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About the Role
The Opening Doors and Unlocking Potential team is dedicated to creating pathways to meaningful employment and breaking down housing barriers for individuals with conviction histories. This Program Associate role will be instrumental in driving policy change, building coalitions, and providing technical assistance to advance these critical priorities.
Responsibilities
- Develop state-based strategies to advance policy changes and provide technical assistance.
- Cultivate relationships with partners and stakeholders to implement strategies.
- Provide advocacy support, including meeting with policymakers and building coalitions.
- Draft advocacy documents.
- Lead meetings, conference calls, webinars, and site visits.
- Serve as a main point of contact for external partners.
- Collaborate with internal teams on state campaigns and troubleshoot issues.
- Track and monitor relevant state and federal policies.
- Complete initial drafting and finalization of program and technical assistance materials.
- Devise solutions for stakeholders facing employment and housing challenges.
- Develop trainings or conduct policy analyses.
- Prepare background research and literature reviews for reports.
- Write up project results and integrate them into public-facing products.
- Co-author and co-develop content such as program reports, fundraising proposals, presentations, and blog posts.
- Present on Vera’s work at conferences, webinars, and other external events.
- Present at internal Vera events.
- Create agendas, update internal documentation, and support meeting facilitation.
- Mentor program analysts and/or interns.
- Monitor relevant news coverage to stay informed about trends.
- Support the logistical/event planning process.
- Support related research projects.
Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree in political science, criminal justice, public policy, or other related field and 3 plus years of relevant experience.
- In lieu of a Bachelor’s degree, applicable work or life experience may be considered.
- Experience in reentry, workforce development, affordable housing, reentry housing, and/or homeless.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.
- Demonstrated interest in and/or knowledge of policy development, government, criminal justice and social justice for underserved populations.
- Strong research and writing skills.
- Excellent strategic, problem-solving, and analytic skills.
- Experience and ability to manage multiple projects, committees, or work groups.
- Strong interpersonal and communications skills.
- Ability to work with people with diverse experiences and backgrounds.
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
- Knowledge of policy change processes is a plus.
- Knowledge of housing finance is a plus.
- Ability to travel around the country.
Skills
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Policy development
- Government
- Criminal justice
- Social justice for underserved populations
- Research
- Writing
- Strategic thinking
- Problem-solving
- Analytic skills
- Project management
- Committee management
- Work group management
- Interpersonal skills
- Communications skills
- Collaboration
- Policy change processes
- Housing finance
Location
- Brooklyn, NY
Work Type
- Hybrid
Experience Level
- 3 plus years of relevant experience
Education Level
- Bachelor’s degree in political science, criminal justice, public policy, or other related field
- Applicable work or life experience may be considered in lieu of a Bachelor's degree
Salary/Compensations
- $77,000 - $80,000
Benefits
- Merit pay
- Generous paid time off
- Comprehensive health insurance plan
- Student loan repayment benefits
- Professional development training opportunities
- Up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work
- Employer-funded retirement plan
- Flexible time
About the Company
- Access to employment and housing is essential to success in reentry and post-release well-being, but both good jobs and stable housing can be elusive for people with conviction histories.
- Vera Institute is an employer of choice in our field.
- Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world.
- We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.
- For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org.
Equal Opportunity
- Vera is an equal opportunity employer.
- All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.