Director, Federal Policy & Advocacy

Job Title: Director, Federal Policy & Advocacy

Department: Government & External Relations, Federal Policy & Advocacy

Center Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights (the Center) is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights around the world. With offices in New York City, New York; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; Geneva, Switzerland; and Washington, D.C., the Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization changing law and policy throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States. Our 230+ diverse professionals are committed to advancing the Center’s human rights mission through game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work. This has powered the Center’s exceptional growth to an operating budget of over $50 million and won the respect of law firms in countries around the world, with an additional $29 million annually of donated legal services, representing the work of countless lawyers from more than 46 countries.

The Center’s 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 are today. The Center has a track record of success to back up this ambitious goal. Since our founding in 1992, the Center has transformed how reproductive rights are understood and applied by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, abortion, assisted reproduction, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. Additionally, the Center has 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 65 countries and counting.

The Role: The Director of U.S. Federal Policy and Advocacy leads the Center’s U.S. federal policy and advocacy program. The Director provides strategic vision and oversight for the program and is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing the Center’s multi-faceted reproductive rights federal policy initiatives and strategies. The Director is a senior leader in the Government and External Relations (GER) Division and the Center as a whole.

The Director is accountable for developing and executing federal policy and advocacy strategies; developing a results-oriented framework and metrics for evaluating this work; assessing staffing requirements; collaborating closely with Global Advocacy team on US foreign policy strategy and related US government engagement; facilitating and advising on external relations opportunities; advising on institutional advocacy strategies; and collaborating across Center programs and departments, as well as with outside partners, to ensure the Center accomplishes its goals. The Director manages the 10-15 attorneys and staff on the U.S. federal team and is responsible for fostering an inclusive, positive team culture, identifying opportunities for staff to grow and develop, and modeling open communication practices.

The Director will work closely with the leadership of the Government and External Relations Division, U.S. Programs, the Office of the President, Communications, and Development to align strategies and successfully implement projects.

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

Primary Responsibilities:

Lead Strategy, Development, and Implementation of U.S Federal Policy and Advocacy Work

• Develop and lead the effective implementation of U.S. federal legal and policy advocacy strategies to advance the Center’s strategic plan.
• Help increase the Center’s profile as a leader in policy development, administrative law analysis, and administrative and legislative advocacy.
• Expand reach of advocacy work by maximizing the impact of Center and coalition-led campaigns and initiatives, including the Women’s Health Protection Act and other advocacy campaigns and efforts.
• Expand policy development and administrative law advocacy strategy by identifying and pursuing new areas of work where the Center can lead within coalition spaces.
• Liaise with US program teams, including litigation and state policy and advocacy, to advance access to comprehensive reproductive health care at the federal level.
• Work closely with the Director of Pro Bono to cultivate new and existing pro bono partnerships and projects with law firms, law associations, and law schools.
• Participate in strategy development across the Government and External Relations Department, with U.S. programs and the Center’s other regional programs, and lead internal and external efforts to implement those strategies.
• Collaborate with GER leadership, program, communications, and digital teams, among others, to develop program content and messaging strategies.

Serve as an Ambassador, Collaborator, and Thought Leader

• Represent the Center externally and translate complex policies and practices into accessible communications for diverse audiences including lawmakers, advocates, coalition partners, funders, and the media.
• Serve as a strategic advisor and thought partner to Center leadership.
• Build and maintain relationships with key federal policy stakeholders including administration officials and Members of Congress and staff.
• Collaborate with coalition partners in the reproductive rights and justice movements and develop new relationships to advocate for policy change at the federal level.
• Collaborate across social justice organizations to ensure the Center’s priorities are represented within the broader social justice coalitions and identify leadership opportunities within these spaces.

Lead an Effective Team

• Lead, mentor, and supervise members of the Federal Policy and Advocacy team.
• Manage work planning, staffing requirements, and budgeting process for the Federal Policy and Advocacy team.
• Create an environment and culture that fosters constructive problem-solving, good communication, flexibility, and a “can do/will do” attitude, with honesty, respect, and good humor.
• Support the Chief Government and External Relations Officer to ensure that key federal policy program outcomes are evaluated and leveraged for maximum impact.

Qualifications:

• Strong commitment to the Center’s mission, purpose, and values.
• JD required with at least 15 years legal or advocacy experience.
• Bar membership in the District of Columbia required or a commitment to obtain membership within 18 months of assuming the position.
• Significant experience leading a team and supervising, training, or mentoring junior attorneys or individuals with different levels of experience and expertise; experience working with executive leadership or C-suite a plus.
• Successful experience in developing and implementing policy initiatives in the U.S. at the federal level; political, legislative, or administrative advocacy experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in working or building coalitions; leadership within coalitions of social justice and/or human rights movements preferred.
• Dedication to intersectional advocacy and the Center’s human rights-based approach.
• Exceptional communication and advocacy skills, both orally and in writing; ability to communicate complex issues to a lay audience clearly, concisely and powerfully.
• Creative and strategic thinker with good judgment and excellent analytical capabilities.
• A high level of energy, self-confidence, initiative, and follow-through; ability to recognize and act on opportunities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to give and receive feedback and resolve conflicts constructively.
• Demonstrated track record of effective people management.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Don’t meet every single requirement? At the Center, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Leadership Competencies:

• Leading the Work (Strategy & Implementation): Generates new ideas, develops long-term objectives and strategies that align with institutional priorities, and translates them into actionable plans.
• Leading Others: Inspires commitment; develops and empowers staff; identifies and mentors the next generation of organization leaders; establishes results-oriented culture in teams.
• Leading by Personal Example: Models organizational values; takes action and is courageous; projects confidence and steadiness; learns from experience and is self-aware.
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Attracts, develops and retains a diverse team; recognizes the many dimensions of diversity and the particular harms of anti-Black racism and colonialism; considers equity in decisions and processes internally and externally; demonstrates inclusive leadership behaviors

Compensation: This position's annual salary is $200,000. This salary is reflective of a position based in Washington D.C. 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.

Benefits:

• Health: The Center pays up to 95%* of the premium for a comprehensive health insurance plan with no in-network deductible and best-in-class reproductive healthcare coverage, including infertility. The Center also offers Dental and Vision coverage. (* % may differ in various countries)
• Flexibility: The Center currently operates in a hybrid model, allowing staff to work 3 days in the office and work 2 days from home
• Well-being: The Center offers resources to help prevent and recover from burnout through different programs that enable mental, physical and community well-being. The Center offers generous leave including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave. We are also closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend time with their loved ones.
• Growth: You will be working with and learning from some of the top legal and operational minds, all passionate about the mission of advancing reproductive rights around the world. You will also be eligible for a stipend to use towards professional growth.
• Global: You will get a front-row seat to update on the fight for reproductive rights in the global space. You will also have access to Employee Resource Groups to connect to colleagues that share similar interests/backgrounds/views.
• Investment: After the first year of employment, the Center will contribute 7.5%* of your annual salary to a 401(k) (* only applicable in US and Kenya)

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Center is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage people from all communities to apply. If you are excited about this role and unsure about whether your past experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Our hiring processes and our work culture offer support and flexibility for staff with a variety of needs. Should you face an accessibility barrier in the application and interview process please let us know by contacting [email protected]. We will work with you to provide the accommodation that works best for you.

To learn more about the Center’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), please visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Center for Reproductive Rights

Learn more about the Center for Reproductive Rights, go to www.reproductiverights.org

FLSA Exempt Status: This role is exempt.

Union Status: This position will not be covered by the Center's Collective Bargaining Agreement.

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.

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 information as part of this process. If someone contacts, you on behalf of the Center requesting payment for your application please notify [email protected] before taking any further action.

Our hiring processes and our work culture offer support and flexibility for staff with a variety of needs. Should you face an accessibility barrier in the application and interview process please let us know by contacting [email protected]. We will work with you to provide the accommodation that works best for you.

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.

Center policy on visa sponsorship for US based positions: Applicants for employment in the US must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the US by The Center for Reproductive Rights.

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