Contracts Coordinator
: Job Details :

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit www.innovatingjustice.org.

The Center is a 900-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 is seeking an experienced Contracts Coordinator to join our team to support the administration and oversight of the Center's end-to-end contracting process. Reporting to the Contracts Manager, the Contracts Coordinator will assist with managing the contracting process ensuring the timely execution, ongoing review, and reporting of all the Center's revenue generating grants and contracts.

The ideal candidate is someone who has experience working with government grants and contracts, has high energy and curiosity about the Center's work, and a talent for project management. The candidate should have strong interpersonal communications skills, great organizational skills, experience as a change manager, and an aptitude for technology.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Project Management and Communication:

• Support the Contracts Manager with contracts management, ensuring strong communication, coordination, and timely execution of tasks across all departments involved;
• Act as a point of contact for all contracts and grants related inquiries and facilitate effective communication between Program Operations and Administrative functions; and
• Provide timely updates and reports on the progress, challenges, and outcomes of grants management projects to stakeholders.

Liaison and Collaboration:

• Foster effective collaboration between Program Operations and Administrative functions, promoting a cohesive and efficient contracts management process;
• Collaborate with departments such as Finance, Development, HR, IT, Legal, and Fiscal, to ensure smooth coordination and alignment in grants-related activities; and
• Contribute to the facilitation of cross-functional meetings and serve as a liaison to address and resolve issues that arise during the contracts management process.

Contracts Management Meetings:

• Assist with organizing and running monthly contracts management meetings for each Project Portfolio involving Grant Management, Program Operations, Development, Finance, Legal, and other relevant stakeholders;
• Develop meeting agendas, distribute pre-meeting materials, and document action steps and decisions made during the meetings; and
• Provide project management support to ensure the timely execution of grants and address any challenges or issues that may arise.

Contract Submissions:

• Review contract guidelines and gather required forms (insurance, work scopes, budgets, etc.);
• Secure appropriate signatures from organization Executives and Board of Directors;
• Submit contract packages to appropriate agencies via online platforms, mail, or in person;
• Work with funder contract managers to address any questions;
• Update funder compliance forms/systems as needed; and
• Additional tasks as necessary.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate should a Bachelor's degree and at least 3-5 years of experience in the field of finance or business management to apply. Candidates with lived experience are encouraged to apply. Candidates should be Notary Publics and have experience with non-profit organizations. Excellent writing 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.

Position Type: Full time.

Position Location: 2-3 days a week on-site at our main office in midtown with potential travel within the five boroughs to other sites.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $60,500 - $75,000 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%.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.