Chief Program Officer – Policy, Research, and Prevention

Innocence Project

Chief Program Officer overseeing policy, research, and prevention efforts at Innocence Project. Leading a high-performing team to advocate for justice and prevent wrongful convictions.

Posted 6/24/2026full-timeNew York City • New York • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $229,500 - $298,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

effectively managing department staff to encourage alignment, motivation and high-performance
contributing to organization wide strategic planning, decision making, and resource allocation
responsible for achieving departmental objectives and regularly reporting on the department’s progress and outcomes to the Board, senior leadership, and the IP staff during office-wide meetings
modeling the Innocence Project’s values of an inclusive and respectful workplace and encouraging the same from their staff
serve as a spokesperson for the Innocence Project, articulating the Innocence Project’s positions on a broad range of issues
work in close collaboration with the Chief Program Officer, Exoneration Strategy & Support to translate lessons learned from individual cases into systemic interventions and preventive strategies
cultivate, build and maintain strategic relationships to advance the Innocence Project’s mission

Requirements

What you’ll need

Master's degree plus 15 years experience or Bachelor's degree plus 17 years of professional experience, including at least 5 years managing teams involving complex tradeoffs and coordination
Juris Doctor (JD) degree preferred
For candidates with a JD, must be a current member, in good standing, of the New York bar or eligibility for admission to the New York bar via motion pursuant to Section 520.10 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law within 6 months of start date is required
Broad background in criminal justice, including familiarity with the Innocence Project’s program areas
A demonstrated commitment to criminal, racial and social justice and to the Innocence Project’s goals, mission, and values
Demonstrated success working effectively with external partners including donors, pro-bono law firms, and government officials
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.

Benefits

Comp & perks

fully-paid individual health, dental and vision insurance
Flexible Spending Account
401k plan with 6% company-match
paid disability and family care leave
adoption and fertility expense reimbursements
company-paid transportation benefits

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

strategic planningresource allocationteam managementreportingsystemic interventionspreventive strategiesrelationship building

Soft Skills

alignmentmotivationhigh-performancecommunicationcollaborationinclusivityrespect

Certifications

Master's degreeBachelor's degreeJuris Doctor (JD)New York bar membership