Program Director

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CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG): About Us

The CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance has a mission to improve the financing, delivery, and measurement of critical public services through research, technical assistance, and education. We lead projects aimed at reforming the criminal justice system, measuring urban inequality, expanding the reach of social service providers, and more. Our staff have the opportunity to work with colleagues and supervisors across projects and with different types of expertise. We are seeking new team members with enthusiasm to shape the future of state and local policy. 

Our Goals for Diversity and Inclusion

We strive to foster an office environment and an approach to work that welcomes and respects different perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences. We are working towards our goal of continuing to recruit and retain staff who are diverse in terms of race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, veteran status, socioeconomic status, disability, and justice system involvement.

Who we are Looking for

ISLG is seeking a Program Director to provide senior-level program design and implementation leadership, project management, and strategic support across multiple high-priority initiatives aligned with the new NYC Mayoral administration. This role requires a seasoned policy and implementation professional who can cultivate strong relationships with government and community partners; design and implement strategies aligned with NYC government priorities; and manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects.

The Program Director will play a key role in advancing ISLG’s work on community-centered precision violence reduction strategies that are co-produced with local residents, and comprehensive jail reentry efforts that seek to advance safety through decreased recidivism and, simultaneously, reduce jail population. This includes serving as a strategic partner on program design and continuous refinement; leading project management and implementation planning, including timelines, milestones, and phased rollout across early adopter and expansion sites; developing and revising core program materials, protocols, and implementation tools to ensure consistency and fidelity; and coordinating closely with internal and external partners and experts to advance a unified, aligned approach across all stakeholders.

The Program Director may contribute across multiple portfolios; however, their primary responsibility is to lead implementation on these two high-priority initiatives, and other strategic initiatives and special projects that may arise.  These initiatives collectively focus on advancing community-centered safety through a combination of place-based and person-based approaches that incorporate coordinated, data-informed, and trauma-informed strategies.

For more information about ISLG’s work and initiatives, please visit our website at https://islg.cuny.edu/.

The Program Director will report to a Senior Fellow on a range of tasks, which may include but are not limited to:

• Leading the strategic development, refinement, and execution of multi-site program models, ensuring alignment across program design, implementation, and stakeholder priorities; identifying key risks and opportunities and driving solutions in partnership with senior leadership.

• Directing all aspects of project management and implementation, including establishing and overseeing workplans, timelines, and deliverables; ensuring accountability across partners; and proactively addressing barriers to successful execution.

• Designing and overseeing a phased implementation strategy, including pilot launches, early adopter sites, and large-scale expansion; setting standards for implementation fidelity while guiding appropriate adaptation across diverse contexts.

• Overseeing the development and continuous improvement of core program materials, including program model documentation, implementation protocols, and stakeholder communications; ensuring consistency, clarity, and alignment across all partners and workstreams.

• Serving as a primary point of leadership and coordination with key external stakeholders; representing the project in high-level meetings and supporting strategic decision-making processes.

• Leading cross-agency and cross-partner alignment efforts to ensure a cohesive and unified approach to implementation, including facilitating collaboration among government, nonprofit, and research stakeholders.

• Partnering closely with ISLG research staff to align implementation and evaluation strategies, including overseeing integration of data collection into program operations and ensuring that findings are translated into actionable program improvements.

• Contributing to broader ISLG strategic priorities related to community violence intervention, public safety, and comprehensive reentry and jail population reduction including supporting thought leadership, field engagement, and the advancement of best practices.

• Other duties as assigned.

Our office is located in New York City and ISLG offers a hybrid work structure

Qualifications

We would love to hear from you if you have:

• Advanced degree in public administration, public policy, criminology, health policy, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience in community or peer leadership.

• Ten or more years of experience in government, nonprofit, academic, foundation, or policy environments leading and managing complex initiatives, including program design and implementation.

• At least five years of experience working within or in close partnership with government systems strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated expertise and leadership in advancing community-led strategies to reduce violence, including experience supporting approaches that position communities as co-producers of safety and justice and that operate at scale across multiple jurisdictions or sites.

• Demonstrated expertise and leadership in advancing comprehensive strategies to reduce unnecessary incarceration and support successful reentry, including experience designing or implementing cross-system approaches that improve life stability, behavioral health outcomes, and education and employment opportunities for people returning home from incarceration.

• Experience leading or advising large-scale, multi-jurisdictional, or national initiatives, and/or advising senior government officials on policy, strategy, and implementation.

• Deep understanding of the community violence intervention (CVI) ecosystem, justice system operations, and the intersection of public safety, public health, and community-based approaches.

• Strong project leadership and management skills, including the ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives, manage competing priorities, and drive progress in dynamic and evolving environments.

• Experience working across multiple sectors and stakeholders, including government agencies, community-based organizations, and research partners; demonstrated ability to build trust and facilitate alignment across diverse groups.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience developing high-quality reports, strategic documents, and briefing materials for senior audiences.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate policy and research into actionable program design and implementation strategies.

How to Apply

To apply please visit https://rfcuny.wd108.myworkdayjobs.com/RFCUNY. For this role, please submit a cover letter describing your qualifications and interests and attach your resume or curriculum vitae. Questions about the position can be addressed to info@islg.cuny.edu.  Applications received prior to June 1, 2026 will be considered for an interview.

Pay Range:

This is a full-time position in New York City with a salary range of $120,000-$150,000 and excellent benefits, including:

• Comprehensive medical/dental/vision insurance

• Paid vacation and personal days

• Paid sick leave

• CUNY tuition reimbursement program

• Pre-tax benefits for transit and healthcare costs

• Family/parental leave

• Life insurance

• A retirement plan with employer contribution

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.