Description:

Free Press and Free Press Action work to amplify the voices of people and communities in the crucial decisions that shape our media. We believe that positive social change, racial justice and meaningful engagement in public life require equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and journalism that holds leaders accountable and tells people what's actually happening in their communities. We work at the intersection of media and technology to strengthen our democracy.

Free Press is looking for a policy counsel to advance our priorities at federal agencies and in Congress, as well as in state legislatures and various judicial proceedings. These include promoting racial justice, equity, civil rights, civil liberties, and consumer rights. Issue area responsibilities may include broadband access, openness, resiliency, and affordability; broadcast ownership and First Amendment issues; competition and mergers; and press freedom, public media, and journalism policy.

The policy counsel will be responsible for tracking the daily activities at relevant agencies and legislatures, as well as building relationships with and influencing key staff at them. They will also have a deep knowledge of the political and corporate actors shaping debates there, keeping our policy and campaign teams updated and informed. They will strategize around and understand federal agencies' interplay with Congress, the executive branch, and the courts, as well as public debates on major issues shaping the future of media and technology. The policy counsel will track legislative, rulemaking, and adjudicatory proceedings and seek to advance Free Press Action's positions therein.

The policy counsel will conduct meetings with agency and legislative staff, analyze legislation, write briefs and advisory memos, conduct legal research, contribute to position papers, and draft and files comments in regulatory and adjudicatory proceedings. As necessary, the policy counsel will draft and file pleadings in proceedings before the U.S. Courts of Appeal. They will prepare and deliver congressional testimony and speak at congressional briefings. The policy counsel will also closely collaborate with allied organizations, represent Free Press in coalition meetings, present at conferences, speak to press on the record regarding issues in their portfolio, and write blog posts, press releases, and articles for a range of outlets and audiences.

The policy counsel will work as part of a cross-disciplinary team at Free Press, in coordination with coalition partners, strategic allies and outside counsel, to maximize available resources and build our capacity to challenge well-financed opposition. The policy counsel will work in close coordination with the entire policy team on filings, legislative analysis and lobbying strategy and collaborate with Free Press' program and communications staff to create high-impact campaigns, shape public debates and win policy changes.

The policy counsel reports to the Vice President of Policy. This job requires flexibility in work schedule, generally aligning to the U.S. East Coast hours and is based in Washington, D.C. The position requires evening and weekend work, especially to handle rapid response needs. Frequent domestic travel, including multi-day trips, are expected.

Free Press is composed of two separate organizations, Free Press and Free Press Action Fund. Both entities share the same overall mission and employees will have time assigned to one or both entities. This job description refers collectively to the two organizations as “Free Press.”

Primary Responsibilities:

Issue-area expertise: Develop and maintain deep knowledge around issues including broadband access, openness, resiliency and affordability, as well as media ownership and First Amendment concerns, and journalism and public media policy. Generally develop broad knowledge of media, telecommunications and technology issues, with special focus on federal policy, statutory analysis, administrative law, constitutional issues, civil rights law and federalism issues.
Writing and filings: Draft precise and persuasive filings, including agency comments, replies, pleadings, briefs, appeals, and other regulatory and appellate court filings, to advance Free Press positions. Write articles for publication in a variety of outlets and other media outlets
Advocacy and lobbying: Promote Free Press' mission and policy positions through correspondence and meetings with staff members at federal and state executive agencies and legislatures. Prepare and/or deliver testimony for legislative and regulatory proceedings.
Policy analysis and research: Analyze existing laws, pending legislation and regulatory proposals, preparing memos and reports on how they support or undermine Free Press policy positions. Conduct extensive legal, factual and economic research on media, telecommunications and technology policies and proceedings.
Communicate policy positions: Explain and educate Free Press' issues in multiple ways — from highly technical to very general — to a wide range of audiences, including organization staff and allies, government decision-makers, press, and the general public. Participate in press briefings and assist with press releases and other public communications.
Coalition engagement: Represent Free Press in networks and coalitions to advance short- and long-term campaign goals. Identify, analyze, prioritize and pursue opportunities to develop relationships with academics and leaders of key institutions and organizations
Advancing race equity: Clearly and consistently articulate an understanding of racial equity and structural racism and the centrality of this analysis to the policy work Free Press does and how we operate. Integrate that knowledge into work projects and interactions by addressing structural implications and disproportionate impacts of policies, activities and decisions on race, class, gender and other group identities within the context of job responsibilities and projects
Cross-team collaboration: Consult with policy and campaign staff to address media and technology policy interventions; contribute to formulation of policy and campaign strategy. Encourage cross-team collaboration and strategic alignment through engagement with internal teams.

You will thrive at Free Press if you bring:

Dedication to Free Press' mission to change the media system to transform democracy and realize a just society, in addition to the overall success of the organization
Commitment to racial equity and experienced working with Black, Indigenous and/or other communities of color
Value and respect for differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability and socioeconomic circumstance
Demonstrated ability to manage details, solve problems, and follow through on assignments with minimal supervision
Ability to adapt or modify plans, timelines or processes in response to rapidly changing circumstances and opportunities
Ability to work effectively with people at all levels, including staff, consultants, colleagues, volunteers, members/constituents, and the general public.
Confidence, courtesy, and professionalism in all written and verbal communications
Demonstrated ability to be entrusted with sensitive information and conduct daily activities with the utmost professionalism and integrity.
Creativity and ability to work independently with limited oversight to accomplish agreed upon objectives and to evaluate results
Ability to remain positive, tactful and composed under pressure
A team player attitude with a low-ego approach to collaboration with both internal and external colleagues
Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a wide range of external organizations
Demonstrated excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
Ability to thrive in a predominately telework/remote office environment, including working with off-site staff, and you actively foster connection and community with colleagues located throughout the U.S
Adoption and maintenance of strong digital security practices

Experience and qualifications required to succeed in this position:

Juris Doctorate degree strongly preferred; advanced public policy degree paired with issue expertise and experience may also demonstrate qualifications for this position
Background in public policy, political science, communications, community development and organizing, or related fields will indicate aptitude for the daily work this job requires
5 or more years of directly relevant experience in media, technology and telecommunications policy
Experience advocating to lawmakers and policymakers
Superb legal writing and analytical skills and capable of producing concise and persuasive filings and other documents
Strong writing and sharp editing skills required; ability to present complex and technical topics to a wide audience
Clear communication skills essential; strong public speaking skills desired.
Ability to work across teams and the entire organization to help problem solve, triage competing priorities, and generate ideas that will innovate existing projects and programs or create new ones
Ability to effectively work with highly sensitive financial, operational and political information
Precise attention to detail
Flexibility and demonstrated capacity to operate in a fast-paced environment

Location: Washin