Senior Strategist, State and Local Advocacy, Advocacy & Partnerships

Who we are:

The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. For more information, visit vera.org.

Vera has a staff of 224 people, is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York and has offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people’s educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.

About the team:

Vera’s Advocacy & Partnerships department is responsible for coordinating the vision, strategy, and staff development across Vera’s initiatives to pass legislation, change policy, and create change at scale. We work to ensure that the goals of our advocacy campaigns align with the people and communities most impacted by criminal justice and immigration policies, and we collaborate with movement and advocacy partners to produce the right knowledge and ideas needed to change policies and legislation at the right time. 

Vera’s advocacy department serves the following core functions: 

• Providing State and local government and movement strategy guidance to Vera’s national and place-based initiatives, with a focus on lobbying, campaigns, and coalition work, Vera Insights, a rapid response data and evidence team responsible for developing and producing data and knowledge to key partners and audiences; 
• Federal Policy expertise to lead Vera’s advocacy strategies in DC; and 
• Vera Action, and independent (c)(4) entity. 

About the role:

The Senior Strategist of State and Local Advocacy is Vera’s internal strategist, and consultant on advocacy. In this role, they will support Vera’s initiative teams in building, strategic advocacy plans with clear goals, roles, and benchmarks. Additionally, they will provide support to teams by assisting in troubleshooting challenges, moving the campaign forward, adjusting strategy, and stepping into roles to assist when necessary. 

What you'll do:

Develop and implement strategies & campaigns 

• Work with Director of State and Local Advocacy and other members of the Advocacy & Partnerships department to develop campaign and advocacy strategy for the organization’s core issues and priorities, including legislation and policy change related to universal representation for immigrants, bail reform, reentry, sentencing, parole, budget justice, and other areas. 
• Provide Training, for initiative teams and staff members 
• Manage a database that keeps track of all active campaigns, goals, and status of current projects.  
• Lead campaign and issue strategy development on 1-2 core priorities at any given time; and provide guidance and support to the 4-6 Vera initiatives that have advocacy goals and priorities underway that are primarily led by, or entirely led by, the initiative team staff. 
• Work as point on assigned campaigns and initiative plans as needed.  
• In collaboration with the Director of State and Local Advocacy, and Vice President of Advocacy & Partnerships, help Vera staff build campaign and advocacy skills; navigate political government and how the legislative session, budget, and other core segments of a jurisdiction’s political process work; and how to effectively partner with grass tops and grassroots allies. 
• Lead or support, as needed, with the development, drafting, and passage of legislation, new regulations, or administrative policies. 

Coalition work and internal knowledge & skill building 

• Collaborate internally with programmatic and Advocacy & Partnerships staff, and externally with partner organizations to strengthen coalition work 
• Participate in strategically relevant coalition spaces 
• Effectively partner with grass tops and grassroots allies 
• Provide trainings for Initiative team members on campaign fundamentals 

Other projects and duties as assigned

What qualifications are we looking for?

Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree plus 4-7 years' relevant experience. In lieu of degree requirement, applicable work or life experience may be considered. 
• Demonstrated experience with the criminal legal system, public safety policies and practices and public health policies and practices 
• A strong knowledge set in advocacy strategy, and power building. 
• At least 3 years of experience with planning and leading advocacy campaigns in at least one level of government. 

Preferred: 

• 3 - 4 years of issue advocacy and community organizing experience 
• Experience building and / or leading coalitions in partnership with other grasstops and grassroots organizations 
• 2 - 3 years of electoral political experience 
• 2 - 3 year of organizing experience
• Driver's License

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring: 

• Excellent writing and communication skills 
• Experience in public advocacy campaigns involving fiscal policy 
• Legislative and budget drafting, research, or tracking  
• Ability to work collaboratively with a national, remote team Ability to issue spot and problem-solve across policy and advocacy strategy development and implementation, including to proactively and creatively develop resources and tools, as appropriate 
• Experience with project management; flexibility and ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities in a fast-paced environment. 

Technical knowledge helpful for this role:

• Microsoft Office Suite
• Zoom
• Slack
• Asana or other cloud-based project management program

Location:

Please note this role will report to our Brooklyn, NY or Washington DC office. Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month. This role requires up to 15% travel, which may include site visits, conferences, or partner meetings, depending on program needs.

Compensation and Benefits:

The compensation range for this position is $107,000 - 110,000. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute’s total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff - both personally and professionally - is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time. To learn more about Vera’s benefits offerings, click here. 

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People, Place, and Culture / Senior Strategist, State and Local Policy, Advocacy & Partnerships
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

Vera is an equal opportunity / affirmative action 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. 

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.