Director of Engagement

Who we are:

The Council of State Governments Justice Center helps leaders in every state design and implement solutions for complex justice system challenges and make communities safer and healthier. We deliver trusted data, practical strategies, and cross-systems collaboration to create second chances, reduce harm, and transform lives.

We're focused on four strategic priorities:

• Using data to drive action
• Strengthening crisis response and addressing violent crime
• Turning billions in new behavioral health resources into improved outcomes
• Growing the number of states committed to delivering reentry success by 2030.

We have approximately 50 employees in states across the country who have decades of experience working in and with criminal, juvenile, and Tribal justice agencies. We have provided housing, mental health, and addiction services; served as educators and in workforce development agencies; and supported victims and survivors of crime. We have served governors, state legislators, and members of Congress on both sides of the political spectrum.

What binds us together is a shared commitment to our mission; to one another; to a common set of values; and to the national, bipartisan advisory board that guides our work.

Learn more about careers at the CSG Justice Center.

The director of engagement leads one of the Justice Center's core organizational capabilities: building the relationships, networks, and audience-specific strategies that enable state and local leaders to use our data, research, and policy work to drive action. Lasting systems change depends on more than strong research and effective policy. It requires trusted relationships and a clear strategy for reaching the right leaders with the right message at the right time.

This role focuses on partnership development and audience-specific marketing strategy to strengthen the Justice Center's strategic priorities and expand the organization's reach and impact. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the director connects long‑range organizational strategy with near‑term opportunities to deepen relationships, expand influence, and inspire action. The director also leads the engagement team, bringing hands‑on supervisory experience to a newly formed function within the organization.

The director of engagement is energized by building partnerships and networks; comfortable navigating complex political and institutional dynamics and diverse audiences; skilled at developing targeted, audience-specific marketing campaigns; and experienced using a customer relationship management (CRM) platform to manage and grow relationships at scale.

Specific responsibilities of the director of engagement include the following:

• Cultivate and deepen trusted relationships with senior leaders across states, branches of government, jurisdictions, philanthropy, and partner organizations. Provide and execute strategic guidance about where the Justice Center should invest its relationship‑building efforts and how those relationships can advance organizational and strategic priorities.

• Develop and lead targeted, audience‑specific marketing and engagement campaigns that reach priority leaders, advance strategic priorities, and position the Justice Center as a trusted, nonpartisan national resource. Use a CRM platform to track engagement, segment audiences, identify gaps and opportunities, and guide outreach across the organization.

• Supervise a newly formed engagement team composed of staff with deep engagement and communications…