State Policy Counsel

Summary

Join the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as a Temporary State Policy Counsel! This full-time, nine-month position, based in Washington, DC or remotely, focuses on developing and disseminating strategies to protect civil rights and liberties at the state and municipal levels. You will lead strategy development, draft legislation, identify needs for new materials, provide policy expertise, guide affiliates on state policy, and evaluate initiative effectiveness. The ideal candidate possesses strong policy development, advocacy, and collaboration skills, along with excellent communication and research abilities. The ACLU offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a commitment to professional development.

Requirements

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts
• Possess a deep understanding of and passion for civil rights and civil liberties issues and have a track record of driving successful policy outcomes, in particular at the state and municipal level
• Be a strong collaborator, experienced in policy development and advocacy
• Be familiar with building, leading, and working within coalitions and with internal and external partners
• Possess the ability to connect and build strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively
• Possess creative problem solving and excellent research, writing, and analytical skills
• Be comfortable representing one’s organization and bring public speaking experience
• Be effective working in a fast-paced environment, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, work efficiently and quickly, and be reliable in their delivery against deadlines, and be composed under pressure
• Proven ability to identify and set policy priorities through iterative processes
• Be decisive in strategic planning but aware of a changing environment and maintain a needed level of flexibility and adaptability
• Have experience supporting or crafting policymaking and setting appropriate strategies
• Be comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; capacity to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations
• Be a leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in their approach to making decisions; acts in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization
• Be a creative, flexible, well-organized, and reliable person who can handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities and manage a demanding schedule; a team player who is able to work independently, jointly, and under pressure; willing to learn; a self-starter and finisher
• Be able to effectively advance work and projects across teams while maintaining strong relationships
• Be able to persevere in the face of challenges and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards
• Be self-reflective and aware of their own limitations; leads by example and drives the organization's performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement
• Possess the willingness to make mistakes in pursuit of ambitious, game-changing goals, while possessing the ability to accept responsibility and learn from those mistakes with a sense of humor and humility
• Be an outstanding relationship builder who uses influence effectively in a variety of settings, both within the organization and with external constituencies, including public officials, trade associations, and other relevant parties
• Be able to work in a matrixed and federated environment; possess strong conflict management skills; be able to bring consensus around a common purpose and deliver collaborative solutions

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy development and dissemination of Firewall for Freedom materials for state and municipal policy makers
• Draft or coordinate the drafting of model state or municipal legislation
• Identify needs for new or supplemental materials related to Firewall for Freedom project, including developing novel ideas and approaches to solving problems, in addition to sourcing existing policy ideas and approaches to civil liberties challenges
• Provide supplemental policy and advocacy expertise to policy counsels on an as-needed basis, including engaging partner organizations and policymakers in support of ACLU goals and advocacy priorities
• In coordination with NPAD’s Policy & Government Affairs and State Campaigns Teams, serve as a resource and provide guidance to affiliates on state policy and legislative efforts
• Together with senior leadership, evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives and outreach efforts to inform future strategies
• In close collaboration with policy and state campaign leads, present on the Firewall for Freedom and other state-based work to organizational partners and in coalition spaces
• Demonstrate an ability to be flexible and adjust priorities as necessary to adapt to changing external environment
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• 401k plan and employer match
• Annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops