THE ORGANIZATION
The Center for Court Innovation is committed to reducing crime and incarceration, addressing violence, supporting survivors, and building communities while strengthening public trust in justice. The Center seeks justice for marginalized groups, bringing an equity lens – particularly a racial and gender equity lens – to its work. For 25 years, the Center has worked to foster justice and equity to create safe, healthy, and thriving communities and, ultimately, to transform the justice system.
The Center is an 800-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn’t), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.
Operating Programs
The Center’s operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Court, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.
Research
Researchers at the Center conduct independent evaluations, documenting how government systems work, how neighborhoods function, and how reform efforts change things. We believe in the “action research” model; accordingly, our researchers provide regular feedback on the results of the Center’s own operating programs. The Center has published studies on topics including youth in the sex trade, reentry, gun violence, and drug treatment as an alternative to incarceration. Our researchers have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals.
Policy & Expert Assistance
The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Bronx Community Justice Center (BxCJC; Justice Center), one of the Center's newest projects, works to create a safer, more equitable Bronx through community-driven safety initiatives, violence prevention, youth opportunity, and economic development efforts.
The Bronx Community Justice Center is seeking a Director, Youth Initiatives. Reporting to the Director, Community Impact & Youth Initiatives, the Director, Youth Initiatives will manage all aspects of the planning and implementation of the Bronx Community Justice Center's youth initiatives including alternative to incarceration, interest-based, workforce development, economic mobility and youth organizing initiatives.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Lead the strategic development, planning and implementation of all youth initiatives and economic mobility strategies;
- Develop and maintain relationships with community leaders, businesses, youth serving organizations, and youth advocacy groups;
- Develop and maintain relationships with funders, government officials, and stakeholders;
- Lead a portfolio of youth initiatives including alternative to incarceration, interest-based, and arts-based programs;
- Lead an interdisciplinary team of social workers, youth advocates, and youth programs managers;
- Develop and implement a youth leadership strategy to center youth voice in the development of new programs and initiatives and create scaffolded leadership opportunities;
- Develop and support a workforce development strategy focused on building training programs, career pipelines, and non-traditional employment pathways;
- Support a team of social workers providing individual and group clinical supervision and support;
- Work with local and city-wide stakeholders to build workforce development and mobility out of poverty strategies;
- Develop a comprehensive youth entrepreneurship initiative;
- Develop and maintain a Bronx-based entrepreneurship advisory board;
- Manage existing relationships with the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, and criminal legal stakeholders and develop new relationships;
- Ensure staff are providing the highest quality individual support, advocacy, education, training, internship, and employment services for program participants;
- Model and facilitate creative problem solving, facilitation, community and youth organizing practices;
- Prepare grant progress reports and other program reports, as needed;
- Manage Youth Initiatives budgets;
- Organize and participate in regular reviews with Center staff about program progress;
- Actively build a work culture centering anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice, community centered practice, and innovation;
- Other relevant tasks, as needed.
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have an LCSW, LMSW or related degree plus 5 years' experience OR a Bachelor's degree plus 8 years’ experience in leadership roles in innovative community-based youth serving organizations. Other qualifications include:
- A strong connection and commitment to the South Bronx;
- Significant experience in leadership roles with youth programs preferred;
- Experience in strategic planning, project facilitation and management, and youth organizing;
- Extensive supervision experience a plus, preferably supervising multiple people simultaneously;
- Experience working with youth impacted by criminal legal systems and/or community violence;
- An understanding of the challenges and strengths of the South Bronx;
- Extensive experience developing and overseeing programs with multiple priorities;
- Strong relationship-building and communication skills with experience leading diverse teams;
- Experience fundraising and grant writing;
- Exceptional ability to communicate with and guide internal and external teams;
- Highly organized, responsible, innovative, and flexible;
- Excellent attention to detail and communication skills;
- Ability to do both immediate “nuts and bolts” thinking and long-term strategic planning, often simultaneously;
- Ability to effectively communicate in a transparent and direct manner;
- Experience with coaching and managing staff and developing teams;
- Demonstrated experience in setting and achieving strategic objectives;
- Commitment to anti-racist, anti-oppressive practices.
Position Type: Full-time, some evening/weekend hours are required.
Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $86,190-$109,470 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Court Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.
The Center for Court Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. The Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system.
As of September 9, 2021, all new hires are required to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, unless they have been granted a reasonable accommodation for medical, disability or religious reasons by the Center’s Human Resources Department.
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. No phone calls please.