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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. Each project has a dedicated team of research and policy experts who collaborate closely with internal and external organizations. 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 recruiting and retaining staff and board members 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

We are hiring a Policy Associate to work closely with members of the Institute’s policy and research team to support several projects within ISLG’s portfolio of work on trauma and Gender Based Violence (GBV). Specifically, the Policy Associate will work under the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative, which includes a Center for Trauma Innovation, and a Trauma Informed Abusive Partner Intervention Program; a new Training and Technical Assistance Request Program for NYS victim assistance programs; and several policy and research initiatives supporting survivors of GBV under the NYC Police Reform and Reinvention Plan, with a particularly focus on the intersecting experiences of gender based violence and the criminal legal system. These projects may include, but are not limited to; a capacity-building training and technical assistance program for state-wide victim assistance providers; research to better understand the needs and experiences for those impacted with the criminal legal system who have experienced GBV; and demonstration project grant management.  

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

• Serving as the point person for multiple project tasks, including designing, conceptualizing, and administering major project components such as best practice/literature reviews, presentations, budget development, preparing solicitations, solicitation and contracting processes, project timelines and workplans, and more;
• Liaising with external partners as needed, including conducting site visits, phone calls, and regular email correspondence to support and monitor implementation as well as identify and address technical assistance needs, as appropriate;
• Developing, facilitating, and supporting training on topics related to operational and strategic practices, clinical practices, and crime victimization.
• Conducting desk research, facilitating focus groups, and conducting interviews with stakeholders ranging from community members, community partner agencies, and government representatives;
• Reviewing and developing project deliverables and delivering feedback;
• Providing administrative support for projects, including but not limited to meeting scheduling, event/convening coordination, invoice/budget review, and meeting note-taking;
• Drafting memos, reports, briefings, presentations, and other communications for internal and external stakeholders; making presentations for external stakeholders as appropriate
• Representing ISLG at internal and external meetings, which may include working groups, task forces, and community presentations;
• Acting as a strategic thought partner to the team in problem-solving issues and addressing project needs that arise;
• Participating in frequent formal and informal cross-organizational collaboration to generate new ideas and grow the Institute’s body of work.

Our office is located in New York City and the position will be housed there over the long-term, however, work will be remote through the immediate term.