Coordinator, Community Engagement

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, $100 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 Brownsville Community Justice Center seeks to reengineer how the justice system works in Brownsville, Brooklyn. In particular, the Justice Center is dedicated to building off-ramps for young people who come into contact with the justice system by providing much needed services to young people arrested in Brownsville. The aim is to provide the kind of support that young people need to become law-abiding members of society. The ultimate goal is to reduce crime and the use of incarceration, while at the same time restoring local faith in the justice system.  

The Brownsville Community Justice Center seeks a Community Engagement Coordinator to support the Justice Initiatives Departments. Reporting to the Associate Director of Justice Initiatives, the Community Engagement Coordinator will assist with developing and implementing engagement strategies, fostering relationships with community stakeholders, facilitating outreach efforts, and coordinating programs that address public safety, economic mobility, and community revitalization needs in Brownsville.

• Lead community outreach efforts to assess technical assistance needs of small businesses along commercial corridors, building sustained relationships to foster ongoing engagement;
• Coordinate and deliver small business technical assistance services on a monthly basis, tailoring support to the unique needs of local businesses;
• Organize and facilitate town halls, focus groups, and workshops to engage stakeholders, gather input, and incorporate feedback into program development and implementation;
• Develop and maintain a stakeholder database to track engagement milestones, including volunteer activities, community events, and project participation;
• Model and implement creative problem solving and a system of positive youth engagement techniques through group facilitation, programming and effective youth development practices;
• Support the Justice Center’s public safety, community revitalization, and placemaking activities and events through best practices and toolkits including the Belmont Revitalization Project;
• Oversee implementation of a range of visible, multi-sector, permanent and semi-permanent community benefit projects within Brownsville’s identified “hotspots”, Marcus Garvey Apartments, and Belmont Avenue;
• Mobilize community members through organizing techniques and outreach campaigns that promote participation in activities aimed at reducing violence and building community efficacy;
• Maintain regular communication with community stakeholders, submit monthly progress reports and present project outcomes to partners and participants;
• Design and implement a comprehensive needs assessment, documenting results and recommendations to inform future program design and stakeholder engagement strategies;
• Work closely with the Justice Center’s Associate Director and Coordinator of Justice Initiatives on mobility from poverty initiatives that include placekeeping and the intersection of workforce development programs that include the Neighborhood HUB, and Mobility Labs;
• Coordinate with local businesses to create internship opportunities through the BCJC workforce development program, supporting economic mobility for youth participants;
• Support the design and conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gather community insights, assess impact, and identify areas for programmatic improvement;
• Provide culturally responsive support to families navigating resources, services, and systems, with a focus on empowering community members to actively engage in decision-making;
• Assist in the development and implementation of program marketing campaigns, including social media management, digital newsletters, and print materials distribution; and
• Additional tasks as necessary.

• A  Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 2-3 years of experience in urban planning, community organizing, public administration, project management, or real estate;
• Experience with commercial revitalization, community nonprofits, community based planning and organizing, and/or neighborhood development issues is preferred;
• Familiarity with Brownsville, Brooklyn;
• Commitment to engaging diverse constituents in low- and moderate-income communities;
• Interest in understanding the different perspectives and needs of diverse community stakeholders;
• Strong aptitude for interpreting data and data trends;
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with governmental agencies, elected officials, non-profit organizations and other community groups;
• Ability to coordinate and manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously, and provide timely and clear updates to supervisors;
• Ability to work in an organized, efficient manner with a high level of accuracy, attention to detail, and follow-through;
• Ability to complete tasks and projects with tight deadlines;
• Demonstrate a passion and commitment to creating and maintaining strong, vibrant neighborhoods and commercial corridors;
• Be flexible and willing to wear “multiple hats”, if needed; and
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Position Type: Full-time.

Position Location: Brownsville, Brooklyn.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $58,000 - $72,100 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We 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. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do not discriminate on the basis of 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 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

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