Criminal Justice Campaign Manager
Grassroots Leadership seeks a Criminal Justice Campaign Manager for our Criminal Justice Program in Austin, Texas. The CJ Campaign Manager will be responsible for supporting CJ, Participatory Defense (PD) and Policy & Research Organizers. Collaboratively develop campaigns involving policy, legislation, and political strategies in order to secure member-driven victories. The CJ Campaign Manager will supervise and mentor the above organizers, work closely with the Immigration Campaign Coordinator, TAJ and PD members, and other Grassroots Leadership program staff, as needed to support the leadership and needs of communities most impacted by the criminal justice system in Texas. This position reports directly to the Deputy Director and Executive Director.
About Texas Advocates for Justice (Austin)
Texas Advocates for Justice is a community organizing and base-building program of Grassroots Leadership that unites, centers, and supports individuals and families who are directly impacted by mass incarceration and criminalization in central Texas. We believe no true, long-lasting change in the way our society deals with incarceration will be altered unless that change effort is led by those whose lives and communities have been directly impacted. We use our personal stories and direct experience with incarceration to build power and lead campaigns to transform the criminal legal system and build safe and healthy communities.
Participatory Defense (Austin)
Participatory Defense is a community organizing model for people facing charges, their families, and communities to impact the outcome of cases and transform the landscape of power in the court system. PD equips community members with the tools needed to empower themselves and/or family members, assist attorneys when needed to understand basic court procedures and impact the outcome of their cases.
Policy and Research Organizers
Support campaign development by gathering data collection to perform power analysis, conduct research that helps move decision makers, and disseminating complex information in digestible ways for our members and the general public.
Essential duties and responsibilities:
In collaboration with Managers to strategically develop and implement criminal justice policy, practice, and narrative campaigns to challenge criminalization and mass incarceration in Travis and neighboring counties.
Train, support and supervise the CJ and PD organizers in community organizing roles; including but not limited to: base building, campaign strategies, political calculations, membership meetings and facilitation, political education, and individual case work and collaboration.
Designs work plans for CJ, PD and Policy organizers.
Develop and strengthen relationships with collaborators; stays up to date with, and in community with, organizers and campaigns in different parts of Texas.
Work in collaboration with the Immigration Campaigns Coordinator, Policy & Research team, along with the Communications team in ensuring value aligned implementation of organizational strategy.
Provide regular updates on CJ organizing developments
Maintain monthly expense reports
Create and oversee team budget and expenses
Commitment to collaborative decision making and contributing to a healthy staff culture
1:1 regular check-ins with team members
Experience and qualifications
Ability and willingness to take initiative
Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in the criminal legal system and commitment to ending the disproportionate impact of mass incarceration and criminalization on communities of color.
Experience in community organizing, base-building efforts, and demonstrated commitment to leadership development amongst impacted communities.
Familiarity with Texas legislative and local government processes.
Familiarity with immigration system is a plus.
Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and spokesperson communication skills.
Team player; ability to work effectively with diverse grassroots constituencies, coalition partners, and policy-makers.
Strong ability to manage partner relationships and conflict.
Experience with synthesizing information to powermap winnable campaigns
Ability to adapt to rapidly changing situations in a politically challenging environment, think strategically, and take initiative.
Ability to work in close proximity to others
Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
Extremely well-organized
Strong applicants also have:
● Experience leading a team and building a team
● Led a successful campaign
More about the job:
This salaried position will be located in our Austin office. Some travel within the city and occasional travel outside of the city or state will be required. Salary for this position will start at $60,000 a year with full benefits. Full-time staff members are automatically enrolled in comprehensive health care plans, have flexible work schedules, and are able to take part in various employee benefits.
About the organization:
Founded in 1980, Grassroots Leadership is a nationally recognized civil and human rights organization based in Austin, Texas working for a more just society where prison profiteering, mass incarceration, deportation, and criminalization are things of the past. We work to transform the justice and immigration systems through organizing, research, advocacy, and public education, building bridges between communities to increase the capacity of local leaders and coalitions, and mobilizing those most impacted by incarceration and deportation.
Grassroots Leadership is an equal opportunity employer and does not to discriminate in employing staff, or selection of volunteers, on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, justice involvement or conviction, veteran status, financial status or HIV status. Grassroots Leadership works affirmatively to build a staff and board that includes people of many different races, classes, genders, physical and mental abilities, ages and sexual orientations.
Grassroots Leadership is committed to investing in the leadership of people of color. Formerly incarcerated people, people who have family in prisons or have been impacted by the immigration enforcement system, women, queer, and trans people are encouraged to apply. We do not discourage or discriminate against people with convictions, and you will not be asked if you have ever been convicted of a crime on the application or interview. Please feel free to mention your experience with the criminal justice or immigration system as those experiences will be considered as an asset in this job.
How to apply:
Please send to HR@grassrootsleadership.org with CJ Austin Campaign Manager in the subject line, in PDF format:
Letter of introduction / Cover letter
Current resume/vitae
Contact information
Questions about the position should also be directed to the same email address.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; priority deadline is August 18.
