Job Opportunity: National Coordinator, Fair Sentencing of Children, Washington, DC

The Advisory Council for the Fair Sentencing of Children, comprised of professionals working with: the American Civil Liberties Union, the Children's Law Center of Massachusetts, Equal Justice Initiative, Human Rights Watch, the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, the National Center for Youth Law, the National Juvenile Justice Network, and the Youth Justice Coalition, is seeking highly motivated individuals to assume the position of National Coordinator for the Fair Sentencing of Children. The National Coordinator, with the support and advice of the Advisory Council, will work towards ending the sentencing of juveniles to life without the possibility of parole (JLWOP) in the United States. There are currently 2,484 persons in US prisons serving JLWOP sentences for crimes committed as juveniles. Campaigns to eliminate JLWOP sentences are ongoing in roughly a dozen states. The National Coordinator will support these campaigns and build a national movement through coalition building, legislative reform work, litigation support and public education.

The responsibilities of the National Coordinator include, but are not limited to, bringing JLWOP advocates together regularly, through conference calls, in-person meetings, a listserv, and a website, to exchange news and ideas, strategize, and explore ways to work together; reaching out to and promoting dialogue with the wider juvenile justice community, victims and victims' rights organizations, law enforcement, and faith based groups; reporting to funders and seeking ongoing support for the National Coordinator's work; compiling model legislation, lobbying strategies, expert witnesses, agendas, public statements, letters of support, and other useful documents and methodologies to share with legislators and advocates working on JLWOP reform legislation at the state and federal levels; conducting and coordinating research concerning the impacts of JLWOP sentencing and sentencing alternatives; monitoring cases in the courts from an impact perspective, and monitoring clemency applications of juveniles serving JLWOP; directing defense attorneys to briefing resources and support (such as brief banks), and bringing new attorneys into reform networks; interacting with the press as a national expert on JLWOP; drafting opinion and editorial submissions; continuously compiling and periodically publishing updated data on the state of juvenile life without parole sentencing in the United States; and advocating at and staying informed of developments at the international level to feed back to coalition networks and for public education purposes.

This position is currently a one-year full-time position, with an anticipated initial extension of one to two years. The National Coordinator is supervised by the Advisory Council for the Fair Sentencing of Children, and is supported by a half-time administrative assistant. It is anticipated that the National Coordinator will be based in Washington, DC; the Advisory Council will consider alternative placements.

Applicants should have at least 4 years of relevant experience in juvenile or criminal justice policy or practice, law, grassroots organizing, public policy, policy reform, or legislative advocacy. An advanced degree in law, public policy, or related fields is preferred. The successful applicant must be highly effective at working in coalitions with diverse partners, an effective public speaker, a leader as well as a collaborative worker, and possess excellent speaking and writing skills in English. The ideal candidate will have good judgment and strong coalition building skills; excellent analytical and strategic-thinking capabilities; the ability to work quickly and effectively under pressure; the capacity to pay close attention to detail while working in a fast-paced environment and juggling multiple tasks; and the ability to work effectively independently, as part of a team, and in partnership with other organizations. A commitment to juvenile or criminal justice reform in the United States is essential. Applicants should be willing to travel.

Competitive compensation commensurate with experience as well as generous benefits.

To apply, please send a letter of interest describing your experience and commitments relevant to this position as well as your preferred salary range; your resume; telephone numbers and email addresses for three reference persons; and a brief (no more than 5 pages) persuasive unedited writing sample (no legal briefs or memoranda) that was solely authored by the applicant. Send applications to [email protected]. Only complete submissions will be reviewed.

The Advisory Council for Fair Sentencing of Children does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible applicant pool, diverse applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.