Executive and Policy Specialist

About Us:
The Women’s Prison Association (WPA) was founded in 1845 in New York City by Quaker abolitionist and prison reformer Abigail Hopper Gibbons. Established in response to the overcrowded and inhumane conditions in New York jails, WPA sought to support incarcerated women, who at the time were often considered “unredeemable.” It was the first organization dedicated to the rights and rehabilitation of system-involved women.

Today, decarceration is our North Star. Based in New York City, WPA strives to make the incarceration of women obsolete. We operate on a gender-responsive, trauma-informed model of support that provides the essential services justice-impacted women need to remain in their communities, heal, and thrive.

WPA is at an exciting and pivotal moment in its evolution. In 2025, the Board approved a bold and transformative 3-year strategic plan centered around three impact goals:

• Create a comprehensive, high-quality service model, prioritizing housing support and essential care for justice-impacted women.
• Weave an effective, robust community support network so that justice-impacted women receive the opportunities, services, and gender-responsive care they need.
• Shift public opinion and justice system practices and policies so that community-based support, and not incarceration, is the default response to contact with the criminal legal system.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All hires to our team are based on qualifications, merit, and organizational needs. We recruit, employ, train, and promote regardless of systems involvement, race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, genetic characteristic, or any other protected status. Faithful to our mission, all our employees share in these commitments as a guide to engage one another with dignity and respect.

Job Overview
The Executive and Policy Specialist plays a dual role at WPA: providing high-level executive support to the CEO and supporting the city and state-level policy and advocacy work. This position is ideal for a mission-aligned candidate who is passionate about criminal legal reform and gender justice, is a strategic thinker, detail oriented, organized, confortable working in a fast-paced environment, and is deeply committed to WPA’s vision of reducing women’s incarceration, strengthening support for justice-impacted women, and making the incarceration of women obsolete.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Support

• Serve as the Executive Assistant to the CEO, strategically managing scheduling, meeting preparation, and priority tracking that support leadership decision-making
• Operate with a high level of discretion and professionalism
• Prepare agendas, materials, and follow-up notes for Board meetings, CEO engagements, and organizational events
• Collaborate with the CEO, Chief Program Officer(CPO), Chief Finance and Operations Officer (CFOO), Chief Impact Officer (CIO), and the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) to support internal communications and information flow across teams
• Facilitate requests for information and materials from program, finance, or external partners to support the CEO’s work
• Assist with drafting external communications and correspondence
• Manage special projects at the direction of the CEO
• Collaborate across WPA programs to ensure coordinated, respectful, and comprehensive support for women and their families, including community partners
• Perform additional duties assigned by the CEO

Policy & Advocacy

• At the direction of the CEO and in close collaboration with the CIO, support the development of WPA’s systems change, policy, advocacy, and narrative change strategy to reduce incarceration and expand opportunity for justice-involved women
• Monitor legislation and policy developments at the city and state levels impacting WPA participants, including in housing, criminal legal, family regulation, and public health systems
• Draft and submit policy briefs, public testimony, and written recommendations for the senior leadership team
• Build and maintain relationships with elected officials, government agencies, advocacy coalitions, and community partners
• Represent WPA at public hearings, working groups, and advocacy coalitions to ensure policy is informed by direct service realities
• Implement advocacy campaigns that highlight WPA’s vision and impact
• Translate complex policy topics into accessible messages and work closely with the Communications and Marketing team to develop publications for use in community education, social media, and public forums
• Coordinate internal policy education efforts and collaborate with program staff to ground external messaging in lived experience
• Organize educational events, community briefings, and public awareness initiatives
• Perform additional tasks assigned by the CEO or CIO

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Education/Certification Requirements:

• BA or Masters in political science, public administration, sociology, or law is preferred and/or equivalent experience in a policy/advocacy environment

Experience Required:

• 2+ years’ experience in a similar role

Competencies:

• Maintain confidentiality, professionalism, and sound judgment in supporting executive leadership
• Deep passion for WPA's vision and mission to provide the services and support for women to make incarceration obsolete.
• Adhere to all applicable policies and procedures, including DHS shelter guidelines, safety protocols, confidentiality standards, and HIPAA privacy and security regulations.
• Participate in all required training sessions and ongoing professional development.
• Excellent organizational, project management, executive support, and collaboration skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator.
• Proficient in Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, flexible, and innovative with an ability to navigate complex environments and issues.
• Deep curiosity and humility as a relationship-builder with strong integrity and positive attitude while being mission-driven and self-directed.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and passion for social justice and the organization’s greater mission.
• Bring joy to the work.

Perks & Benefits*:
WPA offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package designed to support the well-being, growth, and success of our staff. Our benefits reflect our commitment to creating a workplace where people feel valued and supported.

Health & Wellness

• Health & Vision insurance
• Employer-paid dental coverage
• 100% premium paid Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Paid family and medical leave
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Companywide Wellness Challenges

Time Off & Flexibility

• 12 paid holidays, including a paid holiday week between Christmas and New Year’s
• Floating holidays and Personal days
• Hybrid work options for various roles

Financial Benefits

• 403(b) retirement plan
• Credit union membership options
• Direct deposit and Brinks MoneyCard option
• Tax-deferred commuting benefits via ThrivePass
• 529 college savings plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• “Aspiring Professionals” Scholarship Program

Growth & Development

• WPA University ~ Learning Management System (LMS) for on-demand learning
• Internal & External training opportunities
• CUNY sponsored scholarship to HSCAS for employee education

Extra Perks

• Access to the “Alcott HR Marketplace” employee discount program
• Milestone Celebrations & Awards

*Benefits eligibility may vary based on the number of hours worked.

Why Work with Us
At WPA, you’re not just joining a team—you’re joining a mission. As the nation’s oldest organization serving women impacted by incarceration, we’ve built a legacy of compassion, advocacy, and change.

We are a community of professionals who lead with purpose and care deeply about the individuals and families we support. Our staff bring integrity, empathy, and drive to their work—and we support them in return with a collaborative culture, strong benefits, and opportunities to grow.

If you're looking for meaningful work in a supportive, equity-focused environment, WPA is the place for you.

How to Apply
Please send your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to: jobs@wpaonline.org. Please include "Executive and Policy Specialist" in the subject line of your email.

To learn more about WPA’s mission and programs, visit www.wpaonline.org.

Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: Hybrid remote in New York, NY 10009