Vera Institute of Justice · 2 months ago
Senior Writer (Government & Politics), Communications and External Affairs
Brooklyn, NY
Full-time
Hybrid
Mid, Senior Level
$92K/yr - $96K/yrThe Vera Institute of Justice is a national organization that partners with communities and government leaders to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems. The Senior Writer will create diverse communications products to advance Vera's mission, focusing on the intersections of politics, government, and policy, while collaborating with various teams to ensure accurate and impactful messaging.
Innovation ManagementLaw EnforcementSocial Impact
Responsibilities
Conceive, research, and write a range of communications products — including blog posts, articles, op-eds, policy explainers, and rapid-response pieces—that connect political and governmental developments to Vera’s mission
Write at least one short article or analysis each week contextualizing key events or policy actions within Vera’s issue areas
Identify opportunities to produce in-depth feature stories (“spotlights”) that explore the intersection of justice reform and government decision-making
Collaborate with editorial, advocacy, and program teams to refine ideas, shape narratives, and ensure accuracy, tone, and alignment with Vera’s broader communications strategy
Monitor the political and policy landscape daily, tracking major legislative developments, hearings, elections, and administrative actions that affect Vera’s issue areas
Synthesize complex political developments into accessible, mission-driven content that highlights Vera’s perspective and expertise
Support rapid-response communications, drafting timely statements, talking points, or analyses in collaboration with leadership and the communications team
Serve as a bridge between communications, advocacy, and program teams to ensure Vera’s positions are clearly and quickly articulated on emerging issues
Partner with internal experts to surface stories and insights that showcase Vera’s impact on local, state, and federal policy
Contribute to messaging strategy across platforms, ensuring consistent and politically informed framing of Vera’s work
Identify major trends and themes shaping public discourse on criminal justice, immigration, and equity, proposing opportunities for Vera to weigh in through written content
Contribute to developing communications aligned with Vera’s political and policy narrative — clarifying how government decisions influence justice reform and public safety
Qualification
Required
Experience writing about criminal justice and immigration reform at the state and federal level
Ability to conceive, research, and write a range of communications products including blog posts, articles, op-eds, policy explainers, and rapid-response pieces
Experience monitoring the political and policy landscape daily, tracking major legislative developments, hearings, elections, and administrative actions
Ability to synthesize complex political developments into accessible, mission-driven content
Experience supporting rapid-response communications, drafting timely statements, talking points, or analyses
Ability to serve as a bridge between communications, advocacy, and program teams
Experience partnering with internal experts to surface stories and insights
Ability to contribute to messaging strategy across platforms
Ability to identify major trends and themes shaping public discourse on criminal justice, immigration, and equity
Experience contributing to developing communications aligned with political and policy narratives
Benefits
Merit pay
Generous paid time off
A comprehensive health insurance plan
Student loan repayment benefits
Professional development training opportunities
Up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work
Employer-funded retirement plan
Flexible time
Company
Vera Institute of Justice
Vera Institute of Justice is an independent nonprofit national research and policy organization.
Founded in 1961
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$0.25MKey Investors
Chubb
2023-03-21Grant· $0.25M
Leadership Team
Insha Rahman
Vice President, Advocacy and Partnerships
Tracey Wilmot
Vice President, Chief People Officer
Recent News
New Orleans CityBusiness
2025-05-06
San Francisco Chronicle
2025-04-17
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