Careers Job Description
General Description
The John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity (the Institute) is seeking an Advocacy Coordinator to work with the Policy Initiatives team on our system reform efforts. The Institute’s policy advocacy work targets policies and practices that dehumanize and marginalize people with conviction records. Our policy advocacy efforts are built from the collective knowledge and active participation human service organizations, legal services, and directly impacted people. Currently, our work is focused in two major areas:
- Reforming exclusionary housing policies that exclude people with convictions and limiting the use of background checks in housing, primarily through our Fair Chance for Housing campaign.
- Changing higher education policies and practices that limit opportunities for students impacted by the criminal legal system, and developing an integrated strategy to support students with conviction records across the City University of New York (CUNY) system.
About the Institute
The John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity is a center of research and action at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice/CUNY. The Institute is committed to providing opportunities for people to live successfully in the community after involvement with the criminal legal system. Capitalizing on its position within a large public university and recognizing the transformational power of education, the Institute focuses much of its work on increasing access to higher education and career pathways for people with convictions. The Institute's comprehensive and strategic approach includes direct service, research, technical assistance, and policy advocacy.
Other Duties
Reporting to the Director of Public Policy, the Advocacy Coordinator is responsible for:
Organizing and Mobilizing:
- Strengthen and develop relationships with people impacted by the criminal legal system, including students involved in the Institute’s direct service educational programs
- Build on our existing training curricula to educate and involve stakeholders in current reform campaigns
- Mobilize campaign members and directly-impacted people to participate in and lead advocacy and legislative efforts
Events and Engagement:
- Design, organize, and implement base-building events, including teach-ins, forums, classes, rallies, demonstrations, and actions to advance our advocacy agenda
- Utilize phone banking, text messaging, email, flyers, social media blasts and more to recruit attendees
- Develop strategies for bringing more people with conviction records into our advocacy efforts
- Support and train those directly impacted by the criminal legal system to speak and represent campaign priorities at events, forums, legislative meetings, media appearances, and other public engagements
Partnerships and Advocacy:
- Participate in and help lead regular campaign meetings
- Assist in building policy advocacy platforms
- Manage and expand existing organizational and community-based partnerships
- Represent the Institute at coalition and legislative meetings, when appropriate
Administrative and Technical Support:
- Assist the team with tracking participation in campaigns and events
- Assist with sending calendar invites, setting up virtual and in-person meetings, and developing shared agendas
- Learn and follow internal processes for honoraria payments, vendor contracts and payments, expense reconciliation, lobbying reporting, etc.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to manage multiple commitments – combining attention to detail with maintaining a focus on the big picture. We are seeking candidates who excel in managing relationships, are highly organized, and who balance self-directive and collaborative instincts. You should have:
- At least three (3) years of community or grassroots organizing experience, with some experience working on issue-based campaigns and policy advocacy preferred
- A deep commitment to working with and promoting the leadership of people directly impacted
- Proficiency with office and communication software, including: Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel, Google Drive, Zoom, and other document sharing systems
- Knowledge of the criminal legal system and issues faced by people with conviction records
- Excellent relationship-building skills, and the ability to work with people from a wide array of backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise
- Strong meeting facilitation and presentation skills
- Experience working in collaboration with diverse stakeholders
- Efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a member of a highly-integrated team
- An understanding of structural racism and its impact on Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities
- Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends
- Bachelor’s degree is required
- Applicants with relevant life experience are encouraged to apply.
This position is currently working remotely. In-person work at our offices at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in midtown west will resume when consistent with health and safety guidelines. Please apply by sending cover letter and resume.
Key Features
Institute for Justice and Opportunity
Full Time
$52,000.00 - $56,000.00
Jul 30, 2021 (Or Until Filled)