Working at the Center for Improving Youth Justice
Values
Values
Benefits
Benefits
Growth
Growth
Current Opportunities
Position Overview
The Director of Membership & Partnerships is a key leadership role responsible for expanding CIYJ’s reach and impact through strategic membership growth and partnership development. This position drives revenue through fee-for-service memberships while building collaborative relationships with agencies, jurisdictions, and organizations committed to youth justice reform. The Director also supervises CIYJ’s team of experienced coaches and ensures seamless onboarding experiences for new members.Key Responsibilities
Membership Development & Revenue Generation- Develop and execute strategies to grow CIYJ’s membership base and achieve revenue targets
- Identify and cultivate prospective member organizations through outreach, networking, and relationship building
- Conduct needs assessments and consultative conversations with potential members
- Present CIYJ’s services and value proposition to decision-makers at juvenile justice agencies and related organizations
- Negotiate membership agreements and close deals
- Maintain a membership pipeline and accurate tracking systems
- Monitor membership retention and implement strategies to maximize renewals
- Identify, cultivate, and establish strategic partnerships with youth justice organizations, advocacy groups, government agencies, and related stakeholders
- Develop collaborative initiatives that advance CIYJ’s mission and expand organizational reach
- Represent CIYJ at conferences, convenings, and coalition meetings
- Negotiate partnership agreements and memoranda of understanding
- Maintain and strengthen existing partnership relationships
- Supervise and support CIYJ’s team of experienced coaches
- Conduct regular check-ins, provide feedback, and facilitate professional development
- Design and oversee comprehensive onboarding processes for new members
- Ensure smooth transitions from sales to service delivery
- Monitor member satisfaction and address concerns proactively
- Collaborate with coaches to ensure high-quality service delivery
- Develop annual membership and partnership goals aligned with organizational strategic priorities
- Track and analyze membership and partnership metrics
- Prepare regular reports for the Executive Director/CEO and Board of Directors
- Manage the membership and partnership budget
- Identify trends and opportunities in the youth justice field
Qualifications
Required- Bachelor’s degree in a related field (social work, criminal justice, public administration, nonprofit management, business) or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of professional experience in business development, partnerships, sales, or relationship management
- 3+ years of supervisory experience
- Demonstrated knowledge of juvenile justice systems and reform efforts
- Proven track record of meeting or exceeding revenue or growth targets
- Strong consultative sales and negotiation skills
- Excellent relationship-building and interpersonal abilities
- Experience managing remote teams or working in distributed organizations
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Proficiency with CRM systems and membership management platforms
- Commitment to racial equity and youth justice reform
- Ability to travel 30–40% (including some evenings and weekends for conferences)
- Master’s degree in a relevant field
- Direct experience working in juvenile justice, child welfare, or youth development
- Experience with fee-for-service membership models in nonprofit settings
- Knowledge of evidence-based practices in youth justice
- Existing network in the youth justice reform field
- Experience with technical assistance or coaching programs
Competencies
- Mission-driven leadership
- Entrepreneurial mindset
- Strategic thinking
- Relationship building
- Results orientation
- Adaptability
- Collaborative spirit
- Cultural competency
What We Offer
- Competitive salary ($75,000–$80,000), commensurate with experience
- Annual performance-based incentive tied to membership revenue and partnership development goals
- Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance
- Retirement plan with employer contribution
- Generous paid time off and holidays
- Professional development opportunities
- Fully remote work environment with flexible scheduling
- Travel to conferences and partner sites (with full expense reimbursement)
- Opportunity to make a meaningful impact in youth justice reform
To Apply
In your cover letter, please describe:- Your experience with membership development or business development in mission-driven organizations
- Your connection to youth justice work and why this mission matters to you
- An example of a successful partnership you’ve developed
Application Deadline: April 3, 2026 CIYJ is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and others who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to our work.
Mission: The mission of the Performance-based Standards Coach, as an ‘ambassador’ to participating jurisdictions, is to foster integration of the standards and continuous improvement program into daily facility operations and ensure a field-supported and self-sustaining continuous learning program that improves conditions of confinement in youth corrections and detention as well as the work environment for staff in the facilities.
Philosophy of Approach: The Coach is the person that provides support to the field. They brings enthusiasm and skill to the program. The coach must be viewed as a ‘goodwill ambassador’ and true partner to jurisdictions. Determining positive aspects to sites in conjunction with site and jurisdiction staff is essential.
The Coaches’ approach is to share ideas, principles and methods of the program. This is done in an environment where the objective is learning to improve and this objective is understood by staff. Program matters are placed on equal footing with the experiences, the problems, the complications and, most of all, the stories of a site and/or its respective agency.
Discussion of sensitive issues with an experienced Coach helps gain the trust of sites and jurisdictions, since the coach serves as a critical ‘listening post’. This listening coupled with the coach providing important feedback to staff enhances the relationship between personnel and jurisdictions.
The Coach approaches their assignment with enthusiasm by positively accentuating the ‘good things’ through praising strong efforts and improvements while being pro-active around issues needing improvement. They encourages teamwork by including as many stakeholders as possible. The Coach discusses the work from a learning perspective: what is working, what is not and why. Learning is realized so that more effective plans or activities can be developed. When a site is moving in the right direction, the coach should help to identify the causal factors involved. The site should be supported and recognized if it is on the right course. This positive activity should be documented for other sites/jurisdictions to learn from.
In this light, the Coach observes and encourages positive developments, improvements and learning opportunities at each site and jurisdiction. It is important that they take note and provides meaningful feedback.
Areas where the Coach believes, based upon data, reports and experience that additional work or change may be warranted are noted and presented to site/jurisdictional staff confidentially in a pro-active, constructive manner. In essence, the strategies suggested for improvement and change are communicated sensitively between all stakeholders.
How to apply:
The Center for Improving Youth Justice is always looking for talented individuals motivated to drive change across youth-serving organizations. Coaches bring their many years of experience leading juvenile programs and agencies and get to apply that experience nationally. If coaching is something that interests you, use our contact page to let us know more about you.