Deputy Policy Director (Pennsylvania area)

Council of State Governments•, PA

2d•$94,500 - $130,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Council of State Governments (CSG) is a nonpartisan association of state officials serving all three branches of government in all 50 states and U.S. territories. The CSG Justice Center assists state leaders in addressing complex justice system challenges and improving community safety and health. The organization focuses on using data to drive action, strengthening crisis response and addressing violent crime, improving outcomes for behavioral health resources, and increasing state commitment to reentry success. The Justice Center has approximately 50 employees nationwide with extensive experience in criminal, juvenile, and Tribal justice agencies, as well as in providing services related to housing, mental health, addiction, education, workforce development, and victim support. The organization is guided by a national, bipartisan advisory board and is committed to its mission, values, and employees. This Deputy Policy Director role provides strategic leadership, expert guidance, and technical assistance across policy initiatives. The position involves shaping initiative strategy, overseeing complex projects, and delivering resources to policymakers, practitioners, and partners. The role requires deep subject-matter expertise, leadership of teams or project portfolios, support for fundraising and partnerships, and strengthening organizational culture through mentorship and direction. The Deputy Policy Director operates with significant autonomy, cultivates relationships with senior officials, ensures effective project management, and represents the organization externally. The current focus is on the intersection of justice and behavioral health for adults, specifically supporting the Stepping Up Initiative in Pennsylvania. Candidates should be located in or near Pennsylvania due to frequent in-person interaction with stakeholders.

Requirements

Ability to develop, fund, and launch new projects aligned with organizational objectives.
Ability to lead multiple, large, or complex project teams to advance project objectives.
Deep subject matter expertise in one or more areas relevant to the policy team's work and ability to apply that expertise credibly with grantees, policymakers, and practitioners.
Experience successfully managing multiple projects while providing mentorship and task direction to colleagues in support of shared project objectives.
Experience aligning the interests of internal leadership, funders, and community partners to move strategic project initiatives forward.
Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience and/or equivalent educational achievements.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate work across teams or partners in a project leadership capacity.
Expertise at the intersection of justice and behavioral health for adults.
Ability to provide support to counties and states on the Stepping Up Initiative, with a focus on Pennsylvania.
Candidates should be located in Pennsylvania or within proximity.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for a portfolio of complex policy initiatives, ensuring projects advance organizational goals and meet the needs of partners across systems.
Maintain ownership of larger initiatives, including project development, refinement of project goals, and alignment of strategy across teams.
Identify emerging opportunities, policy trends, or field needs that inform project or initiative direction and long-term planning.
Engage credibly with grantees, government agencies, and justice system stakeholders to identify and prioritize technical assistance needs; provide that assistance directly or connect grantees to the appropriate team member or consultant.
Translate identified technical assistance needs into actionable responses, including policy analyses, programmatic guidance, training curricula, or written tools, tailored to the partner context and aligned with organizational priorities.
Represent the organization through presentations, briefings, and external communications that advance the understanding of policy issues.
Provide task direction, mentorship, and professional support to staff where applicable; may supervise direct reports depending on team structure.
Foster a positive and inclusive team culture through modeling collaborative, productive approaches to the work.
Lead or contribute to building a positive and inclusive organizational culture.
Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with funders, advisory groups, senior government officials, and other external partners.
Provide timely updates and insights that support relationship-building and demonstrate project impact.
Collaborate with partners to design or refine innovative initiatives that advance shared goals.
Support or lead fundraising and business development efforts by cultivating funder relationships, identifying opportunities, and contributing to proposal development.
Work with internal and external stakeholders to align project concepts with funder interests and organizational priorities.
Ensure coordination across staff and teams to support integrated and high-quality project execution.
Contribute to organizational initiatives, internal committees, or working groups to strengthen processes, knowledge sharing, and systems.
Oversee the creation and quality of written products, tools, and presentations that influence policy and practice at scale.
Ensure teams adhere to timelines, deliverables, documentation standards, and funder requirements.
Evaluate project impact and recommend refinements that enhance effectiveness, impact, and sustainability.