Who we are

The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, is a nonprofit criminal justice organization that strives to build just government institutions and safe communities free from the scourge of racism, white supremacy, profit, and inequity that is pervasive in this country’s legal systems. We are an “inside” lane organization that drives change at scale with ambitious public sector leaders who share our commitment to building anti-racist, reparative systems that deliver justice. We leverage our access to government to transform these systems and work collaboratively with stakeholders across many movements—including advocacy, grassroots, and grassroots organizations. Our role is to pilot solutions that are transformative and achievable, harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice, and use advocacy and communications to change narratives and norms.

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 criminal justice system to apply.

Who you are:

The Coordinator is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations of the Research Department, working closely with the special assistant, two research directors, and vice president for research and measurement, evaluation, and learning. They provide administrative support, scheduling and logistics, fiscal support, and support with management of team sites and products.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Administrative Support

• Support the overall day-to-day functioning of the research department, working closely with a small research leadership team 
• Support administrative tasks related to recruitment, hiring, on-boarding, training, promotion, and off-boarding of research staff across the institute, including coordinating with people resources, information technology, and other units
• Serve as “traffic coordinator,” directing staff and external partners to the appropriate resources and people, and “issue spotting” where there is a need for research leadership support 
• Take notes and track action items in meetings, helping to manage workflow and priorities
• Support development of meeting materials such as drafting and tracking agendas and memoranda and PowerPoint presentations 
• Work with the special assistant to support research department communications and events
• Serve as an administrative contact and liaison with external contacts and vendors

Scheduling and Logistics Support, for day-to-day work and special events

• Support research leaders with scheduling and calendar management, including coordinating internal and external meetings and ensuring appropriate resources are available (call links, meeting rooms, background materials)
• Make travel arrangements and support planning and coordination of events, meetings, and trainings on and offsite, including ordering food for special events and identifying appropriation locations for offsite meetings
• Support special assistant in scheduling and logistics for research speakers and trainings
• Offer suggestions for team building activities and ways of increasing cross stream engagement/team building

Fiscal support

• Work with research leadership and fiscal staff to process invoices and payments, track expenses, and support research department budgeting and expenditures
• Coordinate invoicing and contract submission with vendors and consultants, ensuring timely internal review and payment 
• Work with fiscal staff to prepare research department summary reports as needed

Managing and Organizing Team Sites

• Work with research and information technology teams to identify research software and other technology needs for research staff, and support background research and purchasing of these products 
• Manage the research department intranet site and support build out of new tools to facilitate collaboration across teams and make research department resources accessible to all Verans
• Coordinate with teams to update information in internal “trackers” for research workflow and products
• Help research department staff stay organized by making sure our files are in the right place, up to date, and accessible on Sharepoint sites and other collaborative spaces

What qualifications do you need?

Required:

• At least 1-2 years of experience working in office administration or related professional environment. 
• Commitment to racial equity and its intersections and experience engaging in conversations about race, equity, and inclusion
• Exceptional attention to detail and task-management skills
• experience processing reimbursements and invoices and monitoring expenditures
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to take initiative and manage follow-through
• Excellent communication, writing, and interpersonal skills
• Some experience with an interactive fiscal management system 

List of Required Software applications:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, especially Outlook, SharePoint, Zoom, and other online tools

Compensation and Benefits:

The compensation range for this position is $51,000 - $53,000 (Level B). 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 /  Coordinator, Research Department, Research

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