Chief Research Officer

About Center for Justice Innovation

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since its founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. The Center is renowned for its three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs, performing original research, and providing expert assistance and policy guidance. The Center operates a variety of programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, aiming to achieve systemic change within the justice system. The organization is comprised of approximately 900 employees and operates with a $100 million budget. To learn more about their initiatives and impact, visit www.innovatingjustice.org.

About this Role

The Center is seeking an experienced and innovative Chief Research Officer (CRO) to lead and expand multiple research teams in evaluating the Center’s work and advancing cutting-edge research initiatives aimed at promoting safety and racial justice—in partnership with communities, legal systems, and the people most impacted. The ideal candidate will have deep methodological expertise, a background in securing funding from government and philanthropic sources, experience conducting research on criminal justice and/or community safety topics, and a passion for translating research into action. Additionally, the candidate should possess a foundation that enables them to effectively lead research and analytics teams, build data and research capacity, and drive evidence-based decision-making to enhance the overall impact of the Center’s work. As a member of the Center’s executive team, the CRO will report directly to the Managing Director of National Initiatives and Research and be responsible for setting the Center’s research agenda and working with organizational leaders to expand and integrate the use of research and data in all aspects of CJI, including the operating programs and policy and expert assistance. The Senior Directors of the Center’s Data Analytics and Applied Research (DAAR) and National Research departments will report to the CRO. These departments include teams dedicated to using data analytics to enhance the Center’s operations, advancing research-practice strategies, and conducting sophisticated quantitative research, exploratory qualitative research, program evaluations, and participatory action research. These bodies of work will address some of the most pressing criminal legal challenges by seeking knowledge and solutions beyond the traditional system.

Responsibilities

• Develop and Implement a Strategic Vision for the Center’s Research
• Build and maintain a research and data analytics agenda that advances the Center’s mission, addresses emerging social justice and equity issues, and helps drive innovation across programs, practices, and expert assistance.
• Lead collaborative, organization-wide development of a cohesive strategy that integrates and deepens the use of research throughout the Center’s programs and initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for the Center to develop actionable research to influence policy at the local, state, national, and international levels.
• Lead the Center’s Research Departments
• Oversee the Center’s Data Analytics and Applied Research and National Research Departments, and supervise the Senior Directors of the two departments.
• Represent the Center’s research and data interests in discussions at the executive and board levels.
• Foster a culture of innovation and collaboration within and between the research departments and invest in their ongoing professional development.
• Oversee the financial stability of the departments.
• Design the team’s organizational structure and optimize staff and resources.
• Ensure quality and rigor of research and data analysis for the departments and manage potential risks.
• Develop Collaborations with Funders and Partners
• Collaborate with the Development Office and Center leadership to develop a fundraising strategy for the Center’s research.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with funders, communicating the need for and outcomes of Center research.
• Identify strategic partnerships and funding opportunities to sustain and expand the Center’s research.
• Represent the Center’s Research Externally
• Lead the Center’s efforts to advance evidence-based, data-driven solutions to criminal legal and community safety challenges by collaborating with policymakers, impacted individuals, and communities to guide, support, and promote the Center’s research.
• Work with the Office of External Affairs to increase visibility and expand the impact of the Center’s research results within the media and among policymakers.
• Communicate research findings and data analytics to a variety of audiences, ensuring that complex information is both accessible and actionable.
• Provide Research and Data Analytics Guidance and Expertise within the Center
• Guide high-quality and rigorous research designs (exploratory, experimental, and quasi-experimental), analytic plans, data collection methodologies, and fieldwork.
• Lead the Center’s efforts to take a data-informed approach to program and organization decision-making, creating processes to improve quality and management of data.
• Develop systems that support the work of the Center’s programs, practices, and expert assistance teams to translate their research into action.
• Develop partnerships within and across Center programs and operations, identifying opportunities for intersecting research and promoting a culture of innovation.
• Additional tasks as necessary.

Requirements

• Advanced degree in Sociology, Criminology, Public Policy, Psychology, or a related field (Ph.D. preferred).
• Demonstrated success in securing and stewarding funding from federal agencies and philanthropic organizations.
• Extensive research experience that demonstrates methodological and statistical expertise, as well as some familiarity with participatory action research.
• Experience using research to inform programming and policies that improve outcomes for individuals and communities impacted by systemic racism and inequity.
• Familiarity with data systems and the use of analytics to improve an organization’s programming and operations.
• Strong track record serving in a leadership and management role, supervising team members and demonstrating a collaborative and transparent leadership style.
• Proven ability to translate research and data findings into actionable recommendations.
• Ability to communicate complex information to a broad range of audiences, including policymakers, communities, and funders.
• Commitment to the Center’s mission and model of working alongside and on behalf of historically marginalized populations.

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare with a national network.
• Free basic dental coverage.
• Vision insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability.
• Life insurance.
• Flexible spending accounts, including commuter FSA.
• Services like Talkspace and Ginger through healthcare plans.
• A 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.