Job Description

Who we are:

The Council of State Governments Justice Center helps leaders in every state design and implement solutions for complex justice system challenges and make communities safer and healthier. We deliver trusted data, practical strategies, and cross-systems collaboration to create second chances, reduce harm, and transform lives.

We're focused on four strategic priorities:

• Using data to drive action
• Strengthening crisis response and addressing violent crime
• Turning billions in new behavioral health resources into improved outcomes
• Growing the number of states committed to delivering reentry success by 2030.

We have approximately 50 employees in states across the country who have decades of experience working in and with criminal, juvenile, and Tribal justice agencies. We have provided housing, mental health, and addiction services; served as educators and in workforce development agencies; and supported victims and survivors of crime. We have served governors, state legislators, and members of Congress on both sides of the political spectrum. What binds us together is a shared commitment to our mission; to one another; to a common set of values; and to the national, bipartisan advisory board that guides our work.

Learn more about careers at the CSG Justice Center.

Location: NYC metro area preferred (hybrid); remote candidates will also be considered.

How you'll fit in:

The director of engagement leads one of the Justice Center's core organizational capabilities: building the relationships, networks, and audience-specific strategies that enable state and local leaders to use our data, research, and policy work to drive action. Lasting systems change depends on more than strong research and effective policy. It requires trusted relationships and a clear strategy for reaching the right leaders with the right message at the right time.

This role focuses on partnership development and audience-specific marketing strategy to strengthen the Justice Center's strategic priorities and expand the organization's reach and impact. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the director connects long-range organizational strategy with near-term opportunities to deepen relationships, expand influence, and inspire action. The director also leads the engagement team, bringing hands-on supervisory experience to a newly formed function within the organization.

The director of engagement is energized by building partnerships and networks; comfortable navigating complex political and institutional dynamics and diverse audiences; skilled at developing targeted, audience-specific marketing campaigns; and experienced using a customer relationship management (CRM) platform to manage and grow relationships at scale.

What you'll do:

Specific responsibilities of the director of engagement include the following:

Partnership & Relationship Strategy

• Cultivate and deepen trusted relationships with senior leaders across states, branches of government, jurisdictions, philanthropy, and partner organizations. Provide and execute strategic guidance about where the Justice Center should invest its relationship-building efforts and how those relationships can advance organizational and strategic priorities.

Audience-Specific Marketing & Engagement Strategy

• Develop and lead targeted, audience-specific marketing and engagement campaigns that reach priority leaders, advance strategic priorities, and position the Justice Center as a trusted, nonpartisan national resource. Use a CRM platform to track engagement, segment audiences, identify gaps and opportunities, and guide outreach across the organization.

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Supervise a newly formed engagement team composed of staff with deep engagement and communications expertise. Provide organization-wide leadership for aligning outreach and engagement across strategic priorities, projects, and teams. Bring organizational judgment to bear on decisions about how, where, and with whom the Justice Center engages.

What you'll bring:

• Strong interpersonal skills including self-awareness, sensitivity and valuing others.
• Dedication to public service with an unfailing commitment to act with civility, be nonpartisan in performing CSG Justice Center duties, and be a responsible steward of member and donor funds
• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in stakeholder engagement, network cultivation, government relations, strategic marketing, or related work, including significant experience shaping organizational or field-level strategy. Criminal justice policy experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience designing and leading targeted, audience-specific marketing or engagement campaigns that advance complex organizational priorities. Broad public marketing experience alone is not a fit for this role.
• Experience using a CRM platform to manage relationships with senior government officials, funders, practitioners, and other influential stakeholders, and use of market segmentation to target specific audiences
• Demonstrated experience cultivating and stewarding relationships with senior government officials, funders, practitioners, researchers, community leaders, and other influential stakeholders
• Experience navigating complex political and institutional environments and representing an organization with senior external audiences
• Ability to cultivate trusted relationships and establish credibility with senior leaders across government, philanthropy, research, practice, and communities, expanding organizational reach and influence while representing the Justice Center effectively in nonpartisan and non-polarizing ways
• Ability to shape and articulate the long-range strategic direction and short-term priorities of multiple leaders
• Experience supervising and managing change within a high performance team
• Ability to motivate and maintain a high-performance team of professionals
• Ability to create staffing plans to meet long term needs
• Ability to optimize current practices and processes to ensure division is operating in an organized and efficient manner
• Ability to work across teams to manage budgets, long term strategies, and guide quality control efforts
• Ability to design and lead audience-specific and segmented marketing, as well as engagement campaigns, using data to guide strategy and deepen relationships over time
• Strong organizational judgment in navigating complex political and institutional dynamics and determining where relationships and engagement create the greatest value
• Ability to partner effectively with senior leaders across the organization, connect engagement strategy to long-range organizational direction and near-term priorities, and align people and teams around shared goals
• Reliable and secure internet/data connection and flexibility for using a personal device for internet connectivity during business travel. A cost offset is provided by CSG

How you apply:

If you're interested in helping us drive change across the country, you should upload the following elements with your application:

1. Cover letter
2. Resume (this should include a comprehensive list of related professional, internship, and volunteer experience with applicable dates)
3. Writing sample
4. At least three professional references

We will consider all paid and unpaid experience relevant to this position, including internships, fellowships, and volunteer activities.

Compensation will be based on experience and geography. The salary range for this position is $140,000 - $220,000 Salary ranges are subject to change based on work location and market conditions.

Our organization offers flexibility in work arrangements, allowing for remote work or a hybrid model. Candidates residing in the NYC metropolitan area will be considered for hybrid model employment.

To learn more about careers at the CSG Justice Center, and about our comprehensive benefit offerings, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, PSLF eligibility and more, please visit our website here

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer (veterans/people with disabilities). CSG participates in E-Verify.