U.S. Federal Policy Counsel

Job Title: U.S. Federal Policy Counsel

Department: U.S. Programs, Federal Policy & Advocacy

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: This Center is looking for a Federal Policy Counsel to join the Federal Policy and Advocacy Team. The role will primarily focus on the development and advancement of legislation, with a specific focus on the Women's Health Protection Act, in a Post Roe legal landscape. Reporting to the Chief Federal Legislative Counsel,, the candidate will help develop in house expertise in areas of civil rights and constitutional law, reproductive rights, and related areas of constitutional doctrine and support the Center's role as a go-to legal resource for Congress. This candidate should also be prepared to develop deep legal expertise in burgeoning issue areas, as the legal landscape shifts over the next 3-5 years and to support the development and advancement of legislative solutions to restrictive state abortion access.

This position will be based in Washington D.C in a hybrid work model. Covid-19 vaccination is required for all US-based employees of the Center.

Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct legal and factual research to support and develop new proposals for legislative and administrative action to expand access to reproductive health care
• Draft legal analysis and content for Hill and Administration audiences in support of the Federal Team's lobbying and technical assistance work
• Research and monitor relevant developments in constitutional law
• Foster outreach and engagement with a diverse range of allies, scholars, and partners in the legal and advocacy community
• Collaborate with coalition partners to share research, identify solutions to complex legal questions, and respond to concerns raised by partners and/or other congressional stakeholders
• In partnership with the incoming WHPA Campaign Manager, the Senior Federal Legislative Strategist, and other federal colleagues, collaborate with the Judicial Strategy and Litigation teams to build out a congressional record to support defense of the Women's Health Protection Act upon enactment
• Collaborate with and manage relationships with pro bono partners on legislative efforts and to increase the breadth and depth of our legal research
• Be a liaison to the [insert name – Global research strategies team] to coordinate across teams.
• Work with other members of the US Program and the Center's Communications and Development teams as needed to provide content and review on messaging for public audiences
• Note: may supervise support staff or interns as needed

Qualifications

• Admission to the Washington D.C. Bar Required. If not currently admitted to the Washington DC Bar, candidate must be admitted to the bar of another state and agree to become admitted to the DC Bar within eighteen months.
• Relevant Bar Admission
• Minimum of three years in legal practice
• Excellent research, writing, and oral advocacy skills
• Outstanding legal analysis skills, including the ability to develop complex legal arguments, analyze legislation and regulations, and develop complex legal arguments to respond to and improve legislation, administrative actions, and/or litigation strategy/arguments, consistent with role
• Strong understanding of civil rights and constitutional law, reproductive rights, and related areas of constitutional doctrine, and experience or familiarity with lawmaking,
• Excellent organizational and time management skills including ability to self-motivate, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, and provide quick turnaround of assignments while collaborating in a team
• Ability to write clearly and persuasively for legal, coalition, and policy-making audiences
• Superior communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders, including strong public speaking skills and an ability to engage with reporters
• Takes initiative in learning and developing expertise in reproductive rights law and other relevant areas of law
• Maintains a high level of expertise in the relevant subject matter
• Excellent interpersonal skills and strong ability to work collaboratively with coalition partners, including an ability to recognize when others should lead and an ability to prioritize centering the voices of those most impacted by our work
• Strong ability to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives
• Exceptional ability to adapt approaches as the requirements of a situation change

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 annual salary for this position begins at $99,000 and scales commensurate with our benchmarking for years of experience. This salary is reflective of a position based in Washington, DC. This salary will be subject to a locality adjustment, if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting. Note that most of the salaries listed on our job postings reflect New York, NY salaries, where our National offices are headquartered.

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.

How to Apply: Please complete the application below to apply. A cover letter and resume 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.