Who we are:

The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. For more information, visit vera.org.

Vera has a staff of 224 people, is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York and has offices in Washington, D.C., 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.

About the team:

The Director, Greater Justice New York (GJNY) is responsible for leading the program’s work—from a macro-level vision of what Vera’s role is in reforming New York’s criminal justice system to the micro-level day-to-day responsibility 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 within the institute and as an external representative to other stakeholders in the field. Though you primarily operate within the scope of Vera’s 501(c)(3) function, you frequently will collaborate with Vera Action, Vera’s 501(c)(4) sister organization. GJNY’s director leads an eight-person team, which generally is divided into a policy side and a research side, each run by an associate director who reports directly to you.

About the role:

You are passionate about social and racial justice, motivated to drive change, and unafraid to challenge the status quo. You are enthusiastic, collaborative, curious, and kind, and you value working with and helping others develop their advocacy skills. You have an extensive and nuanced understanding of the criminal and immigration legal systems, the workings of state and local policy, and demonstrated experience in leading campaigns to win policy change. You believe in the value of doing “inside” lane work to build champions for our issues within government, and in an “outside” lane approach of working in partnership with advocates, organizers, and grassroots and grasstops allies.

What qualifications are we looking for?

Strategic Management 

  • Lead the development, design, and implementation of advocacy strategies for GJNY campaigns, including management and execution of GJNY’s work in research, writing and publications, projects, partnerships, and other deliverables
  • Engage in statewide travel to lead GJNY’s work when we conduct trainings and research, provide technical assistance, and participate in meetings and convenings
  • Contribute to local, statewide, and national conversations about New York criminal justice reform
  • Serve as Vera’s primary resource on New York criminal justice issues to journalists and media outlets
  • Write and contribute to articles, op-eds, and other strategic communications on New York criminal justice matters
  • Speak at conferences and other forums regarding criminal justice reform
  • Develop and measure metrics to discern impact of the established strategy
  • Manage GJNY’s stakeholder relationships at all levels of government, in New York City, Albany, and across the state, as well as relationships with advocates, community leaders and organizers, and with organizations that work locally and nationally that impact our work in New York

Team Building, Mentorship, and Supervision 

  • Oversee and own the overall supervision and development of direct and indirect staff reports, including professional development, goal setting, advancement, and elements of accountability, aligned with Vera’s commitment to anti-racism and REI efforts
  • Share fundraising responsibilities for GJNY with the Vice President of Advocacy & Partnerships

Operations Leadership 

  • Partner with the development department to accomplish fundraising goals and to support funder relationship management, proposal creation, and reporting deadlines
  • Manage all elements of the team’s operations, including budget, deadlines, staff deployment, and team performance
  • Maintain regular contact with the fiscal department to develop, track, and manage budgets

Communication Deliverables 

  • Lead the day-to-day messaging and narrative strategies around bail reform, pretrial justice, and other issues related to reducing reliance on jails
  • Draft and edit program reports, proposals, presentations, and internal / external blog posts to communicate updates on GJNY’s work over time
  • Present on Vera’s work at conferences, on webinars, and other external events

Other Duties as Assigned

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring: 

  • Advanced degree + 12-15 years of relevant experience. In lieu of degree requirement, applicable work or life experience may be considered
  • Curiosity and willingness to research, read, talk to people, and learn constantly about New York’s dynamic and evolving criminal justice field, with an ability to translate that knowledge into strategic implementation and changes to policy and practice
  • Firsthand and extensive experience with New York’s criminal justice system—as an advocate, practitioner, policymaker, lawyer, researcher, or someone who is directly impacted
  • Experience managing staff, both those who are newer to the work world and those who have more years of experience, and a desire to work with both sets of employees
  • Expertise creating advocacy strategies from idea to infrastructure to implementation – including grassroots organizing and coalition building
  • Demonstrated ability to produce excellent writing in a variety of settings, from longer reports, briefing memos, to media opinions and editorials. 

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 legal system
  • Lived experience as a person directly impacted by the criminal legal system

Technical knowledge helpful for this role:

  • Microsoft Office proficiency
  • Ability to travel frequently across the state 

Location:

Please note this role will report to our Brooklyn, NY, office. Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month.

Compensation and Benefits:

The compensation range for this position is $152,000 - $157,000. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute’s total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff - both personally and professionally - is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time. To learn more about Vera’s benefits offerings, click here. 

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People Resources / Program Director, Greater Justice New York
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.

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.

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