About NBWJI

The National Black Women’s Justice Institute (NBWJI) aims to eliminate racial and gender disparities in the U.S. criminal-legal system that are responsible for its disproportionate impact on Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people. We engage in rigorous research and capacity building in order to transform the current system and promote policy change that centers and uplifts the voices and experiences of system-impacted Black women and girls. Through our work, we seek to dismantle the punitive paradigm driving the U.S. criminal-legal system and build in its place pathways to healing and opportunity. At NBWJI, we envision a society where healing—not punishment—is upheld as justice.

What you’ll do

NBWJI is hiring a Senior Policy and Advocacy Associate who is passionate about systems change that advances the well-being of system-impacted Black women, girls, and gender-nonconforming people. The Senior Policy and Advocacy Associate will work collaboratively with the Director of Research and Advocacy to plan and implement NBWJI’s policy and advocacy strategy that execute on the organization’s strategic priorities. Campaigns will prioritize dismantling pathways to confinement, including ending the pushout of Black girls in schools, and supporting Black women and girls’ reentry to the community from confinement.

The ideal candidate is committed to and experienced in advocacy strategies for and with directly impacted people, and is well-versed in the concept of intersectionality as a framework for policy analysis and strategic action. Strong candidates have knowledge and understanding of politics, issues, and policies affecting criminalized Black women and girls.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Network-building and coordination

• Identify and recruit network members by cultivating, maintaining and growing relationships with state and local organizations and stakeholders in aligned movements and fields, including working collaboratively with NBWJI’s current partners.

• Coordinate regular network meetings that may include preparing and delivering webinars, interactive workshops and trainings for network members to support their learning, practice, and capacity to advocate.

• Identify and coordinate responses to research, data, and technical assistance needs to bolster partners’ advocacy capacity.

• Facilitate network members’ ability to develop and disseminate strategies and tools for dealing with shared challenges and opportunities.

Executing public and policymaker education campaigns

• Draft fact sheets, talking points, testimony, model policies, and other campaign education materials, and collaborate with Communications to produce relevant communications materials to influence campaigns (blog posts, social media content, op-eds etc.).

• Develop and manage campaign processes to ensure that aligned organizations execute on timely advocacy actions (such as developing and maintaining stakeholder databases and listservs and routinely sharing campaign materials and calls to action).

• Educate, build strong relationships, and advocate directly with elected officials and other government officials as needed to advance campaigns.

Policy research

• Monitor and analyze legislation, regulatory change, and associated news that impacts NBWJI’s advocacy and technical assistance priorities.

• Propose strategies to influence government and elected officials.

• Blueprint potential solutions towards policy goals nationally based on progress at the state level.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in issue-based campaigns. Experience engaging governments and broad coalitions to build consensus on policy issues is a strong plus.

• At least four years of policy, campaign, research, and other relevent experience (including internships).

• Strong communication and facilitation skills

• Strong campaign management skills

• Strong writing and policy research skills

• Ability to multitask and manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously

• Ability to work collaboratively with a disbursed, remote team

• Ability to identify needs and gaps in network and to proactively and creatively develop solutions and resources, as appropriate

Salary and benefits

The position offers a salary in the range of $70,000 to $80,000, commensurate with experience. NBWJI offers robust employee benefits. The position is full-time (FLSA: Exempt) and will be able to work remotely.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The National Black Women’s Justice Institute provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race/ethnicity, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, criminal history, or disability. NBWJI encourages people who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system and family policing systems to apply.

To Apply

Submit a statement of interest, your resumé, and a relevant work sample you are proud of to this link. No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.