Senior Program Manager, Crime and Justice Policy Lab (CJP)

University of Pennsylvania

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About The Position

The University of Pennsylvania’s Crime and Justice Policy Lab (CJP) seeks a Senior Program Manager to support the disciplined scale-up and institutionalization of Baltimore’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS). This role provides targeted technical support, operational problem-solving, and structured follow-through with government partners — alternating support primarily between the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) — to reinforce management routines, sustained follow-through and coordinated, consistent execution during the scale-up of GVRS and other key public-safety reform efforts. In addition to GVRS, the role supports related violence-reduction initiatives, including management and performance structures, capacity-building efforts, and pilots or adjacent workstreams tied to broader public-safety reform. The position also contributes to a citywide GVRS evaluation effort by reinforcing reliable data routines, documentation of decisions and progress, and shared standards for implementation fidelity to support alignment around evaluation needs, while strengthening Baltimore’s governance and performance systems for sustained violence-reduction management. The Senior Program Manager serves as a strategic deputy to CJP’s Director of Violence Reduction Policy and Programs, providing high-level support to reinforce focus, follow-through, and strong, reliable management practices for priority violence-reduction and institutional reform initiatives. The ideal candidate brings rigor, structure, and a bias toward action. The role incorporates applied research practices — documenting implementation fidelity, synthesizing field observations, and translating research insights into operational decisions — to strengthen institutional learning, strategy execution, and evaluation alignment. This position is based in Baltimore. This position is based in the Crime and Justice Policy Lab (CJP), a research group within the University of Pennsylvania Department of Criminology. The mission of CJP is to apply rigorous methods of scientific research to improve public safety in disadvantaged communities, centering those communities in the design and execution of policy ideas, and ensuring that research and government policy is being done with communities rather than to communities. The end goal for our work is that citizens in Philadelphia and other major cities are able to enjoy safety, and equitable treatment and outcomes in their day-to-day lives. CJP works primarily in Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Oakland, and San Francisco, and with several federal government partners and international partners in Latin America and the Caribbean. CJP projects often pursue a “triple bottom line”—our successful projects are ones that reduce violence that is affecting communities, reduce incarceration, and lessen the burden of policing on communities by generating fewer and more just interactions between police and community members. As many of our projects directly work with the criminal justice system to achieve these goals, we need to be comfortable both holding the priorities of the communities we serve at the center of our work, while also being able to work productively with police and other groups. Background: CJP partners with the Baltimore Police Department, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, and the State’s Attorney’s Office to provide strategic technical assistance and analytical support for Baltimore’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS). GVRS — a focused-deterrence approach — reduces serious violence by engaging directly with the small number of individuals at highest risk for shooting or being shot. The strategy centers on disciplined collaboration among government, service and community partners to deliver a clear, credible message: the violence must stop, and support is available for those ready to change course. When implemented with fidelity, GVRS accomplishes what few approaches can: it drives down homicides and non-fatal shootings, reduces unnecessary criminal-justice contact, and elevates community leadership in the co-production of public safety. GVRS has become the engine of Baltimore’s public-safety turnaround. Following a 33% reduction in homicides and shootings in the historically high-violence Western District, the city is now on track for its third consecutive year of historic, double-digit declines in homicides and non-fatal shootings — the strongest multi-year progress Baltimore has seen in decades — as the strategy continues to scale citywide.

Requirements

Bachelors degree and 5 to 7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Demonstrated experience supporting senior leaders in government or complex organizations
Proven ability to drive structured execution, project discipline, and follow-through in dynamic environments
Strong analytical, writing, and synthesis skills — able to translate complex ideas into clear plans, memos, and decision support
Experience supporting reform, change management, or performance management efforts in a public-sector context
Comfort navigating political and operational environments, exercising discretion and judgment
Ability to work independently, prioritize across competing demands, and maintain momentum under tight timelines
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to build trust and work productively with diverse stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in public policy, public administration, criminology, or a related field is preferred.
7+ years of relevant professional experience in government, public policy, public safety, or organizational / operational roles is preferred.
Experience: Working on violence-reduction, criminal justice reform, or community safety initiatives
Developing or institutionalizing performance-management or inter-agency coordination systems in a government setting.
Providing technical assistance or advisory support to government officials or community-based organizations
Translating applied research into operational recommendations or continuous-improvement practices.
Personal Attributes: Highly organized and detail-oriented
Low-ego, collaborative, and mission-driven
Able to navigate ambiguity and solve problems proactively
Skilled at moving work forward in complex institutional systems
Trusted relationship-builder capable of working with senior leaders and frontline staff

Responsibilities

The Senior Program Manager provides collaborative, strategic, and performance-focused guidance to senior government leaders, strengthening management routines, consistent follow-through, and execution across GVRS and related public-safety workstreams.
The role advances structured implementation and scale by coordinating priority workstreams, surfacing and jointly addressing operational barriers, and aligning partners around shared goals and a clear, practical path forward.
The Senior Program Manager develops briefings, tracking tools, timelines, and other materials that enhance decision-making, transparency, and accountability.
The position contributes to the citywide GVRS evaluation by reinforcing reliable data routines, documentation, and shared standards for implementation fidelity, and by synthesizing insights for internal and external audiences.
The role incorporates applied research practices—including field documentation, fidelity observations, hypothesis development, and synthesis of qualitative and quantitative learning—to translate research evidence into operational decisions and to institutionalize continuous-improvement and learning practices.
Additional duties are performed as assigned.

Benefits

Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare.
You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.
In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.