Program Associate, Vera Louisiana

Who we are:

The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. For more information, visit vera.org.

Vera has a staff of 224 people, is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York and has offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people’s educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.

About the team:

Since 2006, Vera has working New Orleans to not only safely reduce the jail population footprint, but also to pilot alternatives addressing the needs of New Orleanians outside of the criminal legal system. We have become a nexus for advancing evidence-based reform and have demonstrated that change is not only possible but within reach. Today, Vera Louisiana’s work focuses on two strategic priorities: increasing investments in thriving communities to increase safety and addressing Louisiana’s carceral impact in cities, parishes, and statewide

The Program Associate will work closely with programmatic and research staff on the Vera Louisiana Team to advance Vera Louisiana’s local and statewide work that promotes investments in safe, thriving communities, reform of the criminal legal system driving decarceration, and establishment of community-based models preventing and addressing violence and crises. They will draft program materials, contribute to effective communications strategies, manage coalitions and collaborations with community partners, and advocate to elected and government officials in public meetings. Ideally, the Program Associate has experience with and a basic understanding of the criminal legal and/or immigration systems in Louisiana. 

About the role:

Advocacy and collaboration 

• Foster relationships with external partners, including being the primary contact, developing agendas for coalition meetings, facilitating meetings, providing or designating notetaking etc.
• Connect external partners to our resources and internal experts to support key campaigns.
• Strengthen existing partnerships with local organizations, including those led by system-impacted people, in the criminal justice reform and related sectors to manage a unified coalition to increase city budget investments and advance policy changes;
• Build relationships with local policymakers and government partners to educate them on Vera Louisiana issues;
• Lead