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Senior Editor, Communications and External Affairs

Brooklyn, NY

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 216 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:

Working closely with the Editorial team, the senior writer will conceive, research, and write a wide variety of communications products to advance Vera's work for both traditional and digital media and illuminate the intersections of politics, government, and policy. The ideal candidate will have experience writing about criminal justice and immigration reform at the state and federal level. The senior writer will help advance Vera’s reform agenda by writing rapid response content that provides context for current events for both traditional and digital media. These may include blog posts, articles, op-eds, multimedia scripts, fact sheets, policy briefs, reports, webpages, and other publications for a variety of audiences. The senior writer works with Vera’s Editorial and program teams through the production process, including research, revisions, multiple rounds of editing, design, and dissemination strategy. The senior writer also serves as a liaison between the Communications department and Vera’s program teams and provides regular reports about strategies, goals, processes, and project updates.

What you'll do:

Content Strategy & Development
  • Conceive, research, and write a range of communications products — including blog posts, articles, op-eds, policy explainers, and rapid-response pieces—that connect political and governmental developments to Vera’s mission.
  • Write at least one short article or analysis each week contextualizing key events or policy actions within Vera’s issue areas.
  • Identify opportunities to produce in-depth feature stories (“spotlights”) that explore the intersection of justice reform and government decision-making.
  • Collaborate with editorial, advocacy, and program teams to refine ideas, shape narratives, and ensure accuracy, tone, and alignment with Vera’s broader communications strategy.
Political Monitoring & Rapid Response
  • Monitor the political and policy landscape daily, tracking major legislative developments, hearings, elections, and administrative actions that affect Vera’s issue areas.
  • Synthesize complex political developments into accessible, mission-driven content that highlights Vera’s perspective and expertise.
  • Support rapid-response communications, drafting timely statements, talking points, or analyses in collaboration with leadership and the communications team.
Cross-Organizational Collaboration
  • Serve as a bridge between communications, advocacy, and program teams to ensure Vera’s positions are clearly and quickly articulated on emerging issues.
  • Partner with internal experts to surface stories and insights that showcase Vera’s impact on local, state, and federal policy.
  • Contribute to messaging strategy across platforms, ensuring consistent and politically informed framing of Vera’s work.
Thought Partnership & External Engagement
  • Identify major trends and themes shaping public discourse on criminal justice, immigration, and equity, proposing opportunities for Vera to weigh in through written content.
  • Contribute to developing communications aligned with Vera’s political and policy narrative — clarifying how government decisions influence justice reform and public safety.

Compensation and Benefits:

The compensation range for this position is $92,000 – $96,000 per year. In addition, this position is part of a bargaining unit represented by the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (ALAA) UAW 2325. 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. Please note Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule: two days in office their first week and three days in office every alternating week. To learn more about Vera’s benefits offerings, click here.

Application Process:
 
To receive further consideration for this career opportunity, applicants are asked preliminary questions about logistics, their interest and qualifications. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional details about their experience via a phone screen/form in advance of an invitation for a virtual or in-person interview with the team. Some searches may explore scenarios during the interview process and/or an assessment prior to reference checks and a hiring decision.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People, Place, and Culture / Senior Editor, Communications and External Affairs

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.

As a federal contractor, and in order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Vera Institute of Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.

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.

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