Community Engagement Manager
Organization: GRIP Training Institute
Location: Remote with travel to the Berkeley office and Various California Prisons
Type: Full time, Exempt (40 hours a week)
About: https://grip-traininginstitute.org
DO YOU?
Do you want to be on a team who works toward dismantling mass incarceration and strives to turn violence and suffering into opportunities for healing? Do you want to work with proven leaders in the growing global movement toward Restorative Justice? Do you want to make an impact on the lives of justice impacted people? GRIP Training Institute is seeking a Community Engagement Manager to join our growing team.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Community Engagement Manager will be responsible for supporting GRIP Training Institute programs involving GRIP alumni and survivors both inside and outside prison. This will include managing existing programs as well as implementing new programs. This is a new manager-level position responsible for building strong, sustainable systems and relationships to grow this mutual support network. This role will also coordinate GRIP’s advocacy team and organize stakeholders to be powerful advocates for policy and budget proposals as determined in GRIP’s advocacy strategies.
The Community Engagement Manager will report to the Program Director. Piloting these programs will include the eventual hiring and supervision of staff who function to provide various services overseen by the role. This position is a remote position with travel to GRIP offices, prison institutions and other locations throughout the state of California.
If you have a passion for justice, and seek to work with others who have a deep commitment to personal and social transformation, and desire to learn and advance your role, then come join our dynamic, diverse, and growing team!
WHAT YOU’LL DO
The main responsibilities of the Community Engagement Manager includes, but is not limited to the following primary areas:
Stakeholder Program Implementation and Growth (40%)
– Manage and grow GRIP’s alumni and survivor network in re-entry, through coordinating and overseeing a variety of strategies and activities, including monthly virtual support circles, quarterly alumni/survivor in-person events in Northern and Southern California, and volunteer opportunities.
– Plan and pilot a new program to provide more explicit, streamlined support for graduates in re-entry, with a particular focus on the first 10-to-90 days home, including gate pick-ups, mentoring, and warm-handoffs to partner re-entry organizations who specialize in housing, employment and basic needs support.
– Establish, train, and provide guidance to a team of alumni (including those on staff) to be mentors and re-entry navigators for newly released GRIP graduates.
– Cultivate relationships and grow the number of survivors participating in GRIP’s Mountain Road Survivor network, designing and implementing additional strategies of engagement for this key stakeholder population.
– Coordinate with Area Prison Leads to ensure healing dialogues with survivors are scheduled and implemented in each GRIP prison program.
– Partner with the Program Delivery team to operationalize new programs and training methodologies ensuring smooth transition from design to delivery.
– Continuously review program metrics and adjust/improve training curriculum, content and materials related to survivor and alumni engagement, as needed to improve on our program outcomes.
Data Collection & Reporting (10%)
– Develop, maintain and implement a database of GRIP Training Institute graduates, paroled graduates, key reentry partner contacts, and victims/survivors.
– Maintain profiles of our graduates, paroled graduates, and victims/survivors, and respect their preferences for how and when we engage with them, and how often.
– Use the data to to propose strategic adjustments to existing programs, and inform future programs and services required by the audience .
– Create, maintain dashboards and reports required for performance tracking, compliance and development/fundraising to provide updates on program metrics.
Organizing for Public Education and Advocacy: (40%)
– Using core community organizing strategies, develop relationships with a growing number of alumni, survivors and potentially family members of GRIP students, to build a strong stakeholder community that sustains the impact of GRIP and can take actions to educate and advocate for restorative justice and rehabilitation at local, state, and possibly national levels.
– Establish and manage an advocacy team, in collaboration with the Executive Director, that will work closely with GRIP’s lobbyist/government relations consultant to develop and execute annual strategies to influence budget and policy decisions in line with GRIP’s priorities.
– In support of communications and fund development strategic priorities, recruit and mentor community stakeholders to be voices for restorative justice, rehabilitation and criminal justice reform in the public arena (events, media, funder meetings, etc.)
– Represent GRIP, as well as train and support other GRIP staff representatives, at coalition meetings, conferences, and events related to GRIP’s advocacy and public engagement.
Partnership & Resource Development (10%)
– Develop and maintain relationships with GRIP Training Institute partners and community services that could be valuable resources to support GRIP’s programs.
– Maintain and update a list of resources and partner organizations that can be shared externally with alumni being paroled.
– Implement a database that will track, maintain and update GRIP strategic partnership engagements, agreements, and procedures to ensure a smooth, reliable and trusted partnership to deliver the best experience for our students, graduates, paroled graduates, key contacts and victims/survivors.
– Use the data to inform and evaluate ongoing partnerships – which programs are used most, which programs are receiving high marks for service, and other relevant metrics to deliver an exceptional experience to our targeted audience
WHO YOU ARE AND KEYS TO SUCCESS
The ideal candidate has skills, experience, and passion to lead both internally in the organization (data, systems, program design/execution), and externally (people skills, organizing and advocacy experience), with a deep connection to the mission of GRIP and the justice impacted communities we serve.
Qualifications:
– High level knowledge and experience with the carceral and parole system.
– 3+ years of successful program management and/or managing multiple projects simultaneously to successful outcomes that span multiple organizations or programs.
– Advanced interpersonal skills and 3+ years experience with ‘people management’ including daily supervision of staff and long term planning for development and addressing staffing issues when required;
– Experience creating, monitoring and reporting on performance metrics, using data to inform decision-making and propose strategic adjustments, and building systems to track and manage program delivery.
– Successful experience with engaging and organizing people from a wide range of backgrounds/experiences, ideally with justice impacted communities, to be of service in their communities and/or advocate for social justice changes in the public arena
– Experience with creating strategic partnerships with governmental and community organizations, and with navigating complex policy environments.
– Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
– Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence to provide the best service to our community (eg., incarcerated graduates, paroled graduates, victims/survivors, etc.)
– Strong understanding of the impact of systems of oppression on communities of color, and experience working with impact communities.
– Fluency with productivity tools such as Microsoft Office 365, Google Workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Google Calendar, Forms, Sites, Groups, Photos, etc.).
– Must possess a valid CA driver’s license and clean driving record, and auto liability insurance.
– Persons with lived experience of incarceration strongly encouraged to apply
ABOUT THE GRIP TRAINING INSTITUTE
GRIP’s perspective and the title of our coursebook is “Leaving Prison Before You Get Out.” ™ Together we learn that being free it’s not just about finding oneself on the other side of the prison gate; it’s not just a geographic fact. At the heart of being free is not where you are, but how you are. We believe that violence is learned and GRIP’s methodology facilitates unlearning violent behavior to replace it with an attitude of insight, compassion and service.
GRIP’s one-year intensive guides incarcerated people through deep personal transformation and accountability. Developed over 25 years in the California State prisons by founder Jacques Verduin, in collaboration with thousands of life-sentenced (with parole) incarcerated people.
GRIP provides its rehabilitation program to incarcerated people in 7 of our state prisons. Since 2012, GRIP graduated 1,512 students and 750 of those graduates were released from prison. In 2023, GRIP launched its first program at a women’s prison.
The GRIP Training Institute is an inclusive, equitable, respectful and accountable work environment. What we ask of our students inside, we ask of ourselves — to practice the GRIP tools of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, do-no-harm, and understanding the impact of our actions on others.
We are committed to breaking down systemic structures which contribute to deep inequities in our society and organization, and support members of our community in being racially, culturally literate and ultimately anti-bias change makers.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
GRIP Training Institute offers competitive benefits, including 100% health, dental, and vision insurance for employees, paid holidays and extended holiday office closures, generous paid time off, 401k annual contributions, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) . GRIP Training Institute prioritizes the wellbeing of our staff and teams and promotes self care.
Salary range: $90,000 to $100,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
To apply, please send an updated resume and tailored cover letter to: brian@insight-out.org
GRIP Training Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace regardless of race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.
Regional Program Manager
Organization: GRIP Training Institute
Location: San Francisco Bay Area (Berkeley, CA Headquarters) And Remote
Type: Full time, Exempt (40 hours a week)
About: https://grip-traininginstitute.org
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Regional Program Manager will play a key role in both the design and delivery of programs and initiatives within GRIP Training Institute. This role is primarily focused on the Bay Area/ Northern CA region and functions both to support the effective delivery of our existing program work in the prisons and to help GRIP innovate and scale to serve more students in a variety of ways. The responsibilities include the development, piloting and operationalizing of programs offered through the GRIP Training Institute and will also be responsible for managing GRIP’s initiatives to pilot new programs and offerings for expansion.
The Regional Program Manager reports to the Program Director. This position is a hybrid position based in the Bay Area with travel to GRIP offices, prison institutions and other locations throughout the state of California.
If you have a passion for justice, and seek to work with others who have a deep commitment to personal and social transformation, and desire to learn and advance your role, then come join our dynamic, diverse and growing team!
WHAT YOU’LL DO
The Regional Program Manager will be responsible for planning, executing and overseeing various aspects of programs to support our GRIP program as it exists currently, as well as the design, implementation and supervision of external projects and responsibilities. This role functions as the supervisor and point person for all programming at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, as well as administrative and people management for several other prison facilities in the Northern CA region including CTF (Soledad), CMF (Vacaville) and Mule Creek (Ione). The Regional Program Manager is the intermediary between facilitation teams at each site, and the Program Director, working alongside the rest of the Program Management team.
PRIMARY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
Program Planning and Delivery
- Plan, pilot, deliver and operationalize program delivery models. Operationalization includes documenting procedures, agreements, and performance metrics in place, and programs fully implemented successfully including data collection and reporting.
- Maintain ongoing communication with Area Prison Leads of relevant sites and staff of San Quentin, to ensure the program is functioning properly and provide support and guidance as needed to navigate obstacles.
- Supporting the development and implementation of ‘Alumni Group’ offerings throughout the Northern CA prisons.
- Oversee the administration and coordination required to deliver programs inside of various prison institutions. Including initial contact with CDCR leadership to initiate programs, the piloting and supervision of programs and the review and improvement of programs upon their completion.
- Address risks and issues related to delivering programs inside prison institutions, including working with prison community resources manager and leadership, and GRIP staff to monitor, track and manage.
- Managing and coordinating clearances and other logistics including travel and lodging for each site to ensure that all staff and guests are able to enter the site as needed for programs.
- Oversight of financial needs of the programs team including budget management, supervision and approval of reimbursements and timecards, and other fiscal duties as required.
- Lead the planning and administrative logistics of events including Graduation, Orientation and V/S visits for San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and support the Area Prison Leads of other sites as needed.
Strategic Relationships
- Establish and maintain strong working relationships with the GRIP program team, and supervise day to day functions of GRIP program delivery.
- Build professional relationships with the prison leadership team, including community resources manager, warden, and other leaders that have influence on GRIP’s ability to enter and deliver programs inside the prison institution.
- Create partnerships with outside service providers that may be required to support any part of the GRIP program. This may include funders who support our program, printing services for tribe materials, victims/survivors partners, collaboration with outside organizations, etc.
- Develop and maintain relationships with CDCR officials, politicians, stakeholders, funders, board members and partner organizations in support of organizational projects
- Support and supervise visitors at SQRC as needed in relation to funders, policy makers and other guests.
- Partnership with other GRIP managers as needed to move initiatives forward for the organization.
- Support of advocacy and policy initiatives in collaboration with the Community Engagement Manager, Executive Director and outside partners.
GRIP Facilitation
- As a facilitator, you will prepare for in-class facilitation, discussions, and lesson plans for students/tribes, including preparing both inside (currently incarcerated) and outside (formerly incarcerated) facilitator team members on what they will cover before each class.
- Provide hands-on teaching and mentorship to students while also helping them internalize the GRIP curriculum in their own personal styles.
- Document student attendance and homework assignments to ensure students are on track to graduate; notify any students not on track in a timely manner, with opportunity to get on track.
- Support the onboarding of new GRIP staff by facilitating selected segments of the GRIP curriculum for their cultural assimilation.
- And other duties as needed to maintain the program through its completion
KEY PARTNERSHIPS
The Regional Program Manager will be required to partner with the GRIP Executive Director, Program Director, GRIP facilitators, prison coordinators, prison leadership and external partnered organizations to deliver a great set of programs to our GRIP students. This role is expected to work across all of the GRIP domains, including Operations, Programs and Fundraising.
WHO YOU ARE AND KEYS TO SUCCESS
- High level knowledge and experience with the carceral and parole system.
- 3+ years of successful program development and/or delivery experience, with strong organizational, planning and implementation track record.
- 3+ years of program management experience and/or managing multiple projects simultaneously to successful outcomes.
- Advanced interpersonal skills and 3+ years of staff supervision and management, with people from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and learning/work styles.
- Successful relationship management with prison institutions, or similar kinds of government bureaucracies.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Exceptional collaboration and facilitation skills to guide high performing, diverse teams.
- Fluency with productivity tools such as Microsoft Office 365, Google Workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Google Calendar, Forms, Sites, Groups, Photos, etc.).
- Must possess a valid CA driver’s license and clean driving record, and auto liability insurance. Must have access to reliable transportation.
- Bilingual candidates encouraged but not required
Persons with lived experience of incarceration strongly encouraged to apply
ABOUT THE GRIP TRAINING INSTITUTE
GRIP’s perspective and the title of our coursebook is “Leaving Prison Before You Get Out.” ™ Together we learn that being free it’s not just about finding oneself on the other side of the prison gate; it’s not just a geographic fact. At the heart of being free is not where you are, but how you are. We believe that violence is learned and GRIP’s methodology facilitates unlearning violent behavior to replace it with an attitude of insight, compassion and service.
GRIP’s one-year intensive guides incarcerated people through deep personal transformation and accountability. Developed over 25 years in the California State prisons by founder Jacques Verduin, in collaboration with thousands of life-sentenced (with parole) incarcerated people.
GRIP provides its rehabilitation program to incarcerated people in 7 of our state prisons. Since 2012, GRIP graduated 1,512 students and 750 of those graduates were released from prison. In 2023, GRIP launched its first program at a women’s prison.
The GRIP Training Institute is an inclusive, equitable, respectful and accountable work environment. What we ask of our students inside, we ask of ourselves — to practice the GRIP tools of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, do-no-harm and understanding the impact of our actions on others.
We are committed to breaking down systemic structures which contribute to deep inequities in our society and organization, and support members of our community in being racially, culturally literate and ultimately anti-bias change makers.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
GRIP Training Institute offers competitive benefits, including 100% health and dental insurance, paid holidays and extended holiday office closures, generous paid time off, 401k annual contributions, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) . GRIP Training Institute prioritizes the wellbeing of our staff and teams and promotes self care.
Salary range: $90,000 to $100,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
To apply, please send TO: brian@insight-out.org
- UPDATED RESUME
- TAILORED COVER LETTER
- THREE PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
GRIP Training Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace regardless of race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.
GRANTS MANAGER
Organization: GRIP Training Institute
Location: California (San Francisco Bay Area or Los Angeles Area preferred)
Type: Full time, Non-Exempt (40 hours a week)
About: https://grip-traininginstitute.org
DO YOU?
Do you want to be on a team who works toward the dismantling of the mass incarceration system, and strives to turn violence and suffering into opportunities for healing? Do you want to work with proven leaders in the growing global movement toward Restorative Justice? Do you want to make an impact on the lives of justice impacted people? GRIP Training Institute is seeking a Grants Manager to join our growing team and help secure funding and manage relations with institutional donors in support of our mission.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Grants Manager will seek new funding opportunities and manage existing partnerships with institutional funders, including foundation, government agencies, and corporations. You will be responsible for managing relationships with funders and prospects, drafting and submitting grant proposals and reports, and supporting the overall strategy for growing year-over-year institutional revenue. Reporting to the Development Director, the Grants Manager will contribute to expanding GRIP’s institutional funding base.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
The Grants Manager is responsible for supporting GRIP’s grant-seeking efforts, from identifying new funding opportunities to managing relationships with funders, submitting proposals, and tracking outcomes. This role is a remote role based in California with a preference for someone located in the Bay Area or Los Angeles. Travel to GRIP’s office in Berkeley, CA will be expected 2-4 times a year for in-person meetings and retreats as well as travel to meet with GRIP’s donors and partners, when appropriate, and travel to participate and/or host prison events, when appropriate. Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Grant Writing & Reporting
- Draft and submit grant proposals and applications to institutional funders, ensuring alignment with GRIP’s mission and goals.
- Work closely with program and finance staff to gather data, outcomes, and stories for proposals and reports.
- Prepare timely, accurate grant reports to communicate program success, impact, and use of funds.
- Track current grant cycles and renewal processes. Create and manage a grants deadline calendar to ensure all funder deadlines are met.
- Ensure compliance with grant requirements and maintain organized records of proposals, reports, and communications.
Relationship Management
- Work in partnership with GRIP leadership to ensure excellent foundation relations and robust stewardship of institutional support.
- Cultivate and manage relationships with current and prospective institutional funders, including government agencies, foundations, and corporations.
- Support the planning and hosting of funders to prison visits and events.
- Serve as point of contact for institutional funders, providing regular updates on GRIP’s work and impact and engaging senior team members when appropriate.
- Develop strategies to deepen funder engagement and secure multi-year commitments.
- Coordinate site visits, meetings, and other interactions with funders as needed.
Grant Prospecting & Pipeline Development
- Research and identify new funding opportunities from government sources, foundations, and corporations that align with GRIP’s mission and strategic goals.
- Maintain a pipeline of institutional funders and track all stages of the grant application process.
- Stay informed about trends in philanthropy to identify new opportunities, adjust strategies accordingly and stay up-to-date with funder priorities.
- Ensure key interactions with institutional donors and prospects are tracked in GRIP’s CRM (EveryAction).
Revenue Channel Growth & Strategy
- Work with the Development Director on strategies for growing GRIP’s institutional funding year-over-year.
- Oversee CRM data and reporting related to grants administration and work with the Development Associate as necessary to develop systems and processes to support institutional funding.
- Contribute to setting and meeting annual revenue goals from institutional funders.
- Collaborate with the Development Director to align grant-seeking efforts with the organization’s overall fundraising strategy.
- Support the development of new funding strategies and collaborate with appropriate members of the leadership team around the development of new programmatic workstreams when opportunities arise.
KEY PARTNERSHIPS
This role partners with the Development Team, Finance Team, and Programs Teams to secure and manage institutional funding. You will work across multiple internal teams to ensure successful funding efforts that align with GRIP’s programs and mission.
WHO YOU ARE AND KEYS TO SUCCESS (the must-haves)
To be successful in this role, you will excel in these areas:
- You are passionate about the work we do: You resonate with GRIP’s mission of transforming lives through restorative justice and are motivated to secure resources to make this transformative work possible.
- You have 3-5 years of grant writing and fundraising experience: You have experience drafting successful grant proposals, managing funder relationships, and securing institutional funding.
- You are detail-oriented and organized: You can manage multiple projects and deadlines, ensuring accuracy in all grant-related work.
- You are an excellent communicator: You can transform program data into persuasive narratives and enjoy collaborating with diverse stakeholders.
- You are driven to support revenue growth: You are strategic, goal-oriented, and eager to contribute to expanding GRIP’s funding base.
- You have experience using CRM software or grants management databases: You can utilize such tools to track funders and submissions and identify new opportunities.
- You are interested and able to be cleared to enter prisons: CDCR runs a complete background check on every person entering a California prison facility.
BONUS POINTS (nice-to-haves)
The Ideal candidate will also have:
- Familiarity with grant opportunities funding people and communities affected by the correctional system and have a nuanced understanding of systemic oppression.
- Lived experience of the carceral, parole and/or criminal legal system that can inform the work of writing and relationship-building.
ABOUT THE GRIP TRAINING INSTITUTE
GRIP’s perspective and the title of our coursebook is “Leaving Prison Before You Get Out.” ™ Together we learn that being free it’s not just about finding oneself on the other side of the prison gate; it’s not just a geographic fact. At the heart of being free is not where you are, but how you are. We believe that violence is learned and GRIP’s methodology facilitates unlearning violent behavior to replace it with an attitude of insight, compassion and service.
GRIP’s one-year intensive guides incarcerated people through deep personal transformation and accountability. Developed over 25 years in the California State prisons by founder Jacques Verduin, in collaboration with thousands of life-sentenced (with parole) incarcerated people.
GRIP provides its rehabilitation program to incarcerated people in 7 of our state prisons. Since 2012, GRIP graduated 1,512 students and 750 of those graduates were released from prison. In 2023, GRIP launched its first program at a women’s prison.
The GRIP Training Institute is an inclusive, equitable, respectful and accountable work environment. What we ask of our students inside, we ask of ourselves — to practice the GRIP tools of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, do-no-harm, and understanding the impact of our actions on others.
We are committed to breaking down systemic structures which contribute to deep inequities in our society and organization, and support members of our community in being racially, culturally literate and ultimately anti-bias change makers.
Persons with lived experience of incarceration strongly encouraged to apply.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
GRIP Training Institute offers competitive benefits, including 100% health and dental insurance for employees, paid holidays and extended holiday office closures, generous paid time off, 401k annual contributions, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) . GRIP Training Institute prioritizes the wellbeing of our staff and teams and promotes self care.
Salary range: $85,000 to $95,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
To apply, please send TO: brian@insight-out.org
- UPDATED RESUME
- TAILORED COVER LETTER
- THREE PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
GRIP Training Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace regardless of race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.