Project Manager, Eviction Diversion Initiative

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation (formerly the Center for Court Innovation) is a non-profit organization that works with communities and justice systems to advance equity, increase safety, and help individuals and communities thrive. The Center's goal is to identify and resolve as early as possible the challenges that bring people into the criminal and civil legal systems. It does this in a number of ways—by developing and running programs that reduce the need for incarceration and enhance economic opportunity, conducting original research to identify what works, and sharing what we learn from our programming and research with those seeking to transform the justice system around the world.

The Center is an 800-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 Center for Justice Innovation seeks a Project Manager, Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI). Reporting to the Center’s Senior Director, Housing Justice and working in Suffolk County 5th and 6th District Courts (in Ronkonkoma and Patchogue), the Project Manager is responsible for managing the daily operations of the EDI program. The Project Manager will be charged with initiating and maintaining relationships and working collaboratively with stakeholders, including attorneys for litigants, the presiding judges, clerks, Office of Court Administration (OCA) personnel, other government and social services agencies. The Project Manager will also coordinate case-needs, identify social service needs, facilitate referrals, oversee data management systems and technological innovations to improve access to justice. The Project Manager will create and build relationships and work with stakeholders, including housing and homelessness service providers, the Suffolk County Department of Social Services, rental assistance program providers, and mental health resources.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Develop and maintain resource database of providers for a range of employment, and community-based resources for health and social services, rental assistance, homelessness assistance and social service programs available for landlord/tenant litigants and facilitate access;

Communicate with landlord/tenant litigants and to direct them to stakeholders for appropriate assistance;

Develop program promotional materials, in digital and paper, including flyers, palm cards, and automated outreach strategies;

Provide pro se litigants with clear and helpful information relating to navigating the summary proceeding process;

Steward and expand collaborative relationships with on and off-site partners, including Court staff and the Suffolk Department of Social Services, Nassau Suffolk Law Services, Legal Hand, Empire Justice and others;

Collaborate with stakeholders to provide information to landlord/tenant litigants on workshops, outreach and trainings that provide information on rent, repairs and other housing related issues;

Communicate with landlords with large housing complexes to attempt to establish pre-filing diversion programs;

Conduct outreach to and communicate with petitioners following initial filing but prior to first court appearance to introduce diversion services;

Represent the NSCS EDI program in court on the records, provide updates on the record, and ensure that information is streamlined to the presiding Judge;

Maintain data and tracking systems for grant deliverables and oversee monthly data submission for grant reporting;

Identify funding opportunities, build relationships with potential funders;

Draft grant proposals and reports;

Document client data, outcomes, success stories, and services provided in centralized database(s);

Identify opportunities for policy and legislative reform that would offer direct benefit to clients;

Recruit, supervise and train a team of staff, interns and volunteers providing direct service to clients;

Oversee and maintain office management, facilities, signage, and technology needs of office space;

Participate in monthly Access to Justice landlord/tenant Working Group meetings;

Participate in monthly Center staff meetings, the Housing Justice Working Group and weekly supervision meetings;

Attend trainings in and outside of New York State on new developments/programs with partners and/or OCA, as needed;

Other responsibilities, as assigned.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 2-3 years of experience or a Master's degree and 2-3 years of experience or equivalent lived experience in a related area, preferably as a criminal justice practitioner. Excellent written skills are a must. Candidate must be skilled communicator able to work in multi-disciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with multiple agencies and organizations both onsite and in the community. Bilingual (English/Spanish) is preferred but not required.

Position Type: Full-time.

Position Location: Suffolk County

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $62,400 - $72,000 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%.