Director of Criminal Justice Research

Arnold Ventures (AV) is a philanthropy that supports research to understand the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems, as well as evidence-based solutions to address them. By focusing on systemic change, AV is working to improve the lives of American families, strengthen their communities, and promote their economic opportunity. Since Laura and John Arnold launched their foundation in 2008, the philanthropy has expanded, and AV’s focus areas include education, criminal justice, health, infrastructure, and public finance, advocating for bipartisan policy reforms that will lead to lasting, scalable change. The Arnolds became signatories of the Giving Pledge in 2010.

Position Overview

Arnold Ventures’ Criminal Justice (CJ) team aims to make communities safer and make the criminal justice system fairer and more effective, based on high-quality research evidence. The CJ team works with experts from inside and outside government and across disciplines to reform the U.S. criminal justice system through research, evidence, testing innovative pilot programs, and policy change. 

We are seeking a Director of CJ Research to develop and manage rigorous research investments that advance CJ reform, and to provide thought leadership across the CJ team. This position can be based in any of Arnold Ventures’ three offices: Houston, New York City, or Washington D.C., and will report to the Vice President of Criminal Justice Research. 

Core Responsibilities

• Work with Arnold Ventures’ Board of Directors and CJ Research team to develop and refine Arnold Ventures’ strategies and priorities; identify, develop, and present charitable investment/​grant recommendations to Arnold Ventures’ Board of Directors
• Provide leadership for the Research team and direct reports as they work toward the team’s strategic goals 
• Manage the open RFP process by guiding proposals efficiently through multiple stages of external and internal review
• Expedite research-to-policy handoffs by identifying concrete pathways for achieving policy and legislative goals 
• Manage relationships with external research consultants and fellows while optimizing their deployment across research, policy, and advocacy workstreams
• Work closely with the CJ Policy team to pilot and replicate promising policies or programs using strong causal research designs
• Provide thought partnership on CJ Policy projects as they are being developed and executed by the Policy team to ensure they are consistent with research
• Travel to conferences to represent Arnold Ventures, network with academic and research experts, create and maintain partnerships, and remain up to date about new causal research related to crime and criminal justice policy
• Collaborate with other team members to explore and develop cross-initiative investment opportunities

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in public policy, business, economics, or a related field
• 5 years of relevant work experience, including some experience conducting and/​or overseeing significant policy-relevant criminal justice research projects
• 3 years of experience managing direct reports
• Deep understanding of the criminal justice system and criminal justice policy
• Working knowledge of causal research designs, and experience interfacing with senior-level criminal justice stakeholders about research findings related to justice programs and policies
• Ability to translate complex research findings into key takeaways for diverse audiences
• Successful track record of using research to drive change

The salary range for this position will be $145,000-$200,000.

Benefits Overview

AV is committed to providing a robust and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our current benefits package includes 100% paid employee premiums for medical, dental, vision, basic life, and short- and long-term disability insurance; 20 days of paid time off, 16 paid holidays (including a winter break from December 24 to January 1), a hybrid policy that includes four days in office and one flexible day for remote work, and a summer schedule with alternating Fridays off beginning on Memorial Day and ending on Labor Day; paid parental leave; a 401k retirement savings plan with an employer match, profit-share contribution, and immediate vesting; pre-tax transit benefits; a professional development stipend; a charitable giving stipend; and an employee assistance program. 

Our Culture and Core Values

Our culture seeks to inspire and empower our people to innovate and develop bold ideas that will help Arnold Ventures achieve lasting impact. Our culture, and the core values that support it, should create an environment that spurs our team to think outside the box, feel comfortable pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and signal confidence in our team’s ability to make change happen through our philanthropic efforts. Although not an exhaustive list, below you’ll find examples of Arnold Ventures’ work culture. 

• We are adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity
• We are intellectually curious, open-minded, objective, humble, collegial, and receptive to feedback
• We are action-oriented with strong self-direction and self-motivation skills with the ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects
• We are able to interact confidently and collaboratively with team members and navigate relationships with external experts, government leaders, advocates, and individuals

Arnold Ventures’ values reflect who we are as an organization, help us accelerate our strategic goals, strengthen our resolve, anchor us to our mission, and guide our decision-making. The successful candidate will also demonstrate the following core values that inspire the Arnold Ventures team to make a difference.

• Respect for Ourselves & Others
• Audacious Action
• Collaborative Engagement
• Depth of Thought
• Clear Communication

AV is an equal opportunity employer, committed to an inclusive workplace. We are seeking applicants from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of experiences and perspectives. Candidates who have been impacted by the systems we are seeking to change are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, military/​veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.