Coordinator, Community Engagement Jobs

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation (formerly the Center for Court Innovation) is a non-profit organization that works with communities and justice systems to advance equity, increase safety, and help individuals and communities thrive. The Center's goal is to identify and resolve as early as possible the challenges that bring people into the criminal and civil legal systems. It does this in a number of ways—by developing and running programs that reduce the need for incarceration and enhance economic opportunity, conducting original research to identify what works, and sharing what we learn from our programming and research with those seeking to transform the justice system around the world.

The Center is an 800-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 Court, 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.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives (BJI) seeks to reengineer the experience of criminal court in Brooklyn, New York by providing judges and attorneys meaningful alternatives to bail, fines, and jail sentences. Brooklyn Justice Initiatives is a team of social service providers, court-based resource coordinators, and others who seek to improve the quality of justice. By providing meaningful pre-trial supervised release and post-conviction sentencing options, Brooklyn Justice Initiatives seeks to use an arrest as a window of opportunity to change the direction of a participant’s life and avoid the harmful effects of incarceration.

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives seeks a Community Engagement Coordinator who will work within the Supervised Release Program. Reporting to the Director of Pretrial Services, the Community Engagement Coordinator will lead a collaborative team utilizing a strengths-based and community-based model to engage individuals mandated to pretrial services in Brooklyn. The Community Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for supervising a team of Community Engagement Specialists and will support the development, implementation, and management of peer supportive services including, but not limited to, mentoring and connection to community based supportive services. In addition, the Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing community outreach to raise awareness about the program and to identify additional community-based resources for our program participants.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Support the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, and supervision of Community Engagement Specialists;
• Liaise with program funders and project visitors as needed;
• Collaborate with the Director of Pretrial Services and clinical managers in identifying program obstacles and develop best practices to address them;
• Provide planning, administrative, and logistical support to all BJI offices across Brooklyn as needed;
• Collaborate with BJI’s clinical leadership and Associate Director of Program Operations to identify and bring in resources that respond to participant needs and ensure seamless care coordination of services. These needs may include, resume assistance, employment, education, benefits procurement, etc;
• Assist with data analysis as needed for staff, grants, funders, or other reports as well as assisting with grant writing and reporting as needed;
• Establish and maintain relationships with community-based providers, organize presentations and site visits, and ensure appropriate linkages and referrals to those providers;
• Other relevant tasks as necessary.
• Oversee the implementation and maintenance of a Community Resource Guide;
• Synthesize information from staff meetings, brainstorms, and presentations into memos or briefings for staff or stakeholders;
• Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts within the organization and promote anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices in the workplace; and
• Oversee program supply operations, including the ordering of supplies, maintaining inventory, and ensure adherence to distribution and tracking protocols Regular auditing of community engagement team’s participant logs and JCA data entries;
• Assist with the development and implementation of on-site programming through partner providers that is responsive to the participants’ and community’s needs including, but not limited to, psychoeducational and skills development groups;
• Coordinate with the clinical team to provide client escorts and accompaniment services to community based appointments;

Qualifications:

• Supervisory experience, strongly preferred;
• Candidate must be a skilled communicator, able to work in a multi-disciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with organizations, both onsite and in the community.
• Knowledge of community-based resources throughout New York City; required;
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) preferred.
• The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree with 3-5 years of experience or equivalent experience engaging in community facing work (i.e., leading groups and/or workshops, community outreach/organizing, or mentoring experience), preferably with court-involved populations;
• Lived experience with the justice system and/or interactions with other systems (i.e. housing, foster care, etc.) and an understanding of how to navigate them, strongly preferred;
• Reliability, excellent judgment and sensitivity to working with people in a culturally-competent manner required;
• Experience and commitment to creating, promoting, and maintaining a respectful, inclusive, and anti-racist work environment required;
• Specialized experience working with individuals experiencing domestic violence, mental health issues, substance abuse, and/or homelessness is a plus;
• Seeking a self-starter who can successfully be part of a diverse workforce and get things done in a fast-paced environment.

Position Type: Full-time, must be able to work nights or weekends, as needed.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $57,500 -$74,000 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. The Center does 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 seek 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.

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. Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. No phone calls or emails please.

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