Initiative Director, Restoring Promise

About the team: The Vera Institute of Justice’s Restoring Promise transforms prison cultures, climates, and spaces in partnership with correctional leaders and realigns corrections policies and practice with a commitment to human dignity. The team trains correctional staff as leaders and peacemakers; supports and develops incarcerated mentors to play an essential role in culture change and transformation; produces data and evidence to advance reform; and engages in advocacy, communications, and narrative change.   About the role: The Restoring Promise Initiative Director will be responsible for the overall direction and management of the team’s work, including the development of and accountability for the team’s goals; supervision of the team and managing its budget; and the development of key relationships and partnerships—including but not limited to Departments of Corrections commissioners, leaders of advocacy organizations, state and federal policymakers in corrections, and key experts and practitioners.    As a senior leader within the organization, the Director has significant responsibility for shaping the vision of corrections and prisons work and collaborates with staff and other senior leaders in the organization to drive change at scale. The Director’s professional training may be in government, evidence-based policymaking, applied research, policy advocacy, or organizing at the federal or state level. The Director has a commitment to race equity and inclusion (REI) in their work, a passion for driving social change, and professional and/or lived experience with the criminal justice system.   1. Strategy and Program Management  Serve as the Restoring Promise Initiative lead: refining, defining, and executing strategy and a holistic vision that elevates the work at a national level.  Manage and operationalize various components of the team’s strategy—including site-based technical assistance, policy advocacy, research, and legislative advocacy where needed—and ensure cohesion of workstreams.  Develop and measure metrics to discern the impact of established strategies.  Work closely with Vera’s Research, Communications, and Advocacy capacity teams to support the development and execution of the Restoring Promise strategy.   Partner with the development department to accomplish fundraising goals, to cultivate relationships with funders, and to support funder relationship management, proposal creation, and reporting deadlines.   2. Strategic Partnerships and Field Building   Develop and manage external relationships relevant to advance Restoring Promise’s work, including but not limited to: state/federal leaders in corrections, legislators, Department of Corrections/Corrections leaders, community organizations, advocates, incarcerated people, and relevant...