Who we are:

The Council of State Governments Justice Center works across the country to develop research-driven strategies to increase public safety and strengthen communities. To further this mission, we work with partners inside and outside of government to reduce crime and incarceration among youth and adults in contact with the justice system. We bring people from diverse systems and perspectives together to improve policy and practice. And we transform data and research findings into meaningful insights for decision-makers.

We're focused on three strategic goals:

• Break the cycle of incarceration.
• Advance health, opportunity, and equity.
• Use data to improve safety and justice.

When you join the CSG Justice Center, you join an organization that is uniquely positioned to cultivate innovation and drive data-driven reform nationally. We have approximately 120 employees-expected to grow to about 150 by the end of this year-based in more than 20 states 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.

How you'll fit in:

The project manager serves as an integral member of the behavioral health diversion and reentry team within the CSG Justice Center's Behavioral Health Division. The project manager will lead the overall strategy and thinking for the Second Chance Act (SCA) Improving Adult and Juvenile Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Program (CSCR). This will involve fulfilling administrative responsibilities and overseeing SCA CSCR grantees and training and technical assistance (TTA) coaches. The project manager is also responsible for leading qualitative and quantitative analyses of existing programs, policies, and practices and providing policy recommendations to behavioral health and criminal justice agencies. The project manager will support the planning and implementation of screening, assessments, withdrawal management, collaborative comprehensive case management, medication-assisted treatment in the criminal justice system, best practices for community supervision, and integration of community-based crisis response and reentry systems. The project manager coordinates a team of expert consultants providing on-site, intensive technical assistance; developing policy options; and participating in politically sensitive meetings with high-ranking local, state, and federal officials, advocates, and other experts. The project manager oversees the work of a small team and reports to the deputy program director, behavioral health for the Behavioral Health Division.

What you'll do:

Specific responsibilities of the project manager include the following:

• Directly provide TTA to a cohort of behavioral health, crisis system, and criminal justice grantees and their partners and provide direction to 1-3 TTA coaches.
• Coordinate, participate in, and document on-site and off-site technical assistance in jurisdictions across the country.
• Provide content knowledge across grant programs on substance use disorders and criminal justice issues, including behavioral health crisis and reentry best practices, identification of gaps, and strategies for improved collaboration and communication between these systems.
• Update action plans for use by SCA CSCR grantees and other behavioral health and criminal justice TTA coaches.
• Play a lead role in developing training materials for TTA coaches, implementing standardized training processes, and providing support across the grant tracks to answer questions and troubleshoot issues.
• Provide a detailed plan to highlight grantee TTA and highlight the work of grantees.
• Facilitate TTA coach meetings bimonthly and ad hoc based on TTA coaches' needs.
• Coordinate regularly with the deputy program director of TTA and other project managers who oversee TTA.
• Directly supervise policy analysts or other staff, overseeing and providing direction for their TTA and project work and their professional development, and help manage their workloads and prioritize tasks.
• Facilitate or participate in monthly calls with the Department of Justice on the SCA CSCR grant track and support the participation of TTA coaches.
• Contribute to content and planning for SCA conferences, grantee summits, and other meetings, including drafting/advising on agendas, presentation materials, and other planning activities.
• Oversee the development of peer learning opportunities for SCA CSCR grantees, connecting them to mentor and learning sites, Stepping Up innovator counties, and other advanced jurisdictions.
• Collaborate with senior staff to develop long-range strategies to guide the CSG Justice Center's crisis, courts, pretrial, diversion, and reentry work for the Behavioral Health Division.
• Play a lead role in implementing new strategies for representing SCA CSCR, and other key behavioral health/criminal justice projects, including further conceptualizing new concepts and tactics, soliciting feedback from partners and funders, and pitching the ideas to potential funders.
• Work with a wide range of stakeholders focused on crisis, courts, county government, law enforcement, corrections, reentry, community supervision, and behavioral health technical assistance efforts.
• Monitor timelines for project deliverables to ensure that responsibilities to funders are met.
• Synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative information on local policies, programs, practices, and outcomes and create clear, accessible, actionable takeaway reports.
• Contribute to the development of CSG Justice Center website content and broad-based reports, resources, or presentations relevant to a national audience to promote specific policy goals.
• Plan and participate in policy-focused meetings with high-ranking government officials, advocates, and national experts.
• Ensure that senior staff and, where applicable, CSG Justice Center colleagues, consultants, or funders are aware of relevant project developments and that other CSG Justice Center work in the field is leveraged for the advancement of project goals.
• Develop/expand a knowledge base on criminal justice and behavioral health systems and how they function at the local and state levels.

What you'll bring:

• Ability to interact effectively with diverse people in different contexts and foster equity and inclusion through self-awareness, cultural 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
• At least six years of work experience in the fields of behavioral health and/or criminal justice, and/or policy analysis experience in the fields of behavioral health and/or criminal justice and/ or equivalent educational achievements in fields such as counseling, criminal justice, law, psychology, public health, social work.
• Four years of supervisory experience and program implementation.
• Knowledge of crisis response and reentry systems
• Experience working directly advising local systems on systems change
• Excellent research, writing, and editing skills and strong critical and strategic thinking
• Strong oral communication and listening skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise, accessible way and tailor messaging and pitches based on what the audience.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity and an ability to work independently and in a team setting
• Ability to take experiences from working as a direct practitioner and program director and translate that knowledge into system improvement strategies that can be applied across jurisdictions
• Ability to market the CSG Justice Center's substance use disorder, mental health, SCA CSCR and other behavioral health/criminal justice work to multiple audiences and potential funders
• Efficient, organized work style and an ability to prioritize quickly and confidently and manage multiple deadlines
• Strong MS Office, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel skills

How you apply:

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

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Two writing samples (no more than three pages)
• Names and contact information for professional references (at least two)

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

CSG believes that pay equity and pay transparency advance workplace fairness. Compensation will be equitable and based on experience and geography. The NYC-based salary range for this position is $85,360- $125,186.. The starting salary for this position outside of NYC may be as low as $76,500. Salary ranges are subject to change based on work location and market conditions.

Learn more about careers at the CSG Justice Center.

We welcome and value diversity in our staff, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, educational attainment, disability, protected veteran status, and personal experience with the criminal justice system.

CSG is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. CSG participates in E-Verify.