Careers

The Opportunity

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On any given day, 61,000 Pennsylvanians are incarcerated in state and county prisons. Incarceration in Pennsylvania increased 300 percent since 1980. Lack of access to health care, degradation, and isolation are some of the issues people in prison face. For 236 years, the Pennsylvania Prison Society has led the nation in calling for a more just and humane criminal justice system.   

A critical component of our mission is to promote the understanding that when a person goes to jail, incarceration does not impact them alone but also their family and entire community. Family members are torn apart, income is lost, support systems are removed, and the people left behind incur the extra burden of supporting their loved one inside jail.

We are hiring a Helpline Manager to ensure that people who contact the Prison Society receive timely, accurate and helpful information about Pennsylvania prisons. Prisons are opaque systems, and people often call us after unsuccessfully looking for information elsewhere. Our Helpline fields hundreds of calls, emails, and letters from families every month. In 2023, our Helpline responded to more than 14,000 requests for help. The Manager will utilize data from these requests to identify priority needs, identify trends, and develop innovative resources and solutions. 

For example, limited visiting schedules, a new online scheduling system, and the lack of transportation have made it harder for families post pandemic to stay connected with incarcerated loved ones. The Helpline supports families to set up visits while also identifying areas for system improvement. 

Increased demand for information and assistance has necessitated adding additional staff to our Helpline. There is immense opportunity to continue to grow and scale how we get information to families and incarcerated people in Pennsylvania.

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‍This is where you come in!

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‍Develop and update standard operating procedures to ensure that the Prison Society provides timely, accurate and helpful information to people who reach out for assistance.

Evolve how the helpline is staffed and organized. Creatively explore how to utilize interns and volunteers.

Train and supervise helpline staff, volunteers, and interns. Provide structures and tools to ensure quality interactions, grace when addressing challenging callers, and support for processing vicarious trauma.

Assist with helpline requests by providing back-up coverage and fielding novel and difficult requests.

Track and improve service by establishing and maintaining a system to ensure ongoing quality of service. Partner with the Data and Research Manager to analyze Helpline data to develop innovative and strategic solutions to emerging trends.

Coordinate with the Prison Monitoring team to process and follow up on requests for official visits that come through the Helpline.

Manage the development, updating, and dissemination of referral resources and form letters so that people who contact the Prison Society receive clear, relevant, and up-to-date information.

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Your Core Competencies

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You have three years of experience managing staff and projects in a nonprofit or government environment.

You are a builder of programs or organizations. You have experience collaborating with members of a team to create new and innovative solutions to challenging problems.

You can lead and manage. You have a track record of leading and executing projects and managing a strong team. You have significant experience juggling multiple priorities, knowing when to bring other people in and when to pivot.

You are comfortable reading regulations, and have knowledge of social service issues and agencies in Pennsylvania. 

‍Experience with a call service, call center, phone intake, hotline, and/or helpline is a plus.

Volunteer management experience is also a plus as we contemplate using volunteers to staff the helpline. 

You are resourceful and creative. You can think outside the box.

You have demonstrated experience working with diverse constituencies, particularly with communities of color.

You have experience explaining complex issues to people with clarity and caring. 

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What You Need to Know

• Location - This is a hybrid in-office/work-from-home position. You will work out a schedule with the Director to include 1 day a week at home and 4 days a week in the office.  
• Hours - This position works 40 hours per week, primarily during regular business hours of 9am-5pm.  
• Manager - You will report to Kirstin Cornnell, Family and Community Support Director of the Prison Society.   
• Start date - As soon as possible
• Salary & benefits -  $62,000-$72,000. A flexible spending account, medical, vision, and dental insurance coverage provided. 
• Flexible time off - We encourage a healthy work-life balance and do not cap the number of days off our employees can take. In addition, we observe 11 paid holidays. 

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At the Prison Society, we don’t just accept difference—we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our staff, our mission, and our community. The Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. Individuals directly impacted by the criminal justice system are encouraged to apply. 

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If the above speaks to you, we’re excited to learn more about you! APPLY HERE. Application Closes December 13th, 2024 at 10:00 AM EST.