Employment

Join the Brennan Center in pursuing meaningful and measurable change in the public sector! The Brennan Center for Justice is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, which welcomes qualified applicants of all races, ethnicities, physical abilities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.

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Director, Justice Program

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Director, Justice Program

The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law seeks a thoughtful, creative and dynamic new leader for its Justice Program. The Director guides the Center’s work to reform the criminal and civil justice systems by expanding and improving legal representation, eliminating racial disparities and ensuring that all people have meaningful opportunities to address their legal needs. This job is an outstanding opportunity for a strategic team player with vision, energy, a passion for leadership, and a keen understanding of how high quality work can lead to significant and enduring social change.

MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY

The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a nonpartisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice. The Center is one of the nation’s leading legal policy institutions – part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group. The Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector. The Center was founded by the clerks and family of Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., and is guided by his vision of “common human dignity.”

THE WORK OF THE BRENNAN CENTER

At the core of the Brennan Center’s work is the belief that the United States will meet its challenges only if our systems of democracy and justice are reformed. The Center’s staff write reports, draft legislation, litigate widely, provide congressional testimony, publish op-eds, convene top thinkers, build bipartisan coalitions, and craft innovative policy solutions to make government work better and more transparently and to fix the “infrastructure” of our democracy. The Center is independent, nonpartisan and fact-based.

Recently, the Center has litigated a major Constitutional case defending Arizona’s public financing law in the U.S. Supreme Court; launched a new jurisprudential movement on money in politics in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United; convened top White House officials, law enforcement professionals, civil liberties experts and community leaders to discuss the challenges of domestic counter-terrorism; and released a groundbreaking report on how “user fees” in the criminal justice system impact indigent people convicted of crimes.

The Center works through three core programs:

The Justice Program fights to secure the nation's promise of equal justice for all. The Center works to increase access to justice with a particular focus on marginalized communities. We seek to reform the criminal and civil justice systems by expanding and improving legal representation, eliminating racial disparities and ensuring that all people have meaningful opportunities to address their legal needs. Current initiatives include efforts to educate policymakers and the public about the need for legal representation for homeowners facing foreclosure; advocacy to address the unjust impact of “criminal justice debt” on poor people; and work to improve access to justice for non-English speakers. The Center also leads the Community Oriented Defender Network, a coalition of more than 100 public defender offices working with communities to provide holistic, client-centered legal representation to indigent people in criminal cases. Over the next few years, the Center intends to expand this work.

The Democracy Program seeks to reform political institutions so they reflect the voices of all Americans. In the wake of Citizens United, the Center leads the legal defense of campaign finance laws, and it promotes small donor public financing and other innovative political reforms. The Center defends voting rights and fights proposals that would hinder voting by minorities and the poor. It educates the public about the need for fair and transparent redistricting processes. It presses for Voter Registration Modernization, which would add 65 million to the voter rolls while cutting costs. And it works for an independent judiciary, focusing especially on the corrosive role of special interest financing of judicial races. 

The Liberty and National Security Program fights to balance constitutional protections with the urgent need to protect the country. The Center focuses on domestic counterterrorism – assuring that law enforcement, from local police to the FBI, respects constitutional rights and avoids racial profiling in the fight against “homegrown terror.” The Center also seeks openness and accountability in national security policy and is preparing a series of reports and an upcoming book on secrecy.

The Center has an annual operating budget of about $7.5 million. Currently 55 staff members work in the Center’s office in New York City and a satellite office in Washington, DC. The Center is governed by a 24-member Board of Directors.  It is affiliated with, but independent of, New York University (NYU) School of Law. Its staff teach at NYU and other law schools, including operating a Brennan Center Clinic that involves students in the organization’s work. Staff includes approximately two dozen lawyers and other professionals. 

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION

The Director, Justice Program, reporting to the Vice President, Programs, will be a thoughtful, creative and dynamic leader who excels at leading a dedicated team. S/he will work closely with the Vice President, Programs, the Justice Program team, and other partners to set the direction of the Program, building on current strengths while forging new, focused issue campaigns to win key state and federal policy goals. The position offers a high profile, national platform to advocate for reform of the justice system.

FIRST YEAR’S PRIORITIES

During the first year of employment, the Director, Justice Program will be expected to:

Thoroughly immerse herself/himself in the Center – its mission, philosophy, programs, structure and operations, finances, constituencies, organizational culture and values, and potential.
Establish a solid working partnership with the Vice President, Programs, the staff of the Justice Program, and other colleagues in order to bring forth their best ideas and efforts. 
Provide oversight and continuity for the Justice Program’s current work while working with the staff to assess the Justice Program and work toward the establishment of a bold, unified, and thematic Program agenda.
Become an effective and visible spokesperson for the Center, increasing awareness of the Justice Program’s goals and work and broadening the Justice Program’s reputation and visibility among policymakers, elected officials, media, funders, and others. 
  • Thoroughly immerse herself/himself in the Center – its mission, philosophy, programs, structure and operations, finances, constituencies, organizational culture and values, and potential.
  • Establish a solid working partnership with the Vice President, Programs, the staff of the Justice Program, and other colleagues in order to bring forth their best ideas and efforts. 
  • Provide oversight and continuity for the Justice Program’s current work while working with the staff to assess the Justice Program and work toward the establishment of a bold, unified, and thematic Program agenda.
  • Become an effective and visible spokesperson for the Center, increasing awareness of the Justice Program’s goals and work and broadening the Justice Program’s reputation and visibility among policymakers, elected officials, media, funders, and others. 

ONGOING RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director, Justice Program will be expected to:

  • Set the vision for the Program to forge an ambitious, energetic drive to expand justice in the United States.
  • Develop and implement a workplan that builds on existing program strengths and identifies priorities, articulates clear benchmarks, and maps out strategic next steps, working closely with the Vice President, Programs, senior managers, and program staff. 
  • Play a lead role implementing substantive priorities through research, policy development and advocacy, litigation, lobbying and writing for popular and expert audiences, engagement with media and public speaking.
  • Work closely with the Center’s Communications staff to disseminate program reports, advance advocacy efforts to target key decision makers and the public, and identify appropriate new media channels for engaging new audiences.
  • Lead and supervise the Program’s staff, inspiring and supporting them in their work, ensuring a workplace culture of mutual respect and teamwork, and prioritizing training and professional development.
  • Build and maintain relationships with partner organizations, including civil rights, advocacy and grassroots organizations, and other allies and stakeholders, including public sector officials, civil legal aid attorneys, public defenders, prosecutors, clergy, pro bono attorneys, the organized bar, business, unions, and others across the political spectrum.
  • Work closely with the Development Department to cultivate relationships with current supporters, reach out to individual donors, and build upon the Center’s base of foundation support.
  • Work with the Executive Director, Vice President, Programs and Chief Operating Officer to develop an annual Program budget, approve and monitor Program expenses, initiate planning processes and facilitate decision-making.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

The Director, Justice Program should have the following experience and qualifications:

  • Significant experience as a dedicated and passionate advocate for justice sector reform and social justice, including at least eight years’ experience in a nonprofit, governmental, legal, political, academic or journalistic organization.
  • Significant program development experience and demonstrated substantive strength in one or more key programmatic areas of the Justice Program’s work.
  • Proven ability to engage in strategic planning, able to think strategically and to set priorities.
  • Experience at the national or local level in policy development, including leading collaborations including advocacy coalitions.
  • A successful track record as an innovative problem solver, including experience using an array of strategies for change including advocacy, research, policy reform, litigation, and strategic communications.
  • An outstanding relationship builder with existing ties to a broad and diverse range of communities, proven successful experience working in a variety of diverse contexts and communities, the ability to interact professionally and thoughtfully with dedicated staff with diverse skills and perspectives, and a record of success as a positive and high energy leader.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills and an appreciation and understanding of the power of linking research and litigation with communications; experience communicating through traditional and new media is valuable.
  • Credibility and experience to connect the Center to resources and opportunities outside the organization; experience raising money from a variety of sources, including major donors and foundations, is highly desirable.
  • A Bachelor’s degree is a minimum requirement; a law degree or advanced degree in a relevant discipline is preferred.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Ideally, the Director will be:

  • Passionately committed to the values of equal justice, democracy, and the Constitution; a catalyst with vision who can create excitement and energy around the Justice Program, ensure that its work is widely known and understood,  and encourage others to support its goals.
  • A team builder, able to delegate and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities; one who inspires collaboration, functions decisively, and treats people fairly; one who understands the subtleties of motivating, directing and working with diverse, strong, independent personalities and work styles.
  • Persuasive, persistent, and creative in the pursuit of the Program’s goals; savvy, and able to help staff colleagues advance their goals in a challenging political and legal climate.
  • An outstanding relationship builder with the integrity, maturity, confidence, wisdom and the collaborative skills necessary to work effectively with the Center’s staff, board, funders, and other constituencies.
  • A highly skilled communicator and a keen listener, with a high degree of emotional intelligence.
  • Politically astute; able to manage complex decision-making processes and negotiate change; diplomatic; able to maximize the contributions of the Center’s staff.
  • Emotionally mature and self-confident, with a sense of humor. 

To learn more about the Brennan Center for Justice, please visit:

http://www.brennancenter.org

To apply for the position, please submit a substantive cover letter and current resume to:

Lauren I. Gumbs
Senior Partner
Gumbs + Partners
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The Brennan Center for Justice is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, socio-economic status, marital or veteran status, or sexual orientation.