State Director - Florida
Reporting to FFJC’s Co-Directors, the State Director will be principally responsible for designing campaigns and building support for FFJC’s reform efforts in Florida by cultivating relationships with other organizations, particularly community-based organizations; as well as state and local legislators; justice-system stakeholders, including prosecutors, public defenders, court clerks, law enforcement and judges; the faith community; the business community; and media.
The State Director supervises a Deputy Director. The State Director may also supervise sub-grants to community organizations to ensure that those directly harmed by fines and fees have the capacity to work towards reform.
Location: State of Florida
Essential Responsibilities and Tasks:
- Build relationships with existing criminal justice reform coalitions and organizations interested in fines and fees reform across Florida;
- Foster alliances with traditional and new organizations and community groups.
- Work with state and local legislators and justice system stakeholders to develop and support appropriate policy, including developing strategic campaigns to support legislation.
- Monitor and prepare for state and local legislative committee hearings, including preparing testimony.
- Represent FFJC at events statewide to educate and mobilize communities to support fines and fees reform including community forums or town halls, presentations, and panel discussions.
- Coordinate research and policy analysis, including producing high-quality policy documents (e.g., white papers, and policy briefs).
- Work with the FFJC’s communications team, develop a communications and media strategy to advance state-level reform efforts, including but not limited to:
- Traditional media and digital advocacy, including social media and electronic action alerts
- Outreach materials, including talking points, fact sheets, fliers, and information packets
- Serving as a media spokesperson
Required Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability:
- Undergraduate degree
- Four years of political campaign, issue advocacy or comparable experience, with experience in criminal justice reform a plus
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically about political issues
- Experience working with diverse coalitions and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities
- Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds and in diverse positions
- Excellent analytical skills
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
- Knowledge of Florida’s legislative process is a plus
- Supervisory experience a plus
- Fluency in Spanish is a plus
Attributes:
- Organized, diligent, proactive, and detail-oriented
- Passionate about criminal justice reform
- Flexible and adaptable
- Excellent time management skills
- Willingness to travel throughout Florida and occasionally out of state
- Willingness to work occasional nights and weekends
- Sense of humor
- Those who have been personally impacted by the criminal legal system are encouraged to apply