Associate Director, 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 been working in 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 Associate Director will manage and support policy development and advocacy aimed at ending mass incarceration and securing investments in safe, thriving communities locally and statewide. The Associate Director will collaborate with the program director to develop policy and advocacy strategy and implementation; manage advocacy and policy team members performing related work; explore opportunities for partnership with government and community leaders and organizations across Louisiana; write policy reports and memos; and draft strategic communications. Externally, the Associate Director helps the Director build and maintain relationships with elected officials, government bodies, and advocates across the state to enact criminal legal system reforms, defend against regressive policies, practices and narratives, and construct new narratives.

The ideal candidate has an understanding of the criminal legal system and legislative system in Louisiana and wants to work towards a vision of community safety that builds and supports thriving communities. This is a full-time position based in Louisiana. Qualified applicants must be able to travel to Baton Rouge regularly for state legislative advocacy, during regular and special legislative sessions, and across the state to build and maintain Vera Louisiana’s presence and advocacy. 

About the role:

Program Strategy, Management and Development

• Collaborate with Director on overall policy and advocacy strategy of Vera Louisiana team
• Manage and develop partnerships, communications and work plans
• Assist in the development of annual plans and other internal facing strategic documents
• Drafting, editing, and supervising team members’ drafting of diverse written deliverables, including longer reports, briefing memos, strategic communications for external audiences
• Conducting research and synthesizing existing research, data, and talking points in order to develop and author effective publications and communications tools as well as speck in programs such as convenings, webinars, and community presentations
• Serve as a subject matter expert to team on topics that may include criminal legal system reform policy analysis, development and advocacy
• Liaise with other teams, projects, and departments across Vera to advance Vera Louisiana goals

Staff Supervision

• Manage, assign, review, and provide feedback on the work of Program Managers, Senior Program Associates, Program Associates, and Interns
• Collaborate with Vera Louisiana’s research te