Criminal Justice Program Officer

ABOUT FOUNDATION FOR LOUISIANA

Foundation for Louisiana (FFL) is a social justice philanthropic intermediary founded in 2005 as the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation to invest in the immediate recovery of Louisiana’s communities after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. While FFL was established in the wake of these disasters, our founders recognized the need to address the longstanding inequities that have contributed to the life outcomes of the most marginalized of Louisianans for centuries. Our programs grew in response to these needs, and today FFL focuses on philanthropic leadership, racial justice, climate justice, criminal legal reform, economic opportunity, LGBTQ justice, and support for Louisiana's vibrant arts and culture via a three-pronged strategy:

• Invest: FFL makes grants and loans to support organizations and movements throughout Louisiana in our key program areas. We attract and invest resources to support on-the-ground projects, many of which can’t access traditional philanthropy. Through fiscal sponsorship, we support innovative ideas responding to unmet needs throughout Louisiana.
• Build: We build power to effect change in Louisiana communities. We convene community leaders and provide training in organizing, policy change, leadership, public speaking, and facilitation to tackle issues of climate change, police accountability, health disparities, housing access, and more.
• Transform: By fortifying movements, we shift systems and shape regional and national narratives. We re-imagine how our communities are governed and funded to redefine how residents can thrive in them.

Since inception, FFL has invested $60 million in more than 260 mission-critical nonprofit organizations working across the state towards building a more just Louisiana. As a social justice philanthropic intermediary, FFL’s work unapologetically advances racial justice while moving Louisiana forward. The foundation engages communities in both program co-design as well as its grant-making process to expand opportunities and move communities towards a more just future.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Louisiana Justice Fund (LJF), a pooled fund housed within FFL, seeks a Criminal Justice Program Officer to coordinate its efforts in transforming the criminal legal system in Louisiana. The Program Officer will lead strategic development and implementation of specific strategies that meet the following LJF goals: 1) strengthen the ecosystem of organizations and leaders working toward criminal legal system transformation in Louisiana, 2) invest in narrative strategies that shift public narratives on safety and justice, and 3) increase economic mobility for formerly incarcerated persons. The Program Officer will engage current grantees, identify new grantees, and support the learning and networking of relevant stakeholders in Louisiana. The Program Officer will also play a critical role in working with other funders, both in the South and nationally, to increase support for the program.

FFL’s criminal justice work aims to shift resources away from dehumanizing and discriminatory practices within the criminal legal system towards a justice system that reinforces and sustains strong individuals, families, and communities. We aim to build on previous work and successful partnerships to develop our forward-looking criminal justice strategy with an intersectional emphasis on the relationship between system involvement, race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, and immigration status.

The position reports to the LJF Program Director. The Program Officer can be based anywhere in the state of Louisiana; however, the position will require at minimum monthly l travel to Baton Rouge and/or New Orleans as well as occasional travel to other destinations throughout the state.

All FFL employees are currently working remotely. Office space is available in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Grantmaking and Partner Support (50%):

• Design and develop the relevant grants portfolio including:
  • Planning for grants
  • Identifying and working with prospective grantees to develop proposals for grant recommendations
  • Undertaking periodic reviews of grantee progress
• Draft written recommendations for funding and support preparation of grant materials for team, program and board review.
• Communicate and document emails, visits, meetings, and calls with grantees (Ensure the LJF Director are kept informed about grantees’ progress, especially highlighting any areas of concern).

Grants Management and Programmatic Support (25%)

• Develop scopes of work for contracts.
• Manage contacts and invoicing between FFL Team and vendors.
• Monitor and support grantees and vendors completing deliverables for FFL.
• Keep the staff and board up to date on critical information regarding current grantees.

Thought Leadership (20%)

• Represent LJF’s and FFL’s programmatic work when convening partners, advocates, and other stakeholders across the United States.
• Serve as FFL’s in-house expert in the program area.
• Continually scan the field and keep abreast of the changing political climate related to the program nationally and specifically in Louisiana.
• Share key findings, updates and learnings both internally and externally, in alignment with FFL’s fund development and communications strategies.
• Learn and understand FFL’s and LJF’s strategies to inform work with partners
  • Participate in LJF strategy refinement and monitoring, evaluation, & learning as needed
  • Lead the development and implementation of FFL’s Criminal Justice programmatic strategy

Organizational Support (5%)

• Work with senior leadership to manage and provide support to short-term projects as directed

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Subject Matter Expertise

• Three to five years of progressively responsible professional experience in community-based, regional, or statewide programs.
• Familiarity with, and demonstrated commitment to criminal justice, economic justice, and racial justice issues affecting Black and Brown communities in Louisiana.
• Deep understanding of criminal justice systems, including policing, prosecution, sentencing, incarceration, and reentry.
• Knowledge of evidence-based practices in crime prevention, diversion, restorative justice, and alternatives to incarceration.
• Awareness of structural inequities and racial, economic, and gender disparities within the justice system.
• Ability to interpret relevant legislation, policy frameworks, and court rulings.

Strategic Program Design and Implementation

• Capacity to perform independent and innovative work including successful design and implementation of policies and programs.
• Ability to design initiatives that align with organizational mission and address systemic issues.
• Skilled in identifying leverage points for reform within policy, practice, and public opinion.
• Expertise in managing multi-year, multi-stakeholder programs, from inception to evaluation.
• Integration of research, community input, and lived experience into program strategies.

Grantmaking and Partnership Management

• Two to five years of grant-making or grants/contracts management experience
• Experience managing grants, including due diligence, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Ability to identify, assess, and cultivate partnerships with grassroots organizations, advocacy groups, policymakers, and academic institutions.
• Skilled in building coalitions that bridge diverse perspectives and agendas.
• Proficiency in capacity building for grantees and partners.

Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement

• Commitment to centering the voices of criminal legal system- impacted individuals and communities.
• Experience applying racial equity frameworks to program design and decision-making.
• Skilled in fostering trust and collaboration across historically marginalized groups.
• Ability to navigate cultural differences and power dynamics with humility and respect.

Leadership & Organizational Skills

• Skilled in managing complex projects under tight timelines.
• Effective in balancing short-term priorities with long-term systemic goals.
• High degree of professionalism, judgment, and discretion.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with a proven ability to write precisely and concisely for the general public and the internal FFL audience, as well as the ability to address varied audiences.
• Capacity to think strategically, with proven political judgment.
• Displays strong interpersonal skills and ability to participate effectively in teams.

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAD:

Research, Data, and Policy Analysis

• Competence in analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to inform program direction.
• Familiarity with criminal justice research methodologies and outcome measurement.
• Ability to translate complex research findings into actionable policy recommendations.
• Skilled in monitoring emerging trends and adapting programs accordingly.

Advocacy, Communication, and Influence

• Strong ability to communicate reform priorities to policymakers, media, and the public.
• Skilled in crafting persuasive narratives supported by credible evidence.
• Comfortable engaging in sensitive, high-stakes dialogues with law enforcement, elected officials, and community leaders.
• Ability to represent the program at conferences, panels, and stakeholder meetings.

WHO ARE YOU?

You are an experienced professional with deep knowledge of the criminal justice system, demonstrated through the ability to analyze legislation, interpret policy impacts, and identify leverage points for reform. You have designed and managed complex, multi-stakeholder programs that integrate data, research, and lived experience into actionable strategies, as evidenced by managing or coordinating initiatives from concept through evaluation with measurable outcomes. You excel at grant management, evidenced by strong systems for monitoring deliverables, tracking budgets, ensuring compliance, and producing accurate, timely reports. You are adept at trust-based partnerships with grassroots organizations, advocacy groups, non-profit leaders, policymakers, and academic institutions. Your communications are clear, persuasive, and tailored to diverse audiences, from directly impacted communities to high-level decision makers. You center equity and inclusion in every aspect of your work, as shown by your application of racial equity frameworks, active engagement of impacted voices, and respectful navigation of cultural differences. Organized and strategic, you manage competing priorities with discipline, engage colleagues effectively, and demonstrate integrity, discretion, and resilience in challenging political and social environments.

CATEGORY

This is a full-time, exempt position. Candidates should have flexibility and willingness to work evenings and weekends on occasion.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT POLICY

Foundation for Louisiana aspires towards freedom for all Louisianans and aims to create a fully inclusive and affirming workplace for all people. We welcome and encourage applications from people who have been involved with the criminal legal system.

Foundation for Louisiana follows an equal opportunity employment policy and employs personnel without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, criminal justice background, and marital status.

This policy also applies to internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, terminations, outside vendors, members and customers, service clients, use of contractors and consultants, grant partners, board members, and dealings with the public.