VIVA #24-168: Program Coordinator (OVIP)

The NJ Attorney General’s Office, Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance, Office of Violence Intervention and Prevention (OVIP), is looking for a Program Coordinator to join its team. As a Program Coordinator, you will play a crucial role in managing the financial aspects of programs or projects, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and in accordance with established guidelines and regulations. The position can be based in Trenton, NJ or Newark, NJ – applicants must provide their location preference when applying. The position will be appointed as a Program Specialist 2, with a salary range of $60,062.18 to $85,033.04 per year. Please note, salary offered is non-negotiable and will fall within the range posted.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

The Attorney General has broad oversight of the state’s legal and law enforcement matters. As the head of the Department of Law & Public Safety, the Attorney General supervises a wide range of Divisions, Offices, and Commissions, consisting of over 2,800 sworn law enforcement officers, 600 attorneys, and thousands of other public servants.

ABOUT THE DIVISION:

The Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA), established in September 2022 by Attorney General Administrative Executive Directive No. 2022-10, supports the Department of Law and Public Safety’s (DPLS) efforts in reducing violence across the State. VIVA strengthens trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve by incorporating a restorative and healing approach to public safety.  

VIVA :

• Promotes a trauma-informed approach in the provision of victim assistance and violence intervention and prevention services, and in the formation of policies by the DLPS. 
• Promotes access to, and deployment of, services to vulnerable and hard-to-reach victim populations and address the needs of more populations of victims than are currently served by DLPS.  
• Develops an infrastructure for victim assistance and violence intervention and prevention services. 
• Serves as a resource center and hub of technical assistance and training. 
• Coordinates among, builds partnerships between, and supports initiatives involving law enforcement entities and victim assistance and violence intervention and prevention service providers. 
• Provides a structure and outlet for community stakeholders to provide input to improve services. 
• Supports policies and practices that recognize the important of cultural competency of those providing victim assistance and violence intervention services. 
• Promotes policies and practices that encourage engaging the use of peer support, such as credible messengers, individuals with lived experience, and trauma survivors, in the provision of services.  
• Leads the Department’s coordination with other state agencies and offices – promoting that public safety is a systemswide approach and a shared responsibility.  

VIVA is comprised of four offices: 

• Victims of Crime Compensation Office 
• Office of Trial and Criminal Justice Process  
• Office of Victim Support and Assistance  
• Office of Violence Intervention and Prevention  

ABOUT THE POSITION:

The Program Coordinator will be part of the Office of Violence Intervention and Prevention (OVIP). The Office manages and oversees the Department’s community violence intervention and prevention work and funding opportunities for Community-Based Violence Initiatives (CBVI), Hospital-Violence Intervention Programs (HVIP), Trauma Recover Centers (TRC), and other similar programs. As a member of the OVIP team this role will support the Office’s efforts to shape the development of new and local ecosystems of safety and prevention in communities across New Jersey. The Program Coordinator will be the point of contact for the subrecipient sites funded through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Grant program. They will provide program monitoring to the sites to ensure progress is being made to achieve the goals outlined by the grant. They will also provide additional administrative support for integration into regular OVIP activities including, meeting coordination, developing presentations and reporting.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Monitoring program activities, operations and implementation
• Collect, review, analyze and reports data concerning assigned activities in order to improve work methods, determine progress, revise established procedures and/ or provide information to Office Director
• Create and cultivate relationships with community stakeholders and partners

The ideal candidate is/has:

• Strong organizational skills 
• A propensity for innovative problem-solving 
• Ability to multitask
• Ability to work successfully and collaboratively with various stakeholder groups  
• Detail-oriented with the ability to communicate time-sensitive, technical, and nuanced information to a variety of stakeholders 
• Ability to meet short-term and long-term timelines in an ever-shifting landscape 
• Ability to weave trauma-informed, victim/survivor-centered, anti-oppression principles into the day-to-day work of the Division 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience.
• Six (6) years of professional experience in planning, monitoring, coordinating, implementing, modifying, and/or evaluating agency programs and services. OR
• Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and two (2) years of the above-mentioned professional experience. OR
• Possession of a master's degree from an accredited college or university in a discipline appropriate to the position; and one (1) year of the above-mentioned professional experience.
• NOTE: "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions.
• Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey.

OTHER KEY FACTORS:

• Eligibility determinations will be based upon information presented in resume only. Applicants who possess foreign degrees (degrees earned outside of the U.S.) are required to provide an evaluation indicating the U.S. equivalency prior to the closing date. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.
• Applicants with college credits are required to submit an unofficial transcript if using education to meet the requirements.

BENEFITS:

• Paid Leave Time
• Paid State Holidays
• Health, Dental, Vision and Prescription Benefits
• Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation and Retirement Plans
• Telework may be available

HOW TO APPLY: If qualified, please send a cover letter indicating interest in job vacancy announcement #24-168, with location preference and a current resume to the Recruitment Coordinator via email at jobs@njoag.gov on or before the closing date of May 3, 2024.

For more information, please visit https://www.njoag.gov/careers/all-job-postings/