Job Openings

The Justice Center provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities. The Justice Center is a nonprofit organization that works closely with legislative leaders, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim advocates, and others to develop consensus on various, often highly politicized, criminal justice issues and to translate this consensus into comprehensive reports, policy briefs, state and federal legislation, model policies, and innovative programs. The Justice Center not only develops written and web-based materials, but also provides on-the-ground technical assistance to policymakers and practitioners from multiple systems (corrections, mental health, housing, etc.), in state and local jurisdictions.

Senior Policy Analyst, Justice Reinvestment

Contact: Deputy Director or Division Director
Location: New York or Seattle
Application Deadline: Open until filled

The Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities. In general, the Justice Center works closely with legislative leaders, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim advocates, and others to develop consensus on various, often highly politicized, criminal justice issues and to translate this consensus into comprehensive reports, policy briefs, state and federal legislation, model policies, and innovative programs. The Justice Center not only develops written and web-based materials, but also provides on-the-ground technical assistance to policymakers and practitioners from multiple systems (corrections, mental health, housing, etc.), in state and local jurisdictions.

The Senior Policy Analyst will be responsible for in-depth analysis of relevant administrative policy, programmatic design and implementation, research, and legislation; coordinating and sometimes leading teams of expert consultants conducting on-site, intensive technical assistance or data collection in state and local jurisdictions; developing legislative and administrative policy options; and coordinating and participating in politically sensitive meetings with high-ranking local, state, and federal officials, advocates, and other experts across the country. The Senior Policy Analyst will also be expected to contribute to organizational development by refining office policies and procedures; developing strategic project plans and timelines; identifying grant opportunities and drafting proposals; and hiring, training, and supervising new staff. The Senior Policy Analyst works on multiple projects across the Justice Center on an issue or set of issues in which he or she has advanced knowledge. This position offers a significant level of responsibility and opportunity to an individual with an established career in criminal justice policy—or health, behavioral health, or other social policy and an interest in criminal justice issues.

DUTIES:
Specific responsibilities of the Senior Policy Analyst include, but are not limited to, the following:

Developing written products, including policy briefs, research memos, and presentations that concisely and clearly describe complex analyses and policy options to policymakers;
Developing/expanding the knowledge base on criminal justice, behavioral health, and related social service policy issues;
Identifying themes and linkages across disparate initiatives within the Justice Center’s diverse portfolio, and leveraging opportunities to incubate and test new ideas and approaches;
Collaborating with senior staff to develop long-range strategies to guide the Justice Center’s work;
Participating in technical assistance delivery by coordinating and documenting site visits among senior staff and/or consultants, meeting with site stakeholders independently, and sometimes leading technical assistance site visits;
Monitoring timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure that responsibilities to funders are met in assigned project areas;
Researching new funding opportunities, writing grant proposals, and serving as a resource to funding agencies;
Planning and participating in policy-focused meetings of high-ranking government officials, advocates, and national experts;
Identifying and engaging new contacts in the field to serve as formal or informal project consultants or partners;
Ensuring that senior staff and, where applicable, Justice Center colleagues, consultants, or funders are aware of relevant project developments and that other work in the field is leveraged for the advancement of project goals;
Supervising project assistants, project associates, and policy analysts where appropriate;
Participating actively in, and sometimes leading, staff discussions and strategic planning meetings;
Contributing to the development of Justice Center website content and strategizing with staff and technical consultants on ways of using the web to promote policy goals;

REQUIREMENTS:
The ideal candidate should enjoy working in a fast-paced work environment and have some or all of the following qualifications:

excellent research, writing, and editing skills and an analytical mind;
strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise way;
excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity, an ability to work independently and in a team setting, and a sense of humor;
efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently and manage multiple deadlines;
willingness to travel, occasionally several times per month;;
at least four years of work experience, ideally, in the field of criminal justice or policy analysis;
a college degree (required) and a graduate degree in a related field, such as law or public policy (preferred).

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

CONTACT
Interested individuals should upload the following elements to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Writing sample (preferably no more than three pages)
Names and contact information for references (at least two).

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Policy Analyst, Justice Reinvestment

Contact: Project Director
Location: New York or Seattle
Application Deadline: Open until filled

The Policy Analyst will be responsible for: analyzing relevant legislation, administrative policy, and research; coordinating a team of expert consultants providing on-site, intensive technical assistance; developing legislative and administrative policy options; and coordinating and participating in politically sensitive meetings with high-ranking local, state, and federal officials, advocates, and other experts across the country. The Policy Analyst works with a small team and will report to the Project Director for the Justice Reinvestment. This position offers a significant level of responsibility and opportunity for growth to an individual seeking advance a career in criminal justice policy.

DUTIES:
Specific responsibilities of the Policy Analyst include, but are not limited to, the following:

Developing written products, including policy briefs, research memos, and presentations that concisely and clearly describe complex analyses and policy options to policymakers;
Collaborating with senior staff to develop long range strategies to guide the Justice Center’s Justice Reinvestment work;
Participating in technical assistance delivery, initially by supporting senior staff and/or consultants in coordinating, attending, and documenting site visits in jurisdictions across the country and eventually by leading technical assistance site visits;
Monitoring timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure that responsibilities to funders are met in assigned project areas;
Participating in technical assistance delivery by coordinating and documenting site visits among senior staff and/or consultants, meeting with site stakeholders independently, and sometimes leading technical assistance site visits;
Monitoring timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure that responsibilities to funders are met in assigned project areas;
Researching new funding opportunities, writing grant proposals, and serving as a resource to funding agencies;
Contributing to the development of Justice Center website content and strategizing with staff and technical consultant on ways of using the web to promote policy goals;
Planning and participating in policy-focused meetings of high-ranking government officials, advocates, and national experts;
Identifying and engaging new contacts in the field to serve as formal or informal project consultants or partners;
Ensuring that senior staff and, where applicable, Justice Center colleagues, consultants, or funders are aware of relevant project developments and that other work in the field is leveraged for the advancement of project goals;
Supervising project assistants where appropriate;;
Participating actively in staff discussions and strategic planning meetings;
Developing/expanding a knowledge base on criminal justice system dynamics, prison population projections, and probation, parole, and corrections best practices.

REQUIREMENTS:
The ideal candidate should enjoy working in a fast-paced work environment and have some or all of the following qualifications:

excellent research, writing, and editing skills and an analytical mind;
strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise way;
excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity, an ability to work independently and in a team setting, and a sense of humor;
efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently and manage multiple deadlines;
willingness to travel, occasionally several times per month;;
at least four years of work experience, ideally, in the field of criminal justice or policy analysis; some preference for experience working with legislatures;
a college degree (required) and a graduate degree in a related field, such as law or public policy (preferred).

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

CONTACT
Interested individuals should upload the following materials to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Writing sample (preferably no more than three pages)
Names and contact information for references (at least two).

Applicants who do not submit all of these materials will not be considered.

Program Associate, Justice Reinvestment

Contact: Program Director
Location: New York
Application Deadline: Open until filled

DUTIES:

Assisting senior staff to develop a range of written products, including policy guides, trainings, and web-based materials;
Participating in technical assistance delivery, initially by supporting senior staff and/or consultants in coordinating, attending, and documenting site visits in jurisdictions across the country and eventually by leading technical assistance site visits;
Monitoring timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure that responsibilities to funders are met in assigned Program areas;
Contributing to the development of Justice Center website content and strategizing with staff and technical consultant on ways of using the web to promote policy goals;
Planning and participating in policy-focused meetings of high-ranking government officials, advocates, and national experts, initially by developing agendas, providing support for senior policy staff, and describing agreements reached and eventually by leading such meetings;
Identifying and engaging new contacts in the field to serve as formal or informal Program consultants or partners;
Ensuring that senior staff and, where applicable, Justice Center colleagues, consultants, or funders are aware of relevant Program developments and that other work in the field is leveraged for the advancement of Program goals;
Participating actively in staff discussions and strategic planning meetings;
Developing a knowledge base in the research associate’s area(s) of policy work.

REQUIREMENTS:
A college degree (required) and/or a graduate degree in a related field, such as law or public policy (preferred).

Personally committed to advancing the Justice Center’s Programs’ values, mission, goals and programs, with an understanding of a range of criminal justice issues and their implications;
excellent research, writing, and editing skills and an analytical mind;
strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise way;
excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity, an ability to work independently and in a team setting, and a sense of humor;
efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently;
willingness to travel, occasionally several times per month;
at least two years of work experience, ideally, in the field of criminal justice, mental health, or policy analysis;

SALARY RANGE:
Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes a generous benefits package.

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

CONTACT
Interested individuals should upload the following elements to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Writing sample (preferably no more than three pages)
Names and contact information for references (at least two).

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Program Director, Justice Reinvestment

Contact: Division Director, State Initiatives
Location: New York City, Bethesda, and Seattle
Application Deadline: Open until filled

The Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities. In general, the Justice Center works closely with legislative leaders, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim advocates, and others to develop consensus on various, often highly politicized, criminal justice issues and to translate this consensusinto comprehensive reports, policy briefs, state and federal legislation, model policies, and innovative programs. The Justice Center not only develops written and web-based materials, but also provides on-the-ground technical assistance to policymakers and practitioners from multiple systems (corrections, mental health, housing, etc.), in state and local jurisdictions. To learn more about the Justice Center visit our website at http://www.justicecenter.csg.org.

We are currently seeking Program Directors for our offices in New York, Seattle and Bethesda.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Deputy Division Director of State Initiatives, the Program Director will lead a team of policy staff, cultivate and manage a portfolio of intensive state technical assistance initiatives and provide targeted expertise in the field to ensure the success the division’s projects.

The Program Director will cultivate a network of legislators, consultants, researchers, analysts, scholars, practitioners and policy makers, to further the work of the division and achieve its goals.

The Program Director will help chart the division’s future strategic growth and assist in managing the division’s day-to-day operations.

DUTIES:

The Program Manager will have ongoing responsibility to:

Help shape and articulate the State Initiatives Division long-range policy agenda, including specificinitiatives and useful products that can become signature pieces for the division;
Stay abreast of emerging trends within the division’s policy area; continue to convene forums, encourage dialogue and commission research which frame and explore new critical issues relevant to the division; build consensus and support relating to those issues both within and outside of CSG;
Further effective communication about the division, most often facilitating the involvement of the division’s varied constituency with the media, but as appropriate, personally serving as a spokesperson;
Assure that the work of the division’s activities are truly national in scope, working across race, class, ethnic and geographic boundaries;
Motivate and maintain a high performance team of policy staff; work with their Division Director and Deputy Division Directors to recruit new staff as appropriate, assure effective training/development of present and new staff, manage staff workload and evaluate performance;
Help assure effective internal communications systems; encourage cooperation and cross-fertilization between programs within the Justice Center.

REQUIREMENTS:

The ideal candidate will have the following experience and qualifications:

At minimum, 5 – 7 years of program management experience, ideally within the criminal justice field
Demonstrated success working in the policy arena in policy formulation, analysis, advocacy, research or the like;
Excellent analytical skills and knowledge of current trends, principal theories, leading thinkers and major concerns in the criminal justice field;
Solid management skills; an ability to plan, organize and follow through with staff; experience administering budgets and assessing organizational capacity;
Demonstrated success in program and grants management, including maintaining and cultivating relationships with funders, designing technical assistance / educational programming and the evaluation of technical assistance activities;
Strong written and oral communications skills, including the means to address issues in nonpartisan and non-polarizing ways;
A record of success in working collaboratively with a team of diverse, strong, influential people to achieve common goals;
A demonstrated ability to work effectively with policy makers, scholars, community leaders, and the media.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The successful candidate should be or have the following:

Personally committed to advancing the Justice Center’s values, mission, goals and programs, with an understanding of a range of criminal justice issues and their implications;
A strategic thinker who can translate vision into action;
Able to function effectively without an ideological stance;
A negotiator who is open and responsive to the ideas of others; able to build consensus from disparate viewpoints;
Creative, resourceful and politically astute; someone who understands the value of creating partnerships as a way of accomplishing goals;
Outgoing and straightforward; one who shares information easily; listens as well as gives advice; respects the abilities of others;
Well-organized, clear-thinking, energetic and decisive; able to handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities;
Emotionally mature and self-confident, with a sense of humor and ability to maintain balance and perspective.

SALARY RANGE:
Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes a generous benefits package.

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

CONTACT
Interested individuals should upload the following elements to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Writing sample (preferably no more than three pages)
Names and contact information for references (at least two).

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Program Director, Reentry

Contact: Director
Location: New York
Application Deadline: Open until filled

The Council of State Governments Justice Center (www.justicecenter.csg.org)is hiring a program director to lead the agency’s reentry work, including the National Reentry Resource Center ((www.nationalreentryresourcecenter.org)), which was launched in 2009, an initiative begun in 2009 to increase the likelihood that people’s transition from prison or jail to the community is safe and successful.

The Council of State Governments Justice Center (“Justice Center”) is a national nonprofit organization that provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities. In general, the Justice Center works closely with legislative leaders, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim advocates, and others to develop consensus on various, often highly politicized, criminal justice issues and to translate this consensus into comprehensive reports, policy briefs, state and federal legislation, model policies, and innovative programs. Justice Center staff not only develops written and web-based materials but also provides on-the-ground technical assistance to cross-systems policymakers and practitioners from state and local jurisdictions.

This position will be responsible for supervising a team of policy staff members. In addition, the director will have responsibility for managing several of his or her own project(s). Such projects range from developing guides for policymakers about strategies for ensuring people released from prison and jail have a place to live to delivering technical assistance to state government officials seeking to track the implementation of their state’s comprehensive plan to reduce recidivism.

In this context, the program director will have a number of ongoing duties:

Supervising a team of reentry policy staff, providing oversight and advice on program planning, project development, program management, compliance with grant requirements/obligations (including project timetables), personnel issues, meeting planning, budget development, and fundraising;
Designing and drafting internal and external memoranda, written reports, and other products as relevant to the program director’s projects, as well as reviewing, editing, and approving such materials as created by reentry program staff;
Designing and drafting internal and external memoranda, written reports, and other products as relevant to the program director’s projects, as well as reviewing, editing, and approving such materials as created by reentry program staff;
Helping to shape and articulate long-range policy agenda of the reentry program, including specific initiatives and useful products that can become signature pieces for projects such as the NRRC;
Staying abreast of emerging trends within prisoner reentry arena;
Working with the communications and government affairs staff to facilitate the involvement of the reentry program’s varied constituency and efforts with the media and with relevant federal activity, including providing witnesses or interview subjects, drafting talking points, or providing program examples from the field;
Maintaining strong relationships with funders, board members, consultants, and partner organizations and cultivating new relationships with these groups, where appropriate;
Assuring that the work of the reentry program and NRRC is truly national in scope, incorporating perspectives which reach across political, geographic, racial, class-based, and ethnic boundaries;
Reviewing and assessing overall reentry program and NRRC capacity and efficiency including structure, operations, financial security, and technological systems, particularly in relation to the Justice Center’s other projects, including the Criminal Justice / Mental Health Consensus Project ((www.consensusproject.org))and the Justice Reinvestment Initiative;
Helping to ensure effective internal communications systems both within the reentry program and across the Justice Center by encouraging cooperation and cross-fertilization among projects as well as ensuring that senior staff is aware of progress and challenges faced by reentry staff/projects;
Representing the reentry program (or particular projects of the reentry program) through participation in and/or presentations at meetings of policymakers and practitioners from the criminal justice system or their non-criminal justice partners.

For this position, the ideal candidate should have some or all of the following qualifications:

superior research, writing, and editing skills;
strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively present complex information in a concise way;
demonstrated success designing new projects and securing funding for them
excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity, keen judgment, and self-confidence, with a sense of humor and ability to maintain balance and perspective;
ability to work with (and find consensus among) people from a wide array of backgrounds and perspectives, as well as an appreciation for the need to address issues in nonpartisan and non-polarizing ways;
efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently;
willingness to travel an average of four to six days per month;
relevant work experience in criminal justice (ideally corrections and/or community corrections) or other governmental policy area;
experience delivering technical assistance;
experience managing staff and budgets, preferably in a nonprofit/government organization;
a college degree (required) and a graduate degree in a related field, such as law or public policy (strongly preferred)

SALARY RANGE:
Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes a generous benefits package.

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested individuals must submit the following materials to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Writing Sample(Preference for non-legal memoranda);
Names and contact information for references (at least two).

Applicants who do not submit all of these materials will not be considered.

Policy Associate, Courts Program

Contact: Courts Program Director
Location: New York
Application Deadline: Open until filled

The Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities. In general, the Justice Center works closely with legislative leaders, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim advocates, and others to develop consensus on various, often highly politicized, criminal justice issues and to translate this consensus into comprehensive reports, policy briefs, state and federal legislation, model policies, and innovative programs. The Justice Center not only develops written and web-based materials, but also provides on-the-ground technical assistance to cross-systems policymakers and practitioners from multiple systems (corrections, mental health, housing, etc.), in state and local jurisdictions.

The Courts Program at the Justice Center works with court-based practitioners and policymakers focused on the judiciary across the Justice Center’s different topic areas. Current projects include the development of training materials for judges on how mental illness impacts the criminal justice system, training and technical assistance to courts-based planning and implementation projects at local and state-levels, and analysis of different types of court-ordered financial obligations. Like all Justice Center staff, the Courts Program staff are expected to be enthusiastic about learning and working in new specific sub-topics and media within this content area.

The Policy Associate will work with a small team and will report to the Courts Program Director in the Justice Center’s National Initiatives Division. This position offers responsibility and opportunity for growth to an individual seeking to advance a career in criminal justice policy. The Policy Associate will work with a wide range of stakeholders focused on the courts, particularly in the areas of mental health and reentry. The Policy Associate will support the work of the Program Director and Policy Analysts and be responsible for discrete aspects of different courts projects. The Policy Associate’s responsibilities generally include interacting with policymakers and practitioners to effectively deliver training and technical assistance; developing legislative and administrative policy options based on analysis of local/state criminal justice and behavioral health data; developing written products that concisely and clearly describe complex analyses and policy options to policymakers; and coordinating and participating in politically sensitive meetings with high-ranking local, state, and federal officials, advocates, and other experts across the country. The Policy Associate position may also involve researching new funding opportunities, grant proposal writing, and collaborating with senior staff to develop long-range strategies to guide the Justice Center’s courts work. Policy Associates are expected to be able to work quickly and proficiently in writing, analysis, and generation of presentation materials and to be developing presentation skills.

DUTIES:

Specific responsibilities of the Policy Associate include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assisting senior staff to develop a range of written products, including policy guides, trainings, and web-based materials;
Participating in technical assistance delivery, initially by supporting senior staff and/or consultants in coordinating, attending, and documenting site visits in jurisdictions across the country and eventually by leading technical assistance site visits;
Monitoring timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure that responsibilities to funders are met in assigned project areas;
Contributing to the development of Justice Center website content and strategizing with staff and technical consultant on ways of using the web to promote policy goals;
Planning and participating in policy-focused meetings of high-ranking government officials, advocates, and national experts, initially by developing agendas, providing support for senior policy staff, and describing agreements reached and eventually by leading such meetings;
Identifying and engaging new contacts in the field to serve as formal or informal project consultants or partners;
Ensuring that senior staff and, where applicable, Justice Center colleagues, consultants, or funders are aware of relevant project developments and that other work in the field is leveraged for the advancement of project goals;
Participating actively in staff discussions and strategic planning meetings;
Developing a knowledge base in the Policy Associate’s area(s) of policy work.

REQUIREMENTS

Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
Excellent analytical skills, research, writing, and editing skills;
Strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise way;
Excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity, an ability to work independently and in a team setting, and a sense of humor;
Efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently and manage multiple deadlines;
Willingness to travel, occasionally several times per month;
At least two years of work experience, ideally, in the field of criminal justice or policy analysis or consulting
A college degree (required) and a graduate degree in a related field, such as public policy, law, criminology, behavioral health, or education (preferred) or commensurate work experience.

SALARY RANGE:
Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes a generous benefits package.

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested individuals must submit the following materials to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Writing Sample(Preference for non-legal memoranda);
Names and contact information for references (at least two).

Applicants who do not submit all of these materials will not be considered.

Project Assistant, Consensus Project or Reentry

Contact: Policy Analyst and / or Project Director
Location: New York
Application Deadline: Open until filled

The Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities. In general, the Justice Center works closely with legislative leaders, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim advocates, and others to develop consensus on various, often highly politicized, criminal justice issues and to translate this consensus into comprehensive reports, policy briefs, state and federal legislation, model policies, and innovative programs. The Justice Center not only develops written and web-based materials, but also provides on-the-ground technical assistance to cross-systems policymakers and practitioners from multiple systems (corrections, mental health, housing, etc.), in state and local jurisdictions. For more information about the Reentry Program at the Justice Center please see (http://reentrypolicy.org/). For more information about the Consensus Project at the Justice Center please see (http://consensusproject.org/)

DUTIES:

Specific responsibilities of the Project Assistant include but are not limited to:

Performing significant research on complex issues, including relevant legislation, policy, and programs, and synthesizing the analysis in clear, concise writing;
Preparing reports, briefs, memos, talking points, and op-eds on various criminal justice issues that will be submitted to the policymakers, practitioners, the media, the criminal justice field, and Justice Center colleagues;
Ensuring that senior staff and, where applicable, Justice Center colleagues, consultants, or funders are aware of relevant project developments and that other work in the field is leveraged for the advancement of project goals;
Actively supporting the planning and participating in policy-focused meetings of high-ranking government officials, advocates, and national experts, initially by developing agendas, providing support for senior policy staff, and describing agreements reached, and eventually by leading such meetings; and
Developing a knowledge base in the project assistant’s area(s) of policy work with room for exploring additional issue areas within criminal justice.

The project assistant would work under the direction of a Reentry or Consensus Project Policy Analyst in close coordination with other staff on the team, but could be tasked to work across a range of policy-related projects. Such projects have included activities like providing technical assistance to state and local governments that have received grants from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, coordinating the development of a policymaker’s guide to research on criminal justice and mental health issues, and creating and updating web content (e.g. weekly features, updating resources pages).

REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate should have some or all of the following qualifications:

excellent research, writing, and editing skills and an analytical mind;
strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise way, in front of policymakers and practitioners;
ability to juggle multiple projects in an efficient manner;
attention for detail, both with written products as well as project management;
excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity, an ability to work independently and in a team setting, and a sense of humor;
efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently;
ability and willingness to travel;
at least one year of work experience, ideally, in the field of criminal justice, involving policy analysis;
experience in state government, including exposure to the legislative process and opportunities interact with elected officials and policymakers, is desirable; and
a college degree (required) in a related field, such as criminal justice, political science, sociology, or public policy (preferred).

SALARY RANGE:
Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes a generous benefits package.

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested individuals must submit the following materials to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Names and contact information for references (at least two).

Applicants who do not submit all of these materials will not be considered.

Project Associate, Consensus Project

Contact: Project Director
Location: New York
Application Deadline: Open until filled

The Council of State Governments Justice Center (www.justicecenter.csg.org) is hiring a Project Associate to work on its Consensus Project (www.consensusproject.org) out of the New York, New York office.

The Justice Center’s Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project is an unprecedented, national effort to help local, state, and federal policymakers and criminal justice and mental health professionals improve the response to people with mental illnesses who come into contact with the criminal justice system. The Justice Center, with the support of its funders and project partners, develops a range of practical, nonpartisan, and consensus-based publications informed by available evidence, for policymakers, practitioners, and others involved in improving the response to people with mental illnesses involved in the criminal justice system.

The Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities. In general, the Justice Center works closely with legislative leaders, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim advocates, and others to develop consensus on various, often highly politicized, criminal justice issues and to translate this consensus into comprehensive reports, policy briefs, state and federal legislation, model policies, and innovative programs. The Justice Center not only develops written and web-based materials, but also provides on-the-ground technical assistance to cross-systems policymakers and practitioners from multiple systems (corrections, mental health, housing, etc.), in state and local jurisdictions.

The Council of State Governments (CSG) is a national, state-funded organization with a Governing Board representing all branches of state government from all 50 states, U.S. Territories and Commonwealths. Established in 1933, CSG provides a forum for new ideas, promotes innovations transfer, advocates multi-state problem solving, provides leadership training and technical assistance, and forecasts future state trends affecting policymaking.

DUTIES:

Specific responsibilities of the project associate include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assisting senior staff to develop a range of written products, including policy guides, trainings, and web-based materials;
Participating in technical assistance delivery, initially by supporting senior staff and/or consultants in coordinating, attending, and documenting site visits in jurisdictions across the country and eventually by leading technical assistance site visits;
Monitoring timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure that responsibilities to funders are met in assigned project areas;
Contributing to the development of Justice Center website content and strategizing with staff and technical consultant on ways of using the web to promote policy goals;
Planning and participating in policy-focused meetings of high-ranking government officials, advocates, and national experts, initially by developing agendas, providing support for senior policy staff, and describing agreements reached and eventually by leading such meetings;
Identifying and engaging new contacts in the field to serve as formal or informal project consultants or partners;
Ensuring that senior staff and, where applicable, Justice Center colleagues, consultants, or funders are aware of relevant project developments and that other work in the field is leveraged for the advancement of project goals;
Participating actively in staff discussions and strategic planning meetings;
Developing a knowledge base in the research associate’s area(s) of policy work.

REQUIREMENTS

A college degree (required) and/or a graduate degree in a related field, such as law or public policy (preferred).
Personally committed to advancing the Criminal Justice Programs’ values, mission, goals and programs, with an understanding of a range of criminal justice issues and their implications;
Excellent research, writing, and editing skills and an analytical mind;
Strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise way;
Excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity, an ability to work independently and in a team setting, and a sense of humor;
Efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently;
Willingness to travel, occasionally several times per month;
At least two years of work experience, ideally, in the field of criminal justice, mental health, or policy analysis.

SALARY RANGE:
Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes a generous benefits package.

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested individuals must submit the following materials to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Writing sample (preferably no more than three pages)
Names and contact information for references (at least two).

Applicants who do not submit all of these materials will not be considered.

Project Assistant, Executive

Contact: Director, CSG Justice Center
Location: New York
Application Deadline: Open until filled

The Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities. In general, the Justice Center works closely with legislative leaders, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victim advocates, and others to develop consensus on various, often highly politicized, criminal justice issues and translates this consensus into comprehensive reports, policy briefs, state and federal legislation, model policies, and innovative programs. The Justice Center not only develops written and web-based materials, but also provides on-the-ground technical assistance to cross-systems policymakers and practitioners from multiple systems (corrections, mental health, housing, etc.), in state and local jurisdictions.

The Justice Center is looking for a motivated, self-sufficient, enthusiastic and creative professional to assist the Director.

DUTIES:

Specific responsibilities of the Project Assistant include but are not limited to:

Performing significant research on complex issues, including relevant legislation, policy, and programs, and synthesizing the analysis in clear, concise writing;
Preparing reports, briefs, memos, and talking points, on various criminal justice issues that will be submitted to policymakers, practitioners, the media, the criminal justice field, and Justice Center colleagues;
Designing Microsoft PowerPoint presentations that translate report findings and other CSG Justice Center publications and materials into simple, visually appealing, and easy-to-understand illustrations for diverse audiences;
Ensuring that senior staff and, where applicable, Justice Center colleagues, consultants, or funders are aware ofrelevant project developments and that other work in the field is leveraged for the advancement of project goals;
Actively supporting the planning and participating in policy-focused meetings of high-ranking government officials, advocates, and national experts, initially by developing agendas, providingsupport for senior policy staff, and describing agreements reached, and eventually by leading such meetings; and
Developing a knowledge base in the project assistant’s area(s) of policy work with room for exploring additional issue areas within criminal justice.

The project assistant will report directly to the Director of the CSG Justice Center. In doing so, he/she will support the director in preparing for meetings and following up on action items that these meetings generate. These meetings will cover all aspects of the Justice Center, so the topics covered will address a wide range of issues.

REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate should have some or all of the following qualifications:

Excellent research, writing, and editing skills and an analytical mind;
Strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise way, in front of policymakers and practitioners;
Ability to juggle multiple projects in an efficient manner;
Familiarity with Microsoft PowerPoint and high level of comfort working in this medium;
Attention for detail, both with written products as well as project management;
Excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity, an ability to work independently and in a team setting, and a sense of humor;
Efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently;
Ability and willingness to travel;
Minimum one year of work experience, ideally in the field of criminal justice, involving policy analysis;
Experience in state government, including exposure to the legislative process and opportunities to interact with elected officials and policymakers, is desirable; and
A Bachelor’s degree (required) in a related field, such as criminal justice, political science, sociology, or public policy (preferred).

SALARY RANGE:
Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes a generous benefits package.

DEADLINE:
Open until filled

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested individuals must submit the following materials to https://secured.csg.org/csg/jobs:

Cover letter
Résumé
Writing sample (preferably no more than three pages);
Names and contact information for references (at least two).
Sample PowerPoint presentation (converted to PDF)

Applicants who do not submit all of these materials will not be considered.

CSG is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

To learn about other employment opportunities within The Council of State Governments organization, click here.