Federal Policy Counsel, Women's Health Protect...

Description:

The Role: Reporting to the Chief Federal Legislative Counsel, the WHPA Counsel will help manage a growing national campaign that unites organizations and individuals in support of the Women's Health Protection Act—federal legislation designed to enforce and protect the right of every person to decide for themselves whether to continue or end a pregnancy, regardless of where they live. The Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) was first introduced in 2013 and has been reintroduced in each subsequent Congress in both the House and Senate, with broad support. WHPA is the most-supported abortion access bill in Congress. The Campaign built in support of this bill now has over 150 member organizations. This past year, the momentum supporting WHPA has steadily increased, as we have seen calls on Congress to respond to the SCOTUS decision overturning Roe.

The Center is now seeking a WHPA Counsel who can build on this momentum and take the bill to the next level. The Counsel will design and execute a robust campaign strategy, build membership in the campaign, improve collaboration across progressive movements, and coordinate the efforts of campaign members to influence federal policymakers.

The WHPA Counsel will also work to further enactment of stronger legal guarantees to reproductive decision-making and access to care, in particular with respect to abortion, by continuing the Center's work to ensure robust new protections for abortion are enshrined into federal law. This will include working closely with key legislators advancing proactive abortion policies to ensure legal accuracy, effective impact, and limiting unintended consequences. Lobbying in both Congressional chambers is anticipated.

This role will be based in Washington D.C. in a hybrid model of 3 days in-office, 2 days working from home. Covid-19 Vaccination is required for all U.S.-based employees of the Center.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Drive implementation of campaign portions of WHPA strategic plan in coordination with Chief Federal Legislative Counsel
• Recruiting new coalition members from across different movements (e.g. labor, economic justice, environmental justice, disability rights/justice)
• Cultivate messengers, allies, and spokespeople, in part by identifying and developing opportunities for partnership on intersectional or overlapping progressive initiatives.
• Overseeing and implementing recommendations from restructure of the WHPA campaign
• Coordinating with Communications and other partners on the Campaign rebrand and messaging to support the Campaign Strategy
• Draft campaign materials for use in advocacy activities and public education efforts, including fact sheets, talking points, legal analyses, letters to the editor, issue briefs, and (as relevant) public comments, IG complaints, and FOIA requests.
• Building relationships with campaign members and exploring ways to better leverage their capacity, expertise, and interest to strengthen the WHPA campaign
• Provide legal technical assistance working with Congress on proactive legislation
• Conduct WHPA related research as needed and monitor and advise on legislative activity
• Managing Center resources (e.g. subgrants to partners)
• Managing day-to-day campaign tasks (e.g. scheduling meetings, creating agendas)
• Translating complex policies and practices into accessible communications for diverse audiences.
• Attend a table focused on the intersection of reproductive rights/justice and the disability rights/justice community.
• Collaborating with the Federal Policy team (especially WHPA Federal Policy Counsel and the Senior Legislative Strategist) to ensure alignment with the Hill
• Planning and organizing events and priority initiatives

Qualifications:

• J.D. and relevant bar admission.
• 3-5 years relevant legal experience such as federal policy or advocacy work, electoral campaign work, and/or coalition building;
• Experience working on an advocacy campaign preferred;
• Expertise in convening allies, building partnerships, and engaging in high-level advocacy, training, research, and program development;
• Highly innovative, entrepreneurial, and collaborative;
• Strong communication skills, including an ability to convey complicated matters to broad audiences, and comfort with public speaking and presenting;
• Excellent research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
• Experience with and ability to think creatively about advocacy strategies, including a demonstrated track record of results;
• Excellent inter-personal skills and ability to build relationships with advocates from a variety of fields;
• Experience with reproductive rights or with other issues relating to gender equality, human rights, health care law and policy, civil rights, or racial and social justice issues strongly preferred;
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, including: the ability to self-motivate, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, work under pressure and meet deadlines, and provide quick turnaround of assignments while collaborating in a team.
• Excellent project management skills, including an ability to work well with competing priorities, meet deadlines, and manage workflow processes involving multiple people;
• Demonstrated experience and judgment working both collaboratively and independently;
• Must be able to work proactively and independently, following through on assignments and possessing a “can-do” and “will-do” attitude;
• Must be able to give and receive feedback professionally, and to provide openness and honesty in communications;
• Maintain a high level of expertise in the relevant subject matter.
• 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.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and strong ability to work collaboratively with coalition partners, including an ability to recognize when others should lead and a willingness to prioritize centering the voices of those most impacted by our work.
• Must be able to understand and appreciate different perspectives, and be able to quickly and easily adapt strategies and approaches as the requirements of a situation change;
• Must possess impeccable integrity and personal and professional values that are consistent with the Center's high standards and mission; and
• Must be able to work in a multicultural, diverse, and highly performance-driven environment.

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