POSITION DESCRIPTION

Program Manager, County Initiatives 

Reports to: Managing Director, Policy

Location: New York

About REFORM Alliance:
REFORM is committed to transforming probation and parole throughout the United States by changing laws, systems, and culture. The organization is working to replace America’s criminal justice system with a restorative approach that is fair, accountable, and invested in rehabilitation. Our goal is for people to reenter society with dignity, create meaningful pathways to work, and equip them with the tools to succeed all while making families and communities safer and stronger.

REFORM was founded in the wake of the #FreeMeek movement. The Board includes award-winning recording artist Meek Mill; Fanatics executive chairman Michael Rubin; Arnold Ventures co-founder Laura Arnold; entrepreneur and business mogul Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter; Kraft Group CEO and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; Galaxy Digital CEO and founder Michael E. Novogratz; Vista Equity Partners founder, chairman, CEO Robert F. Smith; Brooklyn Nets co-owner, businesswoman, investor, and philanthropist Clara Wu Tsai; and CEO and President of Live Nation Entertainment Michael Rapino; and Co-founder and Executive Chairperson of Cincoro Tequila Emilia Fazzalari. Criminal justice advocate Jessica Jackson leads the organization as CEO. 

Initiative Description 

REFORM Alliance aims to transform community supervision by changing our laws, systems, and culture to create real pathways to work and well-being. REFORM’s goal is for people to reenter society with dignity, to remove barriers to their independence and stability, and to equip them with the tools to succeed – all while making families and communities safer and stronger. 

While tackling supervision practices and changing policy at the state level remains an important avenue for change, reentry is fundamentally a local issue that requires solutions by practitioners and advocates who understand their communities, resources, and systems the best. REFORM will partner with selected counties to help enact evidence-based policies that support the most effective practices and target the most pervasive ills of our current supervision system, including tackling technical violation responses, creating and improving incentives for recidivism-reducing activities, and ensuring wraparound services necessary for overall success (e.g. assistance with housing, jobs, mental health treatment, etc.). This innovative program seeks to reframe and rethink current community supervision systems by pursuing safe and effective practices that link participants to services and incentivize success. 

REFORM’s County Initiatives Program aims to redefine community supervision by removing barriers to success for supervision officers and people on supervision. This includes (and is not limited to): 

• Expanding the use and consistency of early termination of supervision through clearer, streamlined processes and procedures; 
• Building better coordination and linkages between county supervision departments and existing services/systems; and
• Improving the staffing and management of supervision departments by encouraging and implementing positive reinforcement measures as goals, effective performance appraisals, and supervision officer training.

Position Overview

The County Initiatives Program Manager is responsible for the Initiative's research and policy portfolios, including coordinating the work of a team that will provide technical assistance to counties and tracking implementation of counties' best practices. The candidate should be comfortable speaking with a broad range of audiences and be particularly familiar with community supervision and reentry issues. Additionally, the program manager will be responsible for operationalizing and continuing the development of the county initiative project, as well as identifying interventions in key jurisdictions where best practices are already being effectively deployed to use as models in partner jurisdictions. A relevant graduate or law degree is a plus, however, candidates with a B.A. or a B.S. who have exceptional advocacy, legal and social services, or community corrections experience will also be competitively considered. 

Responsibilities 

• Program Development
  • Refine County Initiatives Program strategy and work plan, building upon past efforts and ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. 
  • Apply implementation science methods to the design and execution of projects. 
  • Identify additional candidate jurisdictions for the County Initiatives Program, with substantial outreach to establish and build relationships with key stakeholders and maintain relationships over time. 
  • In coordination with the Chief Policy Officer, identify the internal and external resources needed for continued program implementation by assessing the internal team’s current and future capacity for program operations and technical assistance.
  • Oversee the design of technical assistance resources to support pilots and demonstrations of innovative program models. 
  • Support the development of standard deliverables, including evaluation plans, performance management plans, publishable report summaries, experience reviews, progress reports, monitoring reports, case studies, and evaluation reports.
  • Work in coordination with General Counsel in the drafting and execution of Memoranda of Understanding with partner jurisdictions. 
  • Support the Grants Manager in achieving funding goals for County programming, including the drafting of grant applications and providing periodic updates on programmatic development. 
  • Coordinate with other departments as needed to identify and fulfill programmatic needs.

• Policy Research, Data Collection, and Analysis 
  • Conduct policy and legal research in support of the County Initiatives Program, including drafting landscape assessments of candidate jurisdictions that include an analysis of policy opportunities based on publicly available data.
  • Draft primary and secondary policy memorandums related to administrative guidance, including summaries and analysis.
  • Become familiar with all relevant federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and policies pertaining to community supervision in target jurisdictions.
  • Use data and evidence-based practices to target areas for systemic improvement across jurisdictions.
  • Work in collaboration with other departments and contractors to identify and/or provide direction on data needed to identify candidate jurisdictions and develop projections for the impact of specific policies at the county-level, in addition to providing direction on the implementation of adopted evidence-based practices.  

• Jurisdictional/Partner Engagement 
  • In collaboration with the Community Engagement team, identify and actively pursue opportunities to engage local stakeholders, including district attorneys, public defenders, probation chiefs and officers, judges, community advocates, etc. in an effort to increase awareness of and interest in the County Initiatives Program, including attendance at conferences (including participating as a panelist), hosting breakout sessions, and facilitating listening sessions. 
  • Problem-solving with social services, corrections, or local advocacy organizations.
  • Develop and nurture relationships with stakeholders in target (including both candidate and partner) jurisdictions, maintaining a regular cadence of contact and traveling as needed.   
  • Conduct regular (at least quarterly site visits) with partner jurisdictions for deeper collaboration with partner agencies, including the observation of practices, hosting listening sessions, and other activities as needed. 

• County Team Leadership & Development 
  • Supervise and mentor the County Associate and additional team members as the county program grows, providing guidance and support to enhance their professional development and ensure they are meeting organizational objectives.
  • Delegate tasks effectively, ensuring that the county team operates efficiently and meets organizational goals.

Qualifications & Skills

• B.A. or B.S. required; Masters in Public Policy, J.D., or other relevant graduate degree a plus
• Minimum of 4 years of policy or criminal legal services experience
• Project management experience, with a specific emphasis on developing and/or launching programmatic initiatives, including engagement with multiple stakeholders, including government agencies, elected officials, advocacy organizations, justice-impacted individuals, and donors 
• Experience supervising a small team 
• Experience fostering relationships and building partnerships, in addition to co-learning/creating alongside system leaders/stakeholders, ideally at both the leadership and staff level
• Deep understanding of the criminal justice system and evidence-based practices, with a specific focus on corrections and reentry
• Experience navigating municipal institutions, including probation, parole, and supervision systems 
• Strong writing background (including editing skills) and communication skills (verbal and written) and ability to communicate using a variety of platforms and across multiple audiences, especially those with diverse and, at times, opposing viewpoints
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously across different jurisdictions
• Strong organizational and administrative skills, with keen attention to detail

Perks and Benefits:

At REFORM Alliance, you'll engage in impactful, mission-driven work while enjoying comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other ancillary options. We prioritize your well-being and mental health by providing Talkspace at no cost, along with a generous 4% employer match on retirement plans, fully vested from day one. We also offer 3 weeks of PTO and 11 paid holidays to ensure a healthy work-life balance. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and community development makes REFORM a place where your work truly matters.

About REFORM Alliance’s Culture:

At REFORM Alliance, we strive to move hearts and minds to create a more humane criminal justice system. This requires a company culture that values employee individuality and community development. We are committed to fostering an environment that is inclusive, empowering, and globally minded. We firmly believe that diversity in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, cultural background, religion, disability, and age produces ideas and perspectives that make our efforts stronger for people unjustly in the system and make our communities safer.