THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit www.innovatingjustice.org.  

The Center is a 900-employee, $130 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn’t), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs

The Center’s operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

Policy & Expert Assistance

The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area. 

Center Support

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications. Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Office of National Initiatives provides training and technical assistance to jurisdictions across the county to support the planning, implementation, and enhancement of innovative approaches to justice. The department's work encompasses behavioral health, community violence, intimate partner violence, court reform, including problem solving courts, housing justice, access to justice and many areas of community justice.

The National Initiatives department is seeking a Deputy Project Director to work on a firearms project within the Erie County Integrated Domestic Violence Court. The Erie County Integrated Domestic Violence Court (IDV) seeks to provide a coordinated response to intimate partner firearm violence in Erie County through the development of the Firearms Analysis, Response, and Surrender Project. This project aims to increase offender firearm surrender, monitoring, and accountability by ensuring enhanced coordination and communication between law enforcement and the court.

Reporting to the Director of Judicial Education and Leadership, the Deputy Project Director will oversee and manage all aspects of the project, including comprehensive collaboration with stakeholders, development of policy, procedures, and program materials, management of contracting and fiscal reporting, and representation of the Center at local and citywide events, meetings, panels, and community forums.

• Lead the strategic planning and implementation of all Firearms Analysis, Response, and Surrender Project programming and services;
• Develop and oversee the Project Team;
• Connect with LGBTQAI+ advocates, hearing-impaired agencies, tribal jurisdictions, underserved communities of Buffalo City, and survivors for lived experiences for membership in the Firearms Team, especially for the creation of protocols;
• Facilitate regular Project Team meetings to create protocols, address firearms surrender transmission and communication issues, and address survivor concerns;
• Review all family and criminal court cases in Erie IDV to understand firearm directives issued, access by defendant to firearms, actions taken by law enforcement, and monitoring of surrender;
• Prepare compliance calendars and monitor firearm surrender compliance and law enforcement response at each IDV court appearance;
• Assist in the development of an assessment tool for understanding unreported firearms possession in IPV police reports and family court petitions;
• Develop and implement protocols with off-site agencies;
• Assist in the development of bench guides for Judges and court personnel outlining the protocols created on firearms seizure, surrender procedures;
• Create checklists for court personnel and law enforcement to clarify and streamline communication between them concerning firearms surrender notifications;
• Oversee the submission of required reports and compliance-related paperwork;
• Work collaboratively and maintain relationships with court staff, community partners, and criminal justice and social service agencies;
• Serve as a liaison between the Court and private and public agencies;
• Collaborate and communicate professionally with all participants, legal parties, and other project stakeholders;
• Assist in developing a curriculum for training in Erie County, including identifying local and national faculty, creating an agenda, setting up CLE credits for attorneys, training evaluations, and materials;
• Develop and conduct an annual survey of staff and other participants to identify ongoing training needs;
• Collect and report required data and complete grant progress reports; 
• Organize and participate in regular reviews with Center staff about program progress; and
• Additional responsibilities, as needed.

• An advanced degree and 4-5 years related experience or a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 6-7 years of relevant experience in project management, supervision, and leadership required;
• Significant experience in leadership roles with innovative community-based organizations preferred;
• At least 3 years of experience managing significant budgets and grant contracts preferred;
• Passionate and sensitive to the needs and interests of the population and the mission and philosophy of the Center;
• Knowledge and/or lived experience related to the criminal justice system and its impacts on communities;
• Familiarity with the Criminal Court, Family Court and Supreme Court (Matrimonial Parts);
• Background in domestic violence issues or related preferred;
• Ability to interact with members of the judiciary and social service providers;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Strong organization skills; 
• Extensive experience developing and overseeing programs with multiple priorities;
• Strong relationship builder and communicator with experience leading diverse teams;
• Strong ability to set and adhere to timelines;
• Ability to effectively juggle multiple priorities;
• Exceptional ability to communicate with and guide internal and external teams;
• Highly organized, responsible, innovative, and flexible;
• Excellent attention to detail and communication skills;
• Ability to do both immediate “nuts and bolts” thinking and long-term strategic planning, often simultaneously;
• Ability to exercise tact and diplomacy;
• Ability to effectively communicate in a transparent and direct manner; and
• Demonstrated experience in setting and achieving strategic objectives.

Position Type: Temporary full time until September 30, 2027.

Position Location: Buffalo, NY with some required travel throughout New York State and occasionally to other states.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $95,275 - $118,450 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We also offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our goal is to create a supportive and respectful environment where everyone, regardless of background or identity, feels valued and included.

At this time, the Center is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment.

Candidates are expected to provide accurate and truthful information throughout the hiring process. Any misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of material facts may result in disqualification from consideration, withdrawal of an offer, or termination of employment, regardless of when discovered.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. While the Center does not require vaccination, we strongly recommend that all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up to date.

In compliance with federal law, all hires must verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required employment verification form upon hire. Please refer to the job posting for relevant contact information. If contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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