Initiative Director, Redefining Public Safety

About the team:

The Redefining Public Safety (RPS) Initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice helps jurisdictions to adopt comprehensive approaches to public safety by championing solutions that prevent crime and break its cycle. The RPS team has substantive expertise in alternatives to crisis response, violence prevention and intervention, policing, and how government agencies can implement and sustain a comprehensive safety approach. In addition, the team has demonstrated capacity in providing technical assistance to jurisdictions; producing data and evidence for policy change; engaging in advocacy, communications and narrative change; and navigating the politics of policing, crime, and public safety.  

About the role:

The RPS Initiative Director will be responsible for the overall direction and management of RPS’s work, including the development of and accountability for the team’s goals; supervising the team and managing its budget; developing and holding key relationships and partnerships with policymakers and leaders in the criminal justice, policing, community violence intervention, and crisis response fields; representing Vera as an expert in public safety; navigating complex politics; shaping public opinion; and exploring new strategies to advance public safety writ large.  

As a senior leader within the organization, you will have significant responsibility in shaping and executing the vision of Vera’s public safety-related work and collaborating with staff and other senior leaders in the organization to drive change at scale. Your professional training may be in government, evidence-based policymaking, applied research, policy advocacy, or organizing at the federal, state and/or local level. You have a commitment to race equity and inclusion (REI) in your work and a passion for driving social change. You have professional and/or lived experience with the criminal justice system. 

1. Strategic and Program Management 

• Serve as the RPS initiative lead: refining, defining, and executing strategy and a holistic vision that elevates the work at a national level, continuously aligning the initiative’s efforts with its theory of change
• Manage and operationalize various components of the team’s strategy -- including legislative advocacy, site-based technical assistance, cohort peer learning, leading coalitions and networks, and research – and ensure cohesion of workstreams
• Develop and measure metrics to discern the impact of the established strategy
• Work closely with Vera’s Research, Communications, and Advocacy capacity teams to support the development and execution of the RPS strategy
• Partner with the development department to accomplish fundraising goals, to cultivate relationships with funders, and to support funder relationship management, proposal creation, and reporting deadlines

2. Strategic Partnerships and Field Building 

• Develop and manage external relationships relevant to advance RPS’s work, including but not limited to: local/state/federal leaders in public safety, mayors, city managers, legislators, police chiefs, community organizations, advocates, and relevant academics 
• Navigate complex political dynamics to advance RPS’s work
• Lead and/or partner with other organizations, coalitions or other relevant groups to advance RPS’s goals

3. Driving Public Opinion and Debate  

• Represent Vera as one of the organization’s experts in media outlets (op-eds, interviews), conferences, webinars, and other external events
• Be fluent and have tangible experience in rapid response strategies and anticipate those opportunities, including partnering with Vera Action, the sister 501(c)(4), where necessary to tackle the challenging politics of crime
• In partnership with Communications, Advocacy, and Research, develop messaging and narrative strategies around public safety
• Scope, draft and edit program reports, proposals, presentations, and internal/external blog posts to communicate updates on RPS’s work over time

4. Team Management, Mentorship, and Supervision 

• Oversee and own the overall development of the staff, including professional development, goal setting, and elements of accountability, aligned with Vera’s core values of respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, and race equity
• Supervise unit leaders on the team as they implement initiative strategy, ensuring that they execute efficiently with a propensity for learning
• Manage all elements of the team’s operations, including budget, deadlines, staff deployment, and team performance
• Maintain regular contact with the finance department to develop, and track and manage budgets

What qualifications are we looking for?

Required 

• Advanced degree and 12+ years of relevant experience. In lieu of degree requirements, applicable work or life experience may be considered
• Minimum 10 years of demonstrated leadership and professional work experience on public safety, strong political acumen, and fluency in the current policy conversations 
• Experience working with governments to advance community safety through policy, advocacy, technical assistance, and/or community organizing
• Practical experience leading or building coalitions with community-based and advocacy organizations 
• Track record of media appearances and public speaking
• Experience and competency leading strategic planning, developing program design, budgets, and bringing programs to scale
• Experience developing and managing a multi-disciplinary portfolio of work with multiple strategies and funding streams, including strong project management, problem solving, and delegation skills 

Preferred  

• A track record communicating and translating quantitative and qualitative data and research findings to drive policy and practice change; research training and experience  
• An advanced degree in a relevant field  

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring: 

• Existing relationships with senior leaders in the public safety ecosystem, including: elected officials, advocates, practitioners, and people directly impacted by the criminal justice system
• Strong fundraising skills as demonstrated through amount of funds raised, relationships with a variety of funders, and experience developing proposals 
• Strong leadership skills, with demonstrated experience having led a team with varying levels of experience 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and experience developing communications for a variety of settings and among diverse audiences 

Location:

Please note this role will report to our Brooklyn, NY office. In limited circumstances, exceptional candidates may also be considered for placement in our Washington, DC 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 $155,000-$160,000. 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, Place, and Culture / [JOBTITLE]
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.

Vera is an equal opportunity 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.