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PEN America, a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of literature and human rights, seeks a determined, passionate and highly organized leader with expertise in issues surrounding mass incarceration to direct the Prison and Justice Writing program. This is a significant opportunity to bring vision and commitment to a unique program that amplifies the work of thousands of writers who are creating while incarcerated in the United States. This is a full-time role based at PEN America’s New York City headquarters.
For more than five decades, our Prison and Justice Writing program has provided resources, mentorship, and audiences outside the walls to enable writers who are incarcerated to join and enrich the broader literary community. Committed to the freedom to write in U.S. prisons as a critical free expression issue, we leverage the transformative possibilities of writing to raise public consciousness about the societal implications of mass incarceration and support the development of justice-involved literary talent. The Prison and Justice Writing director will advance and leverage an existing body of work while developing new initiatives.
The director provides significant vision, hands-on guidance, management and support to all aspects of the department’s work, including the Prison Writing Program, the Freewrite Project that provides learning materials and support for writing groups, the Incarcerated Writers Bureau, the Works of Justice editorial series, advocacy for book access in prisons, and collaboration with counterpart programs nationwide. Skills in team management and administration, budgeting, fundraising, grant writing and reporting alongside creativity and vision will be key to thriving in this role.
The director will provide support and guidance to enable the current five-member Prison and Justice Writing team as well as fellows and interns to excel in their efforts, supplying feedback and helping to shape and propel new ideas. Additionally, the director will participate in cultivating and engaging partners in literary, free expression and criminal justice realms; represent PEN America publicly; identify and pursue funding opportunities; envision and guide projects; and work collaboratively with colleagues across PEN America.
This is an exciting leadership opportunity for a visionary program builder who thrives in fast-paced environments. The director will drive forward PEN America’s work in collaboration with expert free expression and literary colleagues and supported by an expanding organizational backbone of communications, fundraising, and operations teams. The ideal candidate will bring a working knowledge of mass incarceration in the United States, ideally with previous engagement with the issue in a work or volunteer setting. Connections with the larger literary landscape are also an advantage. Candidates representing diverse backgrounds—especially those with justice involvement—are strongly encouraged to apply.
In alignment with PEN America’s current policy, all applicants should be available to report to the office at least three days per week. This policy is subject to change.
$95,000-$105,000
All PEN America staff are considered to be stakeholders in the development of our shared organization. As such, staff play a role in varied activities within the workplace as part of their job responsibilities. These may include committees or task forces to work on office issues, diversity and inclusion, strategy projects, training, or other initiatives.
