Legal Programs and Networks Manager

About Americans United 

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a nonpartisan educational and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the constitutional principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure freedom of religion, including the right to believe or not believe, for all of us. Founded in 1947, Americans United is a diverse and dynamic organization composed of people from all walks of life: lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, religious leaders and impassioned Americans. AU includes people of faith and people who don’t profess any particular faith. It is a community that welcomes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions or beliefs, sexual orientations, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities. Because we work on a wide variety of issues with many different communities, we value what diversity and diverse perspectives bring to our work.

Position Summary

The Legal Programs and Networks Manager is an exciting opportunity for an innovative team player to support the development and growth of American United for Separation of Church and State’s newly formed Legal Programs and Networks (LPN) Project. The LPN Project plays a critical role in strengthening the legal community’s understanding of church-state separation, facilitating academic outreach and scholarship, connecting legal professionals with pro bono opportunities, and managing the Legal Academy.

Reporting to the Senior Director, the Legal Programs and Networks Manager will have excellent project management skills, strong interpersonal skills, and be ready to think creatively and critically about how to support the LRN Project’s goals.

This position will manage The Legal Academy, an exciting initiative led by Americans United in collaboration with other leading impact litigation organizations, that brings together summer legal interns from partner organizations and cultivates a community for public-interest-focused law students and lawyers. It kicks off with a multiday in-person education program and is followed by virtual and in-person educational and networking events.

This position will also regularly work with law students and the legal community to identify where church-state separation intersects with their work and scholarship and support the development of resources to strengthen the understanding of church-state separation. The Learning Programs and Network Manager will also collaborate with various internal and external stakeholders to identify and plan legal education programming, highlighting recent developments in church-state separation.

This is a full-time, exempt position. This position is a union role; it is included in the bargaining unit represented by AU Collective in connection with SEIU Local 500.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage the planning and execution of The Legal Academy’s in-person and virtual programming and networking events, including curriculum planning and speaker outreach, partner organization coordination, and attendee outreach.
• Manage The Legal Academy alumni network outreach, identifying how Americans United can empower this community.
• Collaborate with law students and student groups to raise awareness and scholarship about church state separation and related doctrines, including planning educational programs and supporting student-authored legal scholarship.
• Collaborate with AU’s legal and policy teams and other internal stakeholders to develop programming and resources to support their work and enhance awareness of church-state separation in the legal community.
• Assist in the outreach to local, state, and professional bar associations, legal networks, and other professional organizations to educate their members about where church-state separation intersects with their work.
• Develop marketing materials and web content to support the project’s programming and The Legal Academy.
• Other planning responsibilities include supporting the collection and compilation of surveys and other program feedback; assisting in the budgeting process; and compiling materials for internal and external reports.

Skills and Experience

• Research shows candidates from marginalized groups are less likely to apply for positions when they don't meet 100% of listed requirements; please consider applying even if you don’t match 100% of these criteria.
• Bachelor degree required; JD or paralegal certificate or similar coursework, or other previous experience in or knowledge of the legal field, a plus.
• 4 years of work experience (including internships and part-time work), particularly in legal or educational programming, event management, and/or volunteer/student management
• Interest in and willingness to learn about church-state separation, religious freedom, and issues relating to these constitutional principles.
• Strong project management skills, including comfort with working on several projects at once and with shifting deadlines.
• Experience working collaboratively with and building relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Writing, editing, and proofreading experience, and strong attention to detail.
• Proficient in Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and Microsoft Office applications. Experience with project management software (e.g. ClickUp) a plus.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

This is a hybrid position that primarily involves working from a home office and a professional office environment. The role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and video conferencing tools. It requires the ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods, communicate effectively, and occasionally move about within the workspace.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $80,325-$98,542.50. This stated range includes a 5% locality pay adjustment for the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The successful candidate’s placement within that range will be consistent with AU’s compensation framework, which is based on years of related experience.

Americans United offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid premiums for health care, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) with match, and commuter subsidy.

Equal Opportunity Employer

AU is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. If you need an accommodation for a disability to apply to this position, please let us know by emailing hr@au.org.  

Application Information

We will only be accepting applications from candidates who currently live in or would be willing to relocate to the following states: DC, VA, and MD.