Closing Date: 12th April, 2024
Description:
Opportunity:The Policy Fellow will support the Policy Department's work and our response to policy proposals affecting civil rights and civil liberties at the state and local level. The Fellow will participate in policy advocacy activities on a broad range of issues including LGBTQ equality, immigrants' rights, and voting rights, among other issues. The Fellow's policy advocacy work will include analyzing bills, agency rules, and municipal ordinances; public speaking; and community engagement. The Fellow will also assist with litigation advocacy as needed, helping with investigation, client interviewing, legal and factual research, and discovery as needed.
Key areas of responsibility:
Specific responsibilities include:
Advocacy / Public Education
- Support the Policy Department in preparing for the legislative session.
- Analyze proposed legislation; draft and present testimony on behalf of the organization to state and municipal policymakers.
- Advocate for civil liberties and civil rights and represent the A Non-Profit Organization at public events.
- Represent the A Non-Profit Organization in coalitions related to, among other things, LGBTQ equality, immigrants' rights and voting rights.
- Represent the A Non-Profit Organization at stakeholder meetings, legislative hearings, community forums, and public events.
- Work with A Non-Profit Organization staff to implement integrated advocacy campaigns and high-impact strategies utilizing A Non-Profit Organization's communications and engagement, legislative, and legal programs.
- Work with the Paralegal to track legislation and maintain the legislative calendar.
- Take and keep notes at internal policy department meetings and select coalition meetings.
- Assist the communications team in updating and fact checking legislative information.
- Assist in day-to-day operations in the Policy Department.
Legal:
- Participate in investigating and developing impact civil liberties and civil rights cases in federal and state court in furtherance of Policy Department goals, as needed.
- Conduct factual and legal research; prepare memoranda; draft Freedom of Information Act requests; conduct discovery.
- Analyze, review, and edit legal letters and case filings.
- Support other legal work of the A Non-Profit Organization's Legal Department, as needed.
Supervision:
The Policy Fellow will work within the Policy Department under the direct supervision of the Policy Director. The Policy Fellow will also work on assignments with other departments (e.g., legal, communications) as needed.
Qualifications:
The successful candidate is required to have the following:
- A JD.
- A strong understanding of, and demonstrated commitment to, civil liberties, civil rights, and racial justice.
- Exceptional writing, research, and analytical skills.
- Excellent communication skills and an ability to communicate complicated information into digestible material for public consumption.
- Ability to write and speak persuasively and effectively, especially in public settings.
- Ability to work cooperatively on a variety of projects with lawyers, other A Non-Profit Organization staff, and community partners.
- Passion for working on issues related to LGBTQ equality, immigrants' rights, and voting rights, among other civil liberties issues.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently as needed and manage multiple projects with competing deadlines, while maintaining a strong attention to detail.
- Willingness to travel: to Augusta several times a week during the legislative session and elsewhere in the state as needed, and complete access to a car in order to do that travel.
- A commitment to equity; a personal approach that values the individual regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or record of arrest or conviction.
- Willingness to work beyond 9-5 as needed, including occasional weekend meetings and travel.
- Proficiency with computers: Windows, Microsoft Office, and Excel, in particular.
Personal Characteristics:
Ideally, the successful candidate will be the following:
- A creative, flexible, well-organized, and reliable person who can handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities and manage a demanding schedule; a team player who is able to work independently, jointly, and under pressure; willing to learn; a self-starter and finisher.
- Personally committed to advancing the A Non-Profit Organization's values, mission, goals, and programs with an understanding of a broad range of civil liberties and civil rights issues and their implications.
- Someone with experience working in coalitions.
- Someone who displays the cultural competence needed to work with a diverse team and effectively partner with diverse communities.