences
Support the Associate Director / Community Associate in implementing and managing office policies and procedures, as needed
- Assist in maintaining electronic filing system
- Post communication on the intranet page
- Track budget invoices and record budget coding and expenses in excel spreadsheets
- Assist with ordering and placement of office signage and art installations
Assist with office events
- Help coordinate staff outings, food, and furniture set-up, as needed
- Setup deliveries for staff breakfasts, lunches, and other events
Office staff support
- Assist with internal staff community building activities and special projects
- Copy and print documents for other staff
- Assist staff with outside meetings and conferences
Point of contact
- Organize and schedule appointments and meetings
- Greet and provide general support to visitors
- Reply to emails, phone, or face to face inquiries
Assist with supply inventory and organizing
- Collate and distribute mail
- Assist with mailing and shipping packages
- Help maintain supply inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, organize storage items
Other ad hoc duties as needed
What qualifications are we looking for?
Preferred:
- Commitment to racial equity and advancing anti-racism, both in our workplace and in the world
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
- Ability to manage and prioritize multiple time-sensitive projects
- Exhibited ability to take initiative to organize, prioritize and follow through on work assignments
- Ability to work effectively in a team environment and independently
- Demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse background
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring:
- Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Location:
Please note this role will report to our Washington, DC office. Vera interns and employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule. Full-time positions generally amount to 10 days per month. Part-time positions generally amount to 5 days per month.
Schedule:
The intern should be available to work up to 16 hours per week during the summer. The dates will be between June 5th and August 11th, with some flexibility to accommodate personal and academic schedules.
Compensation:
The compensation range for internships is $16.00 - $25.00 per hour. Actual compensation will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. Applicants may choose to receive academic credit. For those who need to earn academic credit, Vera will gladly assist in working with the school or program to make arrangements and meet requirements.
How to apply:
Please submit cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please explain why you are passionate about criminal justice reform and what you hope to gain from this internship.
Applications may also be faxed to:
ATTN: People Resources / Office Intern, Workplace Services
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.
As a federal contractor, and in order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Vera Institute of Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.
Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.
Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.
For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org
