Product Manager

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit

The Center is a 900-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn’t), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs

The Center’s operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

Policy & Expert Assistance

The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area.

Center Support

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications. Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Technology Support and Strategy Department is seeking a Product Manager. Reporting to the Associate Director of Case Management Systems and Product Management, the Product Manager will be responsible for assisting the Technology Department with the oversight, management and success of the organization’s case management and enterprise application platforms. This highly cross-functional role will interface with key internal stakeholders to capture and understand internal needs in order to deliver software improvements, enterprise applications, and other solutions that support organizational objectives and empower the work of the Center’s staff.

• Collaborate and regularly engage with internal stakeholders, including the Data Analytics and Research Team, the Center’s projects, and its administrative departments to capture and analyze needs, pain points, and processes;
• Apply critical thinking skills to identify and recommend process improvements;
• Utilize business analysis skills to translate captured information into functional requirements and specifications;
• Manage stakeholder expectations by conducting strategic planning sessions and cultivating professional relationships with key partners;
• Work with software development personnel, internal IT resources, and external vendors to develop and deliver solutions, implementations, improvements and integrations in relation to organizational case management systems, enterprise applications, and other software tools;
• Apply UI/UX knowledge and experience to inform solutions;
• Track and help oversee case management system and enterprise application change, feature, and improvement requests to completion;
• Effectively communicate resource needs, costs, timelines and progress to relevant stakeholders;
• Maintain the departmental repository of all platform contract, licensing, purchase/subscription, and configuration information and keep it current;
• Ensure that software and licensing renewals are completed accurately and on time;
• Interface with Fiscal and Legal departments on matters pertaining to software, subscription and license purchasing/contract matters;
• Author updates and work with IT departmental managers to provide and distribute staff communications regarding feature releases and systems changes;
• Assist with providing appropriate knowledge transfer to product owners and other departmental support teams to prepare them to deliver continuing support of related platforms/systems;
• Collaborate with stakeholders, product owners, and technology trainers to assist with development of training programs and materials supporting the use of case management systems and other enterprise applications and tools;
• Prepare communications relating to case management and other software updates, feature releases, and other important notifications and alerts;
• Assist with other assigned tasks as required by management;
• Keep abreast of vendor platform and software updates and changes and effectively communicate these to IT management and other key stakeholders;
• Remain current with related market sectors, technologies, product offerings and practices; and
• Additional tasks as necessary.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have:

• A Bachelor's degree or greater in computer science/information technology, engineering or a related field is preferred and a minimum of 4 years of experience in product management and collaborating with stakeholders and development teams is required;
• Proven experience assisting with the management of software development lifecycle process;
• Demonstrable project and product management skills and a proven track record of successfully delivering complex software development and enterprise application projects on time and within budget;
• Strong understanding of software development methodologies;
• Technical proficiency and familiarity with software platforms and integrations;
• Experience working with case management systems preferred;
• Experience working with Salesforce, NetSuite, Coupa, Agiloft and Jira preferred;
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills;
• Strong process analysis/improvement skills and a deep understanding of UI/UX concepts and related items;
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to clearly communicate detailed and complex concepts and specifics;
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational and documentation skills are a must;
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively;
• Experience with contract management and invoice processing;
• Experience working in the nonprofit sector is a plus; and
• Job-related technical/professional certifications are a plus.

Position Type: Full-time.

Position Location: Midtown, Manhattan.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $98,500 - 130,000 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.