Policy Counsel

JOB SUMMARY:

The Policy Counsel works collaboratively across teams to advance the ACLU of Virginia’s public policy objectives by contributing to multi-strategy advocacy campaigns. Their work includes developing and analyzing state and local policy proposals, direct lobbying, coalition building, strategic communications, and voter education. This position will be responsible for leading policy and legislative initiatives related to one or more of the organization’s civil rights and civil liberties priority areas. The Policy Counsel position is part of the Policy Team and reports to the Policy Director. This individual is strategic, collaborative, innovative, effective, and committed to developing and advocating for sustainable and systemic policy change, while applying a racial justice lens.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Policy Counsel helps to develop and implement the ACLU of Virginia’s legislative, policy, and advocacy priorities by:

• Analyzing current and prospective local, state, and national civil rights and liberties issues.
• Conducting, analyzing, and presenting rigorous research which:
• Identifies and evaluates best practices around model policies and programs (e.g., legislation, ordinances, directives, practices), as well as implementation strategies.
• Includes a review of both quantitative and qualitative data as it relates to policy goals.
• Producing in-depth policy and legal research to support advocacy projects related to the organization’s priorities.
• Building and maintaining trusted, respectful relationships with people directly impacted by relevant policies, community members and leaders, coalitions, allied organizations, issue experts, government officials, and legislative staff.
• Developing policy positions and strategies which:
• Increase awareness of, and opportunities to engage with, civil liberties and civil rights issues among impacted communities and the general public.
• Will result in meaningful change and actively mitigate the potential of unintentional disparate impact on people of color.
• Include a plan for successful implementation and a process for monitoring impact.
• Developing, coordinating, and executing strategy by:
• Developing partnerships that facilitate successful policy, legislative, and non-litigation advocacy implementation.
• Tracking and analyzing changes to legislation during the General Assembly’s legislative session to assist the Policy, Communications, Organizing, and Legal teams understand the position, progress, and impact of our legislative advocacy.
• Engaging in public education activities that reach a wide variety of audiences and promote public participation in support of the organization’s civil rights and civil liberties priorities.
• Coordinating and participating in legislative and advocacy meetings.
• Communicating our positions to policymakers and other interested parties, including writing and delivering compelling testimony before governmental bodies.
• Use legal expertise to:
• Work collaboratively with the Policy Director, colleagues in the Legal and Organizing Departments, and the National ACLU to integrate organizing, legislative, and legal strategies while coordinating across departments to ensure progress towards shared goals.
• Execute bill analysis and draft legislation to advance our policy priorities.
• Lead lobbying and community advocacy initiatives on policy priorities, as assigned.
• At each stage of the work, the Policy Counsel is expected to:
• Draft clear, concise internal and external materials and develop advocacy tools in conjunction with the communications team – including fact sheets, talking points, public education materials, position letters, and policy briefs – in multiple formats for a range of audiences.
• Work with the Policy Team, Communications Team, Organizing Team, and community members to include the voices, perspectives, and experiences of those directly impacted by the issues.
• Work collaboratively with our Communications, Organizing, Legal, and Development teams to ensure internal transparency and coordination on policy initiatives.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this job description restricts the Executive Director's right to assign other duties or responsibilities to this job at any time.

The ACLU of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, bi- or multi-lingual (including Indigenous languages) speakers, multi-cultural individuals, members of the LGBTQ community, those who have been formerly incarcerated or are currently under supervision, and other people from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We seek to build a diverse team and an inclusive organizational culture. All qualified applicants who share our vision and who have a desire to contribute to our mission are encouraged to apply.

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Significant hands-on experience successfully advocating for legislative or policy changes on civil rights, civil liberties, or other social justice issues.
• Accredited JD degree.
• Proven ability to think critically and strategically about solving problems and coming up with solutions that will drive results.
• A commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.
• A commitment to the mission and values of the ACLU of Virginia, including racial justice and anti-racism.
• Willingness and availability to work beyond the normal workday and on weekends on occasion, and to be present in Richmond for the entirety of Virginia’s legislative session.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & ABILITIES

• The Policy Counsel must have policy development and implementation experience, a curious and strategic mindset, and experience with one or more of the ACLU of Virginia’s priority policy issues.
• The ability to produce exceptionally clear and persuasive written legal and non-legal documents.
• The ability to consistently integrate a deep understanding of key racial equity concepts into work projects and interactions by addressing structural implications and disproportionate impacts of policies, activities, and decisions on race, class, and other group identities within the context of job responsibilities and projects.
• Experience reading and interpreting the impact of complex state statutes, federal law, and government agency rules and regulations.
• Experience lobbying or advocating for legislative measures in Virginia or another state or local government.
• Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, Virginia legislative processes.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and clearly convey advocacy strategies and tactics that have a clear connection to short- and long-term policy goals.
• Demonstrated experience working with individuals and communities directly impacted by racial injustice.
• Experience tracking legislation through the legislative process either at a state or federal level and communicating progress to others.
• Experience working in a diverse coalition to achieve a policy change, including by incorporating and complementing grassroots leadership as part of the ACLU of Virginia’s advocacy.
• Once employed by the ACLU of Virginia, the applicant must reside within daily commuting distance of our Richmond office and have the ability to be on-site at the General Assembly during the entirety of legislative sessions.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Proven ability to work independently and manage multiple projects with competing deadlines on a tight timeline, while maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Resilience and understanding that working towards systemic change is a marathon and not a sprint.
• Experience with issue-advocacy campaigns, electoral campaigns, or other complex project management experience.
• Experience working at an organization with an integrated advocacy model where legal, legislative, organizing, education, and communications tactics are used collaboratively and cohesively to achieve results.

The ACLU of Virginia is a unionized workplace.