Campaign Manager

The Illinois Prison Project (IPP) is a nonprofit organization in Chicago that seeks to reduce mass incarceration by providing legal services to individuals incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). We focus on novel and creative approaches to prison reduction, including mass commutation campaigns, sentence restructuring, public education, and advocacy.

IPP is hiring a Campaign Manager for the Credit for Change campaign to pass and implement Credit for Change legislation. Credit for Change legislation will return the Illinois sentencing credit system to allowing all people who are incarcerated in IDOC to earn 50% of time off their sentence by receiving “day-for-day” credit for every day of good behavior and participation in IDOC programming. This campaign is led by a Steering Committee of criminal justice reform and issue-based organizations that have united around the shared goal of sentencing reform in Illinois. Their work is amplified by a Supporter Network of individuals and organizations who give input and take low-lift actions to support the campaign. If successful, this campaign will engage a base of thousands of people and their loved ones, and reduce the population of IDOC by thousands of people. This is a grant-funded position that will extend from January 2026 to December 2028, with the possibility to be extended. This position is dependent on obtaining grant funding. IPP requires all team members to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Proof of vaccination will be required. Candidates must be available to begin full-time work no later than February 2, 2026, or as soon as funding for this position is secured if it is not finalized before this date.

Responsibilities include:

Area #1: Steering Committee Management

• Plan and execute regular (at least monthly) Steering Committee meetings;
• Facilitate agreed-upon decision-making, conflict resolution, and accountability processes, seeking outside facilitators when needed;
• Conduct regular orientations with new Steering Committee members;
• Conduct regular 1:1s with existing Steering Committee members, especially in advance of or following big decisions;
• Work to maintain a spirit of collaboration, consensus, co-ownership, and morale amongst Steering Committee members;
• Collaborate with the Illinois Alliance for Reentry and Justice and Steering Committee members to engage incarcerated Steering Committee members.

Area #2: Supporter Network Co-Facilitation

• Develop and define a robust network of supporters who attend campaign events, respond to calls to action, and give input on future directions of the campaign;
• Work with Steering Committee partners to plan and execute regular (at least quarterly) Supporter Network meetings;
• Manage the Supporter Network’s base-building initiatives;
• Engage the Supporter Network in planning events that further and develop the campaign.

Area #3: Coordinate campaign strategy development and execution

• Lead the Steering Committee and Supporter Network through executing the campaign plan, acting as a project manager and campaign coordinator;
• Facilitate the Steering Committee and the Supporter Networks’ processes of developing a campaign plan;
• Offer campaign planning, coalition building, and strategy development tools to the Steering Committee and the Supporter Network, including the insights of strategists in our coalition network.

Desired Qualifications:

• Has a deep commitment to criminal legal change in Illinois and social, economic, and racial justice;
• Has direct experience with the criminal legal system and/or cultural competency with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated communities;
• Has at least 4 years of experience with policy advocacy, coalition organizing, campaign management, and/or project management experience;
• Has outstanding organizational and/or project management skills;
• Has an advanced analysis around how state-level legislative campaigns and organizing can build political power for people who are impacted by the criminal legal system;
• Has a familiarity with navigating complex interpersonal dynamics in diverse coalitions dedicated to racial justice and criminal legal reform issues;
• Has previous experience with state-level legislative advocacy initiatives;
• Has a direct and transparent personal and professional communication style;
• Demonstrates competent and clear writing abilities;
• Has the ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Is flexible to work some evenings and weekends as required;
• Can travel within Illinois occasionally (several times per year);
• Is proficient with Google Suite, Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Office;
• Is familiar with digital organizing tools such as EveryAction, Action Network, and Soapboxx.

IPP encourages all candidates to apply, even if they don’t meet all of the “Desired Qualifications” listed above.

Work Authorization: All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Location: IPP maintains a hybrid work environment, including working remotely and out of IPP’s office at 53 West Jackson Blvd in Chicago, Illinois. This position will have travel requirements and in-person requirements throughout Illinois. Candidates must live in the Chicagoland area.

Reports To: Director of Policy and Communications

Compensation: This is a full-time position with an annual salary of $82,655-$107,447 in accordance with IPP’s payscale, which is based on experience. Full benefits include generous vacation leave, sick leave, health, dental, vision, long and short-term disability, life insurance, and 401K.

Illinois Prison Project is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, pregnancy, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Illinois Prison Project believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates are critical to our success as an organization, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

How to Apply:

• Please submit 1) a resume, 2) a cover letter, and 3) three professional references (including their contact information) as one PDF via email to hiring@illinoisprisonproject.org with “Campaign Manager” in the subject line. Applicants are invited to speak to the relevance of any non-traditional educational or career experiences in their cover letter. Please note: applications that do not include all the required materials will not be considered.
• Applications are due on December 1st, 2025, though applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Due to the large volume of applicants, we cannot guarantee that we’ll be able to reply to individual emails about an applicant’s status. No phone calls, please.

Full benefits include generous vacation leave, sick leave, health, dental, vision, long and short-term disability, life insurance, and 401K.

English, fluent (verbal and written)