Who we are

The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, envisions a society that respects the dignity of every person and safeguards justice for everyone. Vera is committed to securing equal justice, ending mass incarceration, and strengthening families and communities. 

• We study problems that impede human dignity and justice. 
• We pilot solutions that are at once transformative and achievable. 
• We engage diverse communities in informed debate. 
• And we harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice. 

We work with others who share our vision to tackle the most pressing injustices of our day—from mass incarceration, racial disparities, and the loss of public trust in law enforcement to the unmet needs of people who are vulnerable, marginalized, and harmed by crime and violence.   Vera has a staff of almost 300 people and offices in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people’s educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the immigration or criminal justice systems to apply.

Vera’s Center on Immigration and Justice seeks a Program Analyst to work with its Unaccompanied Children Program (UCP) – a national network that provides legal information and pro bono assistance to unaccompanied children in removal proceedings, both in and released from federal custody. Vera’s Unaccompanied Children Program is responsible for managing this network, including monitoring compliance with subcontracts, determining and promoting best practices, and providing technical assistance to our network’s nearly 50 subcontractor organizations.

If you want to learn more about life at Vera click here.

Who you are 

The Program Analyst will support UCP’s Operations and Quality Assurance team in onboarding network program staff, providing administrative support on various projects, analyzing government information/data, and organizing quantitative information received from legal service providers and stakeholders. They will develop efficient processes to ensure the team and the network operate optimally.

The Program Analyst will support UCP’s Operations and Quality Assurance team in onboarding network program staff, providing administrative support on various projects, analyzing government information/data, and organizing quantitative information received from legal service providers and stakeholders. They will develop efficient processes to ensure the team and the network operate optimally.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Onboard a high volume of network program staff onto various program platforms and develop new onboarding tools/resources.

• Crosscheck internal records to ensure all network staff have conducted contractually required data security trainings and background checks
• Grant new network staff access to various platforms/databases integral to their work under the contract; troubleshoot any issues that arise with access to said platforms
• Help maintain as well as produce tools and materials aimed at improving programmatic efficiencies

Provide administrative support to the Operations team on various projects.

• Provide assistance to/liaise with language access providers as needed
• Ensure that various contact lists/internal trackers are up to date

Analyze government information and distill key data points for program management.

• Track fluctuations in national detention capacity and distill information to relevant team members

Develop and distribute a bi-monthly newsletter to UCP’s network of legal service providers.

• Liaise with team members to gather information about important announcements, events, policies, and media that should be disseminated to the network
• Assemble information in newsletter format using Mailchimp

Assist in the review, editing, and development of program materials.

• Conduct background research on issues related to unaccompanied children and distill key findings into written communications
• Collaborate with other team members to identify issues ripe for technical assistance and assist in creation of said resources

What qualifications do you need?

Required:

• Bachelor's degree or 2-3 years of relevant experience
• A demonstrated interest in or knowledge of immigration and/or children's rights issues;
• Ability to work on multiple projects effectively and efficiently, both independently and collaboratively with a team
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize, multi-task, and work under deadlines
• Ability to work collegially in an open and collaborative team environment; patient and approachable
• Knowledge of Excel; knowledge of other Microsoft Office Suite programs Outlook and Word.
• An uncompromising commitment to immigrants' rights and race equity

List of required software applications:

• Proficient in Excel, particularly sorting and filtering data
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite

Compensation and Benefits

The compensation range for this position is $55,100 - $57,200. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute’s total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff—both personally and professionally—is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time and remote work schedules. To learn more about Vera’s benefits offerings, click here.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People Resources / Program Analyst, Center on Immigration and Justice—Unaccompanied Children Program
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

As a federal contractor, and in order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Vera Institute of Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.

Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.  All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org