Laura and John Arnold Foundation – Criminal Justice Initiative Director of Criminal Justice Innovation The Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) is a private foundation committed to producing substantial, widespread, and lasting changes to society that will maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. The Foundation’s Criminal Justice Initiative is focused on innovative ways to use data, analytics, and technology to reduce crime, increase public safety, and ensure that the system operates as cost-effectively and fairly as possible. LJAF is headquartered in Houston, and its Criminal Justice Initiative is based in New York City. For more information, visit www.arnoldfoundation.org. Position: Director of Criminal Justice Innovation Compensation: Competitive salary and benefits package based on qualifications Office: New York City Core Responsibilities The Director of Criminal Justice Innovation will be responsible for managing the development, piloting, validation, and enhancement of LJAF’s criminal justice tools and reforms. He or she will also work with the Vice President of Criminal Justice to identify high-priority needs in the criminal justice field and to develop strategies to address them. LJAF’s Criminal Justice portfolio currently includes risk assessment instruments for police, prosecutors, and courts; a web app to facilitate the administration of accurate eyewitness IDs; and improvements in pretrial policy and practice that reduce crime and increase system efficiency. The list of projects will expand as LJAF’s Criminal Justice team tackles new issue areas and identifies additional promising reforms and innovations. The Director will report to the Vice President of Criminal Justice. Responsibilities will include: Working with LJAF’s Criminal Justice team and research partners to develop and refine tools and reforms Establishing strategies to quickly and rigorously pilot and evaluate these innovations Working with other members of the Criminal Justice team to identify additional programs, reforms, or tools for evaluation or piloting Managing internal team members, as well as a significant number of external researchers, consultants, subject matter experts, and technical assistance providers Identifying and building consensus among key stakeholders in potential pilot or evaluation jurisdictions Identifying modifications or improvements to tools and practices Working with other members of the Criminal Justice team to create models for implementation that can be taken to scale nationally Skills, Experience, and Abilities Significant experience in criminal justice and/or state or local government Ability to manage multiple projects, teams, and initiatives Excellent oral and written communication skills Capacity to thrive in an entrepreneurial work environment Creative vision and capacity to develop a “playbook” for change in areas where few precedents exist Willingness to travel (approximately 1-2 trips / month) Capacity to foster consensus among stakeholders with diverse concerns, incentives, and constituencies
Ability to overcome unforeseen obstacles and see projects through to completion Ability to work both collaboratively and independently Strong leadership skills and self-motivation Flexible and adaptable
To Apply: If interested in this position, please send a resume, cover letter, and two writing samples to rgrieco@arnoldfoundation.org. In the subject line of the email, please indicate that the application is for the position of Director of Criminal Justice Innovation. The deadline for applications is April 7, 2014.