Director, Growing Justice

About Impact Justice

Impact Justice advances safety, justice, and opportunity through boundary-breaking work that honors and empowers people and is changing expectations about what we can accomplish together. We imagine, build, and scale innovations, leverage research and other knowledge to connect the desire for change with informed action, and work to shift the narrative so that decision-makers and the public understand what’s at stake and what’s possible.

About Growing Justice

Growing Justice was inspired by Impact Justice’s 2020 series Eating Behind Bars, which documents the unhealthy, degrading quality of food in prisons nationwide. In collaboration with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), Impact Justice will establish vertical farms on the grounds of the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, CA, and the Camille Graham Correctional Center (CGCC) in the fall of 2025 that will produce nutrient-rich leafy greens for incarcerated individuals. Around the same time, Impact Justice will establish a vertical farm on a floor of their headquarters in downtown Oakland, CA. Two of the farms (CCWF and Oakland) will be fully owned and operated by Impact Justice. The CGCC farm will be owned and operated by SCDC. All three sites will function as job-training locations for incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated individuals.

Impact Justice has partnered with Skout Strategy and Agritecture to create a five-month, 200-hour curriculum and training program specifically for use in prison that combines classroom education with hands-on learning opportunities as participants help to run the vertical farm. We plan to train participants in cohorts of 7–10 (CCWF and Oakland sites) and 15-18 (CGCC site) over the five months and match graduates with relevant, sustainable employment opportunities upon their release. Additionally, Impact Justice will also provide reentry support to all of the women, ensuring that our participants’ basic needs are covered and that they’re able to sustain their employment. All participants will be paid for their time in the program.

Who You Are

This position is broken down into two parts: Program Director and Oakland Trainer / Technician.

As the Program Director:

You are a seasoned, strategic, and deeply mission-aligned leader with a passion for food justice and economic opportunity. You bring a strong track record of designing and managing complex, community-centered programs. You are committed to building power and opportunity with and for people returning home from incarceration.

You are excited to take a successful pilot initiative and grow it into a nationally recognized, outcomes-driven, and participant-centered program. You are an exceptional communicator, relationship-builder, and systems thinker. You are excited about building out infrastructure and guiding a dynamic team across multiple geographies.

As the Oakland Trainer / Technician:

You have extensive prior CEA / urban farming experience, as well as expertise in teaching and/or managing training programs. You have strong training and presentation skills and a high degree of comfort in translating complex information to meet the needs of a myriad of audiences. Your CEA/urban farming knowledge will enable you to confidently operate the vertical farm more or less independently.

You are also:

• A skilled project and people manager with the ability to juggle many moving parts
• Adept at navigating complex systems, with either direct experience or demonstrated comfort engaging with correctional institutions and their unique dynamics
• An effective strategic thinker and doer—able to hold long-term vision and execute daily operations
• Committed to healing-centered, equity-focused, and inclusive program development
• A results-oriented leader who understands the importance of data, metrics, and storytelling

That said, we know there are great candidates who may not think they fit into what we’ve described above or who have important skills we haven’t thought of. If that is you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself! We know that there are great candidates who may not possess all of the skills that we have described. We would like to hear from you even if you have most (but not all) of the skills listed. We welcome all applicants, including formerly incarcerated individuals, those with family members that have been incarcerated, and persons with direct criminal or juvenile legal system experience.

What You Will Do

You will report to the VP of Innovations and serve as the senior-most leader of the Growing Justice initiative. You will oversee all aspects of the program’s implementation, evaluation, and growth. You directly supervise Senior Program Managers at CCWF and CGCC and lead cross-site coordination and quality. Equally important, you will also be the operator and trainer for the Oakland site, leading 10 hours of hands-on and classroom instruction per week and guiding those participants into high-quality, sustainable employment.

The Growing Justice team currently consists of two full-time staff members with a third on the way (this will be the 4th Growing Justice team member). Additionally, a long-term consultant currently supports the Growing Justice team. It is anticipated that the consultant will continue to support the team and you as necessary.

As the Program Director, you will:

• Oversee day-to-day operations and strategic direction for all three Growing Justice program sites
• Supervise the Senior Program Managers and support their success
• Ensure that each site is on track to meet programmatic outcomes including participant training, job placement, and reentry success
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures across sites for consistency and excellence
• Monitor and report on program performance metrics and outcomes in partnership with the research team
• Identify and implement continuous improvement strategies based on data and staff/participant feedback
• Lead and participate in internal cross-functional collaborations, especially with Development, Research, and Communications
• Build and manage relationships with correctional institutions and government partners at each site
• Work with other Impact Justice staff on the development of a robust, regionally relevant job placement pipeline for participants in Oakland and Chowchilla
• Build and sustain partnerships with food-industry employers, unions, social enterprises, and workforce intermediaries
• Work with other Impact Justice staff to align reentry supports to each Oakland and CCWF participant’s unique needs
• Cultivate relationships with formerly incarcerated leaders and community partners to co-create pathways that are equitable and culturally responsive
• Represent Growing Justice externally with stakeholders, donors, partners, and the media
• Document and share the impact of the program through storytelling and public speaking
• Collaborate with senior leadership on the strategic vision and potential expansion of the model
• Oversee the allocation of personnel and fiscal resources; review and approve the timeline and project management plans for key program initiatives across the portfolio to ensure sequencing, coordination, and effective planning. Monitor and analyze budget status and projections.
• Build and manage the distribution strategy for the lettuce grown from the Oakland farm (~150 lbs/week)

As the Oakland Trainer / Technician, you will:

• Receive comprehensive training in this specific CEA operation (AmplifiedAg system and tech) and job training curriculum (created by Agritecture and Skout Strategy); fully absorb materials and be prepared to instruct program participants in both classroom and farm settings
• Develop supplemental training materials / assets or modify curriculum as needed
• Develop, maintain, and evolve a robust Operating Manual for the farm, including all Standard Operating Procedures, Good Agricultural Practices, Food Safety requirements, harvest cycle schedule, inventory management, etc.
• Develop and implement a recruitment plan for Oakland participants
• Run the Oakland Growing Justice training program and provide training and oversight to program participants including the creation and evaluation of any testing materials
• Monitor participants throughout the program and actively work with those needing extra support

Required Qualifications

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in CEA or urban farming program leadership, workforce development, or related fields
• At least 5 years of experience supervising teams and managing complex programs or initiatives
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Commitment to racial justice, economic justice, and community-driven approaches
• Proven ability to manage complex projects and meet ambitious goals

That said, we know there are great candidates who may not think they fit into what we’ve described above or who have important skills we haven’t thought of. If that is you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself!

The compensation for this role is $135,000 - $150,000. Salary offers are based on the candidate's experience and qualifications and our practice of maintaining salary equity within the organization. The benefits that come with working at Impact Justice include medical, dental, and FSA plans, significant vacation and wellness leave, and immediate vesting in our 401K with a generous match. This is a full-time, salaried position and the candidate will work under a hybrid schedule reporting to our Oakland, CA office. Periodic deviations to the regular hybrid schedule may be required due to program needs. Some travel to Chowchilla, CA, and Columbia, SC will be required.

This position is currently fully funded through June 2026. We anticipate continued funding beyond that date; however, ongoing employment is dependent on the renewal or procurement of additional grant funds.

If this all sounds like a good fit for you, please submit your resume and, instead of a traditional cover letter, respond to the following prompts:

• Why Impact Justice and why the interest in working on a project that provides job training and placement to incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated individuals?
• What is your experience working in CEA or urban farming?
• What is your experience delivering training to groups of people?
• What is your experience building and/or sustaining a complex program or project?

We will review applications and interview candidates on a rolling basis—early applications are encouraged.

Hiring Process

Elements of the Impact Justice hiring process may include phone screen interviews, candidate exercises (written or presentations), Zoom interviews, in-person interviews, and reference checks. Candidates are welcome to ask for alternative arrangements in the process if needed (for example, conducting an interview via phone rather than Zoom), Impact Justice will do our best to accommodate reasonable requests. Please communicate any alternative arrangements requested to the hiring manager.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Impact Justice provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race/ethnicity, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, criminal history, or disability.