Director, Criminal Justice - Chief of Staff

Arnold Ventures; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid policy

Relocation bonus

Paid time off

401k matching

Job summary

Arnold Ventures in Washington, DC is seeking a Chief of Staff for its Criminal Justice team to align strategy with operations, oversee priority-setting, and coordinate cross-departmental work from the DC office.

You will partner with team leadership and staff to advance evidence-based policies, manage complex projects, and ensure execution of strategic initiatives while maintaining strong relationships with external partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as business, public policy, criminal justice, law, or economics.
• 7 years of experience, preferably in roles requiring substantial operational, project management, or strategic coordination responsibilities.
• Strong strategic judgment and exceptional problem-solving skills, including the ability to navigate ambiguity, assess tradeoffs, and translate priorities into action.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across functions, build trusted relationships, and communicate effectively with senior leaders, colleagues, and external partners.
• Excellent execution and organization skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, create structure, and drive projects to completion.

Responsibilities

• Advise Criminal Justice team leadership on priorities, decisions, emerging issues, and opportunities, translating strategy into action.
• Build relationships across Arnold Ventures, coordinate dependencies, surface misalignment, and help teams work effectively together.
• Improve processes for planning, prioritization, communication, decision-making, and accountability across teams.
• Own strategic projects and special initiatives from conception through execution with structure and momentum.
• Synthesize complex information, clarify priorities and decisions, and connect the team’s work to organizational goals.
• Identify emerging risks and opportunities, providing support where leadership is needed.
• Prepare and refine materials, support board engagement, manage key processes, and handle other special projects.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication with senior leadership

Policy analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Type

Full-time

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.

Position Overview

AV’s Criminal Justice team advances evidence-based, cost-effective strategies to improve public safety and promote fairness. The team focuses on solving more crimes faster, improving prison rehabilitation, and advancing other high-impact policy opportunities through research, policy development, and advocacy.

We are seeking a Chief of Staff to support the Criminal Justice team’s strategic and operational efforts. The Chief of Staff will serve as a strategic partner to Criminal Justice team leadership and staff, manage operational activities, and create and maintain cross-departmental relationships. The Chief of Staff will be based in our Washington, DC office and will report directly to the Executive Vice President, Criminal Justice.

Core Responsibilities

• Advise Criminal Justice team leadership on priorities, decisions, emerging issues, and opportunities, bringing an independent perspective and translating strategy into action.
• Build strong relationships across Arnold Ventures, coordinate dependencies, surface misalignment, and help teams work effectively together.
• Improve processes for planning, prioritization, communication, decision-making, and accountability while resolving complex issues that span people, processes, priorities, and teams.
• Own strategic projects and special initiatives from conception through execution, bringing structure, momentum, and accountability.
• Synthesize complex information, clarify priorities and decisions, and connect the team’s work to broader organizational goals.
• Identify emerging risks and opportunities, and provide support where the team needs additional leadership, coordination, or problem-solving.
• Prepare and refine materials, support board engagement, help manage key processes, and other special projects as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in a relevant field such as business, public policy, criminal justice, law, or economics
• 7 years of experience, preferably in roles requiring substantial operational, project management, or strategic coordination responsibilities
• Strong strategic judgment and exceptional problem-solving skills, including the ability to navigate ambiguity, assess tradeoffs, and translate priorities into action
• Demonstrated ability to influence across functions, build trusted relationships, and communicate effectively with senior leaders, colleagues, and external partners
• Excellent execution and organization skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, create structure, and drive projects to completion

The salary range for this position will be $140,000-$175,000.

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. In addition, a relocation bonus is available for candidates who will move for a position.

Our Core Values and 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
• We foster strong working relationships across the organization and engage thoughtfully with external experts, government leaders, advocates, and other stakeholders.

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.