THE ORGANIZATION
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 is a 900-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 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.
Research
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.
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.
Center Support
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 OPPORTUNITY
The Queens Community Justice Center-The Rockaways is seeking a Community Engagement Specialist. Reporting to the Manager of Operations and Community Affairs, the Community Engagement Specialist will assist in building stronger community trust, provide ideas for innovative programming, strengthen partnerships with other community-based organizations, and represent the Justice Center at events, while assisting in building out our community development programming.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Organize and help facilitate community-based activities and events, including but not limited to: workshops, tabling, and resource fairs in collaboration with program staff;
- Cultivate relationships with organizations including but not limited to City agencies, community-based service providers, criminal legal system stakeholders, elected officials’ offices, schools, and local businesses;
- Facilitate community conversations, workshops, and community programs with diverse groups to gather feedback and share resources;
- Attend and coordinate Justice Center presence at community board meetings, precinct community council meetings, and other relevant community meetings;
- Assist in development ofprograms centered around community development;
- Work with program coordinators and the senior team to identify volunteer opportunities, and recruit and manage volunteers;
- Cultivate and manage corporate partnerships;
- Work with program coordinators to create and maintain a database of referral partners;
- Assist in managing the Justice Center’s participant and volunteer data;
- Collaborate with other staff to elevate the Justice Center’s social media presence and manage its social media accounts;
- Establish methods for gathering feedback from local residents, program alumni, and criminal legal system stakeholders to gauge the Justice Center’s responsiveness to public safety, current issues, and community concerns;
- Cultivate relationships with local schools and youth-serving organizations and provide education on topics related to justice and the criminal legal system through site visits, presentations, and/or written materials;
- Coordinate site visits to the Justice Center;
- Work with Justice Center colleagues to identify opportunities to collaborate with external partners and to increase community awareness about the Justice Center’s work;
- Additional tasks as necessary
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have:
- An Associates degree and at least two years of experience or a Bachelors degree;
- Comprehensive knowledge of and/or experience with the criminal legal, housing, child welfare, and/or mental health systems preferred;
- Relationship building experience and skills required;
- Public speaking skills required;
- Excellent writing skills required;
- Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills;
- Must be able to work effectively independently and as part of a highly interdependent, multi-disciplinary team within a fast-paced and dynamic work environment;
- Must be willing to late nights and weekends on occasion;
- Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a variety of program stakeholders, including judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, court staff, and site partner agencies; and
- Bilingual (English-Spanish) strongly preferred
Position Type:Full- time, 11:00am - 7:00pm.
Position Location:Far Rockaway, Queens.
Compensation:The compensation range for this position is $52,000 - $62,000 and is commensurate with experience.The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basicdental 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. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do 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 welcome 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. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.
As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.
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. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
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