Project Director, Bronx Community Justice Center

Project Director Opportunity

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit www.innovatingjustice.org.

The Center's operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, 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.

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

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.

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications. Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values.

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 Project Director. Reporting to the Senior Director of Programs, the Project Director will manage all aspects of the planning and implementation of the Bronx Community Justice Center project including strategic planning, comprehensive community engagement and collaboration with stakeholders, hiring and training of staff, development of new programs and initiatives, development of policy, procedures and program materials, and management of contracting and fiscal reporting.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to :

• Lead the strategic planning for the Bronx Community Justice Center, including planning and community needs assessment, community and stakeholder engagement, and development of relationships with community partners;
• Lead the strategic development, planning and implementation of Justice Center programs and initiatives;
• Manage fundraising and budget for Justice Center initiatives, in conjunction with development and fiscal departments;
• Supervise and support the Save Our Streets South Bronx gun violence prevention program;
• Develop and maintain relationships with funders, government officials, and stakeholders;
• Work with local and city-wide stakeholders to build place-making, workforce development and mobility out of poverty strategies;
• Manage existing relationships with the Bronx County District Attorney's Office, the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice, and community stakeholders and develop new relationships;
• Identify community hot spots and work with staff to develop programming that empowers residents, creates civic opportunities for youth, reduces crime and sparks community revitalization;
• Oversee community organizing techniques used to mobilize the community to participate in activities designed to challenge and change local norms;
• Approve, develop, maintain, and track social media and marketing materials;
• Plan and oversee the execution of all Justice Center engagement activities;
• Ensure staff are providing the highest quality individual support, advocacy, education, training, internship, and employment services for program participants;
• Oversee all administration / management meetings and ensure that meeting proceedings are communicated to other Justice Center staff;
• Develop a leadership team at the BxCJC and structure to support the Justice Center;
• Supervise the BxCJC's leadership team and develop training and support systems for all staff, interns and volunteers;
• Model and facilitate creative problem solving, facilitation, community and youth organizing practices;
• Prepare grant progress reports and other program reports, as needed;
• 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; and
• Additional tasks, as necessary.

Qualifications : Master's degree and 4-5 years of experience or a Bachelor's degree and 6-7 years of experience in a related field, as well as at least 2-3 years of experience managing a team and supervising staff. Additional qualifications include :

Position Type : Full-time, Monday - Friday from 10 : 00am - 6 : 00pm, some evening and weekend hours are required.

Position Location : Bronx, NY.

Compensation : The compensation range for this position is $108,000 - $133,000 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice 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 Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on 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 welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our goal is to create a supportive and respectful environment where everyone, regardless of background or identity, feels valued and included.

At this time, the Center does not sponsor or support any immigration status, which includes supporting or completing any foreign student training plan. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment. Candidates are expected to provide accurate and truthful information throughout the hiring process. Any misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of material facts may result in disqualification from consideration, withdrawal of an offer, or termination of employment, regardless of when discovered. As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the