director of criminal Legal systems program
Location: Chicago, IL
Impact for Equity, a highly regarded and impactful public interest law and policy center, seeks a mission-driven Director of the Criminal Legal Systems program. The Director develops and leads the advocacy agenda of the Criminal Legal Systems team and provides organizational leadership for Impact for Equity.
Description
Impact for Equity, formerly known as BPI, is a public interest law and policy center that has been at the front lines of the fight for social justice in the Chicago region for over fifty years. Known for its innovative and effective advocacy for racial and economic equity, today Impact for Equity is deeply engaged in advancing systemic change in policing, the criminal legal system, and housing.
With collaboration as a core value, Impact for Equity partners with people directly impacted by racial and economic injustice and the community-based organizations that serve them. The organization’s tenacious lawyers and policy staff employ a combination of legal tools, policy research, organizing, advocacy, and convening to achieve transformational change. Impact for Equity works to develop nuanced policies and programs, advance effective strategies, catalyze strong coalitions, and advance progress toward its overarching vision of a state where every person has the right and opportunity to live their fullest life in a thriving community and free of systemic barriers. A collaborative and stimulating workplace, Impact for Equity is committed to offering opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to work that advances racial, economic, and social justice.
Impact for Equity’s Criminal Legal Systems team advocates for policies and practices that create and protect alternatives to, promotes justice and accountability, and seeks equitable outcomes for those impacted by the criminal legal system in Illinois. We also advocate for police accountability, which seeks to increase public safety and promote racial justice. Our work currently focuses on working to enact systemic police reforms, reimagining the roles that police departments play in promoting public safety, reexamining traditional responses to crime, dismantling entry points into the criminal legal system, decarcerating prisons, and expanding services and programming, transparency, and accountability mechanisms to mitigate harms people experience during incarceration.
The Position
Impact for Equity seeks a mission-driven individual with substantial experience to join our team as Director of the Criminal Legal Systems Program. As a key senior leader at Impact for Equity, the Director of Criminal Legal Systems develops and leads the advocacy agenda of the Criminal Legal Systems team and provides organizational leadership for Impact for Equity.
Responsibilities
- Lead the vision, direction, and agenda for the Criminal Legal Systems team, including short- and long-term goals, strategies and priorities, and outcomes of the work, in consultation with Impact for Equity leadership, program staff, and impacted communities;
- Manage the Criminal Legal Systems team and oversee the day-to-day execution of the program’s advocacy work, including setting annual strategic goals for the program and team, developing workplans, and measuring progress towards those goals;
- Identify, develop, and implement advocacy strategies consistent with the agenda of the Criminal Legal Systems team, which may include policy development, legislative advocacy, litigation, education, convening, and other relevant, effective strategies;
- Effectively supervise and mentor program staff members, interns, and volunteers to ensure they have the skills and tools necessary to advance Impact for Equity’s work and with an eye towards their professional development;
- Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with leaders and organizations in the criminal legal systems field, including community-based organizations, allies, stakeholders, communities affected by our work, government officials, and systems stakeholders;
- Represent Impact for Equity in public, providing inspiration and building external engagement, including by speaking to community groups, funders, media, and other audiences on program issues;
- Draft and edit program and Impact for Equity communications, including reports, newsletters, blog or social media posts, or other publications;
- Cooperate with development staff to identify, apply for, and be accountable for external funding to support the work;
- Maintain a deep understanding of local, state, and national issues related to criminal legal systems work;
- Consistently integrate equity concepts into projects and interactions; and
- Exemplify Impact for Equity’s core values and advance Impact for Equity’s vision.