Project Manager, Community Supervision + Technology (Remote)

Who we are:

The Council of State Governments Justice Center works across the country to develop research-driven strategies to increase public safety and strengthen communities. To further this mission, we work with partners inside and outside of government to reduce crime and incarceration among youth and adults in contact with the justice system. We bring people from diverse systems and perspectives together to improve policy and practice. And we transform data and research findings into meaningful insights for decision-makers.

We're focused on three strategic goals:

• Use data to improve safety and justice.
• Advance health, opportunity, and equity.
• Break the cycle of incarceration.

When you join the CSG Justice Center, you join an organization that is uniquely positioned to cultivate innovation and drive data-driven reform nationally. We have approximately 120 employees-expected to grow to about 150 by the end of this year-based in more than 20 states who have decades of experience working in and with criminal, juvenile, and Tribal justice agencies. We have provided housing, mental health, and addiction services; served as educators and in workforce development agencies; and supported victims and survivors of crime. We have served governors, state legislators, and members of Congress on both sides of the political spectrum. What binds us together is a shared commitment to our mission; to one another; to a common set of values; and to the national, bipartisan advisory board that guides our work.

Learn more about careers at the CSG Justice Center.

How you'll fit in:

The CSG Justice Center is seeking a full-time project manager to provide expert guidance to states advancing new policies and practices to achieve public safety goals, with a focus on the Smart Supervision program. Smart Supervision is one program in a portfolio of work combining the power of data analytics and research-backed best practices to help corrections agencies reduce recidivism and improve supervision outcomes. This position is a first-level supervisor role that offers the opportunity to influence important advancements in criminal justice policy at the state and local levels and to guide a team of staff in diagnosing supervision challenges and helping agencies establish change strategies to address those challenges. An important part of this work is defining metrics to incorporate into new, complementary technology solutions that help agency leaders better track their day-to-day practices and understand outcomes to inform data-driven decision-making. As part of this, the project manager will work with technology developers to ensure that solutions are useful and support their implementation. The project manager may also lead other projects outside of Smart Supervision that work at the intersection of improving agency leaders' data-driven decision-making and transforming supervision practices to improve outcomes.

An ideal candidate for this role will have knowledge of criminal justice data systems, the strengths and limitations of strategies that use quantitative data to spur change, research-informed community supervision best practices, and state supervision agency structures and constraints. They will have past experience implementing new practices across teams, departments, or organizations, an understanding of strategies to shift organizational culture and change the way people do their jobs, and an ability to translate the latest research into policy and implementation action steps that work within the context of a particular jurisdiction. Additionally, the ideal candidate will have a track record of effectively managing multiple projects and demonstrate resilience and comfort with uncertainty, along with the ability to pivot when guidance changes abruptly or on-the-ground conditions shift.

Smart Supervision, Lantern, Resident Corrections Analysts, Virtual Academies for Corrections Analysts, Course Corrections, and other programs in this portfolio are catalysts for change within community supervision and corrections agencies. The products, projects, and services provided by the staff who work in this portfolio of programs empower agency leaders to deploy innovative solutions informed by data and research to improve public safety and the lives of people on community supervision.

Some methods to do this may include guiding state agencies to: create plans to adopt research-informed policy and practice changes; revise policy and procedures; retrain staff in research-informed practices; set up quality assurance mechanisms; create and adopt structured decision-making guidelines; and other similar technical assistance activities.

What you'll do:

Specific responsibilities of the project manager include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Identify, cultivate, and steward key project stakeholders and funders to advance emerging opportunities and launch new programs.
• Contribute significantly to the development and success of Smart Supervision and other projects.
• Manage complex external and internal relationships at all levels to advance project goals and build off past experience helping agencies institute new practices or shift culture.
• Provide relevant project updates that support external relationship-building opportunities.
• Guide project planning and support direct reports in tracking project timelines and meeting deliverable deadlines.
• Prioritize projects and deliverables or provide guidance to project team members on what to prioritize.
• Develop communications, including presentations, memos, scopes of work, briefs, reports, and other forms of products that advance technical assistance strategies with partner agencies.
• Supervise and develop the skills of 1-2 direct reports and provide direction for other project staff.
• Demonstrate understanding of external factors, political environments, and disparate outcomes/treatments when moving project decisions forward and proposing new solutions, indicating an ability to lead larger initiatives.
• Identify road blocks to project success and develop proactive solutions to address them.
• Project manage two or more projects, including planning, managing risk and contracts, funder updates and reports, timelines, deliverables, supervision, and staff coordination.
• Identifiy and engage new contacts in the field to serve as formal or informal project consultants or partners.
• Support writing grant proposals and serve as a resource to help the program director respond to funding agencies.

What you'll bring:

• Ability to build relationships with elected and appointed officials across party lines
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse people in different contexts and foster equity and inclusion through self-awareness, cultural sensitivity, and valuing others
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing large projects across multiple teams/divisions and external partners
• Experience working with officials in state and local government and across various criminal justice or community systems
• Dedication to public service with an unfailing commitment to act with civility, be nonpartisan in performing CSG Justice Center duties, and be a responsible steward of member and donor funds
• Demonstrated success in developing strategic project plans that clarify project objectives, ensure alignment with organizational goals, apply the project's theory of change, and impact the field
• Ability to supervise staff, clarify workloads, and develop the skills and competencies in staff's professional development goals
• Experience supervising staff
• Ability to identify and leverage other internal and external projects that advance their project priorities
• Previous work with correctional, behavioral health, or criminal justice data
• Reliable and secure internet/data connection and flexibility for using a personal device for internet connectivity during business travel (a cost offset is provided by the CSG Justice Center)
• Ability to solicit, facilitate, and lead new project ideas from team members in support of the project's overall strategic direction with division leadership
• Ability to work remotely with autonomy, understand technology, and effectively communicate across platforms
• Ability to supervise people who also may work remotely or in a different office
• At least six years of work experience in the criminal justice field and/or educational equivalency in a related field, such as counseling, criminal justice, law, psychology, public health, or social work
• Willingness to travel frequently to deliver technical assistance on site in states across the country
• Extensive knowledge of criminal justice data systems and practical experience with data analysis, policy development, and/or implementation within the criminal justice field
• Ability to engage, lead, and manage project teams to successfully deliver project goals and deliverables

How you apply:

If you're interested in helping us drive change across the country, you should upload the following elements with your application:

1. Resume
2. Writing sample
3. At least three professional references

We will consider all paid and unpaid experience relative to this position, including internships, fellowships, and volunteer activities.

CSG believes that pay equity and pay transparency advance workplace fairness. Compensation will be equitable and based on experience and geography. The NYC-based salary range for this position is $85,360 to $125,185. The starting salary for this position outside of NYC may be as low as $76,500. Salary ranges are subject to change based on work location and market conditions.

Learn more about careers at the CSG Justice Center.

We welcome and value diversity in our staff, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, educational attainment, disability, protected veteran status, and personal experience with the criminal justice system.