Program Associate, Vera Louisiana

The role

The Program Associate will support local and state advocacy campaigns to build thriving communities and reduce incarceration. They will manage programmatic tasks and liaise between internal communications, local media, and coalition-focused work.

What you will do

• Strengthen existing partnerships with local organizations
• Foster relationships with external partners
• Draft memos, fact sheets, presentations, public comment/testimony and reports
• Facilitate and manage working groups within coalition-based work
• Connect external partners to resources and internal experts
• Speak at conferences regarding Institute and initiative work
• Drive several projects at once and maintain timelines
• Coordinate with internal Vera teams to push projects forward
• Develop and update internal task management trackers and calendars
• Co-develop and execute communications and outreach strategy

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 3+ years of relevant experience or applicable work or life experience
• Demonstrated experience with the criminal legal system, public safety policies and practices and public health policies and practices
• Excellent organizational skills
• Flexibility and ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Legislative and budget drafting, research, or tracking
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite; Zoom; Slack; Asana or other cloud-based project management program
• Driver’s License

Nice to have

• Policy and advocacy experience in advancing racial justice, building coalitions, allies, and state strategy
• Deep understanding of the New Orleans and/or Louisiana political ecosystem
• Experience with advocacy campaigns at multiple levels of government
• Experience working in coalitions or organizing
• Experience public speaking or facilitating meetings

Benefits

• Merit pay
• Generous paid time off
• Comprehensive health insurance plan
• Student loan repayment benefits
• Professional development training opportunities
• Up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work
• Employer-funded retirement plan
• Flexible time

Before you apply

• Applicants are asked preliminary questions about logistics, interest and qualifications
• Selected candidates may be required to provide additional details via a phone screen/form
• Some searches may explore scenarios during the interview process and/or an assessment

About the company

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world.