State Legislative Fellow

Job Title: State Legislative Fellow

Department: U.S. Programs, State Policy & Advocacy Team

Center Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights (the Center) is the global leader in using the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the non-profit, non-partisan organization has regional offices in Bogota, Geneva, Nairobi, and Washington, DC, and a staff of approximately 200 diverse professionals. The Center's compelling human rights mission and reputation for excellence and cutting-edge legal work has powered its exceptional growth trajectory to an operating budget of over $40 million and won the respect of the world's leading law firms, as reflected in the additional $29 million annually in donated legal services, representing the work last year of 820 lawyers in 46 countries.

The overarching goal of the Center's new Strategic Plan sets a high mark for impact: By 2030, half of the world's population will be living under stronger protections for reproductive rights than they do today. The Center has a track record of success to back up this ambitious goal. Since its founding in 1992, the Center's game-changing litigation and advocacy, combined with its unparalleled expertise in constitutional, comparative, and international human rights law, have transformed how reproductive rights are understood by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, contraception, abortion, and assisted reproduction. It has won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies, led the development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights, and has built the legal capacity of women's rights advocates in more than 60 countries and counting.

To learn more about the Center for Reproductive Rights, go to www.reproductiverights.org. To learn more about our DEI Organizational Commitments, go here.

The Role: The State Legislative Fellow will report directly to the Senior State Legislative Counsel and will work closely with the rest of the State Policy and Advocacy Team as well as other members of U.S. Programs who engage in state legislative and policy work. The fellow will be an integral part of the state work, which uses legislative and advocacy strategies to strengthen protections for reproductive rights and defeat attempts to restrict reproductive rights.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Tracking and analyzing reproductive rights legislation, with a focus on abortion legislation in all fifty states and Washington, D.C
• Assisting in maternal health and assisted reproduction legislative tracking;
• Providing technical assistance to state advocates and national partners;
• Preparing analyses of state legislation;
• Conducting legal research;
• Drafting public education materials on state legislative trends and other advocacy materials;
• Speaking publicly about reproductive rights;
• Assisting in proactive and defensive legislative strategies; and
• Working with the State Policy and Advocacy Team and other members of U.S. Programs on additional legislative and advocacy projects.

Qualifications:

• Strong commitment to the Center's mission, purpose, and values along with knowledge of reproductive rights, reproductive justice, racial justice, and/or other civil rights and social justice issues
• All individuals must demonstrate a commitment to racial equity work and incorporating racial equity principles into legal work
• J.D. degree
• 1 to 2 years relevant work experience. Prior judicial clerkship, and/or fellowship desirable, but not required
• Proven capacity to analyze complex legal issues and ability to communicate them clearly and effectively
• Strong legal research and writing skills
• Ability to manage high volume of daily bill analysis and cohesively manage information
• Some state legislative, coalition, and/or political experience preferred
• Willingness to travel when work travel resumes
• Bar admission desirable, but not required

Critical Competencies:

• Strategic thinking: Applies big-picture thinking while also focusing on the details of implementation.
• Decisiveness: Consistently makes sound decisions in a timely manner supportive of the Center's mission, core values, and strategic objectives. Blends vision and judgment.
• Collaboration: Brings a track record of working effectively with various and diverse individuals and groups, and a willingness to actively listen and invite different views and opinions across all levels of the institution to build alignment in support of a common goal.
• Receives and Provides Direct Feedback: Actively gives and requests feedback to and from peers, supervisors and direct reports (if applicable) about work products, behaviors, values, style and approaches with a view on how this impacts self, other individuals and teams.
• Transparency: Consistently applies openness and honesty in communicating decisions and plans to team members.
• Commitment to learn: Applies a growth mentality to their own and their team's (if applicable) development. Promotes a culture of learning by modeling inquisitiveness and an openness to viewing mistakes as an opportunity to learn and improve.
• Passion for Coaching, and Mentoring Staff: Empowers and motivates employees and creates opportunities for learning, development, and leadership, with a focus on harnessing skills for the future development of team members. (if applicable)
• Accountability: Follows through on each commitment made to individual contributors, teams and partners and proactively informs others of any delays that occur along the way. Holds team members accountable.
• Integrity: Possesses impeccable integrity and personal and professional values that are consistent with the Center's high standards and mission.
• Empathy: Serves as an empathetic, approachable leader who engenders trust and confidence. (if applicable)
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Demonstrates comfort with ambiguity and calculated risk.

Compensation: The salary for this role is $83,500 for the first year and $87,000 for the second year.

The Center covers up to 95% of the premium of a comprehensive health insurance plan with no deductible and best on the market ART/infertility coverage. The Center also contributes 7.5% of an employee's salary to a 401(k) account beginning after the first year of employment. The Center also supplies a generous PTO offering.

Duration of Position: This is a full-time, two-year fellowship beginning in Fall 2022.

How to Apply: Please complete the application below to apply. A cover letter, resume, and legal writing sample must be included in your application. Please include these application materials as attachments.

Deadline for applications: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To learn more about our DEI Organizational Commitments, go here. The Center for Reproductive Rights is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring, and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage people from all groups and communities to apply.

Please note that all genuine Center openings must be applied through the Center website. The Center does not charge a fee at any stage in the recruitment process (application, interviews, or selection). Nor does it request any medical examinations or bank account inform as part of this process. If someone contacts you on behalf of the Center requesting payment for your application please notify talent@reprorights.org before taking any further action.