Director, Field Implementation Team (Corrections)

About JFF 

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life, our goal is to align education, workforce, and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: By 2033, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.    

To achieve that goal, we design solutions, scale best practices, influence policy and action, and invest in innovation. With staff across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters), Washington, DC, and Oakland, California, we operate at the national, state, and local levels, forging deep partnerships with employers, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine what’s possible. Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.  

Equal Employment Opportunity at JFF  

Inclusion, belonging, and well-being are core to JFF’s North Star and mission, and we seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve as it is important to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care, well-being, and success of the employee through flexible work hours, balanced workloads, professional development, and career advancement opportunities for all. 

JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to our North Star, we strongly encourage individuals whose highest level of education attained is less than a four-year degree; People of Color; and people with histories of arrest, conviction or incarceration to apply to our open roles. 

About the Position 

A part of JFF’s Solutions Design and Delivery unit, the Field Implementation Team (FIT) plays a central role in advancing JFF’s mission by applying capabilities, expertise, and talent to implement field-facing programs, initiatives, and strategic solutions. As the largest functional team at JFF, the Field Implementation Team is comprised of key project personnel who design and deliver technical assistance, coaching, asset mapping, community of practice facilitation, design of convenings or events, and other key lines of service. FIT members may be largely dedicated to projects and programs sponsored or led by a specific Center or Practice, or JFFLabs team. This position will be embedded within our Field Implementation team and will initially provide project leadership to scale project and initiatives under the Center for Justice & Economic Advancement (CJEA). However, over time, this Director could be deployed across projects sponsored by different Practices and Centers at JFF; this would be based on JFF's evolving needs and your skill sets and interests.  

We are seeking a strategic and mission-driven individual to lead technical assistance efforts for corrections stakeholders engaged in the Fair Chance to Advance (FC2A) initiative—a multi-year effort designed to align and transform state systems to eliminate barriers to economic mobility for people with histories of arrest, conviction, or incarceration. 

The Director will work closely with CJEA’s Senior Director of Talent Development, the Fair Chance to Advance Director, and with leaders across JFF, as well as national partners like the Coleridge Initiative, the Correctional Education Association, and the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison to scale equitable, sustainable models for systems change. This role will include designing and delivering supports for FC2A state action networks and managing relationships with JFF’s national network of corrections leaders. The role will be instrumental in building the capacity of corrections leaders across the country to prioritize and scale high-quality education, workforce development, and fair chance employer cultivation as part of their systemic transformation efforts. 

This role is an exciting opportunity for a systems-minded leader with deep experience in corrections, reentry, and cross-sector collaboration. The Director will lead JFF’s technical assistance strategy and implementation for corrections partners, helping build and sustain statewide “fair chance ecosystems” that align education, workforce, and employment systems to create pathways from incarceration to economic advancement. 

What You'll Do

Deliver impactful results through effective project and program leadership: 

• Lead the planning, implementation, and documentation of state-specific technical assistance for corrections stakeholders in the FC2A State Action Networks ensuring on-time completion of deliverables (including managing timelines, budgets, work plans, program staff, and partners) 

• Manage strategic planning and implementation for the Corrections Education Leadership Academy (CELA), coordinating efforts with national field partners to ensure a successful leadership academy transition and launch 

• Direct projects to support team priorities and communicate project expectations, updates, and milestones (i.e., status and progress reports, roadblocks/contingency plans, post-mortems, etc.) to key stakeholders  

• Ensure projects and deliverables are moving toward established goals and objectives 

• Design and develop tools, frameworks, charters, and coordinated action plans to support system alignment and transformation within state corrections agencies 

• Collaborate across internal teams to deliver integrated supports across workstreams, including policy, data, postsecondary pathways, and employer engagement 

• Apply your domain knowledge and expertise to provide guidance and strategic support to partners, and to support and guide other JFF team members contributing to corrections-related technical assistance, to maximize JFF’s impact and success in the field 

• Manage and mitigate risks to ensure projects are on track and driving toward meaningful impact 

Foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion and results: 

• Cultivate and sustain trust-based relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including departments of corrections and community supervision, postsecondary education providers, workforce development boards, system-impacted leaders, employers and unions, policymakers, advocacy organizations, and reentry service providers 

• Represent JFF and FC2A in external engagements, conferences, and national learning networks related to corrections education, fair chance employment, and reentry 

• Coordinate and co-design technical assistance strategies in partnership with grantee states, national partners, and advisory bodies 

• Understand and respond to the challenges that leaders and systems face; conceptualize and develop tools, resources, and strategies to effectively solve problems and eliminate barriers to progress for our partners 

• Give and receive feedback related to project work, and elevate situations as needed, to ensure effective and consistent delivery of JFF’s programs and services 

• Center diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at all stages of designing and executing programmatic initiatives and projects 

• Support staff on project teams to develop subject matter and functional expertise (e.g., ensuring that people have project work aligned with their desire to develop expertise.) 

Expand influence of JFF’s mission through programmatic strategy: 

• Apply JFF’s FC2A theory of change to develop state-specific strategies for aligning corrections education with postsecondary and workforce pathways 

• Leverage data, research, and emerging insights into new tools, resources, and learning agendas for the field 

• Contribute to evaluation and learning activities by supporting continuous improvement and surfacing promising practices and systemic barriers 

• Engage in strategic planning, research, and partner consultations to expand JFF’s impact in corrections and reentry 

• Stay current on developments in corrections policy, education reform, reentry supports, and workforce development to inform FC2A implementation and scale and deepen JFF’s leadership in fair chance ecosystem transformation 

• Collaborate with various teams across JFF to shape and implement bodies of work that support JFF strategic goals/mission and respond to and influence developments in the field  

• Synthesize insights and patterns from engagements to identify and cultivate solutions and innovations into practice  

Who You Are  

The qualifications listed within the job description are intended as a guide and we do not expect candidates to bring all experiences and skills listed. Research supports that self-selecting out of potential professional opportunities is particularly common among individuals with identities that are marginalized in professional spaces. So, if you believe that you can meet the overall expectations of the position, we encourage you to apply so that we have an opportunity to learn more about you and the unique strengths you would bring to the work.  

• You bring lived experience and/or deep understanding of systems that people with records must interact with to navigate career and economic mobility and you are seen as a subject matter expert in corrections education, reentry, workforce development, and systems change work; You bring 10+ years of experience building and managing partnerships in or with state agencies, public institutions, or nonprofit organizations delivering public services (New hires at the Director I level at JFF typically bring 10+ years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions)  

• You bring project and program expertise and a track record of success leading and contributing to large, complex capacity-building efforts including the design and delivery of technical assistance, training series or leadership development initiatives 

• You bring deep familiarity with corrections systems and understand the barriers and opportunities facing incarcerated and formerly incarcerated learners and workers 

• You are a systems thinker with a demonstrated ability to lead multi-stakeholder collaborations within or across state corrections, education, or workforce systems 

• You are a strong communicator and facilitator, able to bridge differences, synthesize complexity, and build alignment across sectors and levels of leadership 

• You have a demonstrated ability to implement process improvements and deploy systems to increase effectiveness, innovation and quality 

• You demonstrate good judgement and clear analytical thinking when gathering data and useful information to inform decisions 

• You develop relationships to foster teamwork and define workstreams and projects that align with team and project goals 

• You set ambitious and achievable goals to deliver high-quality outputs and results while empowering, inspiring and holding self and others accountable for delivering on commitments consistently 

• You model inclusive leadership, working effectively with colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds, and ensuring that decisions, teams and processes respect individual differences 

• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and North Star, and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work    

• You are energized by stewarding JFF’s inclusion, belonging, and well-being values and practices within your day-to-day work, including embracing and celebrating the differences that each individual brings to JFF  

• You value building positive and collaborative relationships with others, including people whose identities and backgrounds differ from your own
• You are able and willing to travel up to 25%, with some flexibility based on project needs 

What We Offer  

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values in order to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers.  

JFF has offices in Boston, Oakland, and Washington, DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid, or completely remote. To improve the employee experience and promote productivity while working remotely, JFF offers an annual home office stipend to all regular full-time and part-time employees. In addition, new employees receive office equipment as needed.   

The hiring range for this role is $100,000 –$120,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Director I salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.  

To Apply  

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Jenna Dreier outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. 

Applications submitted by 5pm EST on Friday, September 5th will be prioritized for review. We encourage interested candidates to apply by that date to be considered with the first slate of candidates. Applications submitted after that date may not be prioritized for review, depending on the strength of the pool. We will ensure that all candidates receive updates on their candidacy before the search is closed.    

At JFF, we’re also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process.  

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process, please contact us at hiringaccommodations@jff.org. 

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.