Advocacy Policy Counsel

Summary 

The Advocacy Policy Counsel plays an important role in the Public Advocacy department to advance ACLU of Massachusetts’ mission to defend and promote civil rights and civil liberties in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The focus of this role is to conduct legal research and analysis, legislative drafting, and projects to support the organization’s legislative, policy, and non-litigation advocacy work; identify and inform ACLUM advocates of the civil rights and civil liberties implications of state and municipal government actions and proposed new legislation/ policy/ ordinances; contribute to local and statewide campaigns in priority issue areas; and foster relationships and collaboration with external stakeholders. This position reports to the Political Director, and works closely with colleagues within the Advocacy department, as well as other advocates across departments, to achieve statewide legislative and specific municipal-based ACLUM program objectives. 

The ideal candidate for this position brings enthusiasm and passion to the work; equally enjoys policy research, analysis, relationship building, and proactive collaboration with organizational partners; and is comfortable working across issue areas in a fast-paced environment. Strong candidates will have demonstrated the ability to conduct complex legal research and analysis, draft legislation for national, state, or municipal contexts, work with coalitions, and write and present clearly and convincingly about issues related to civil rights and civil liberties for both expert and general audiences. 

Essential Duties 

Research, Analysis, and Drafting 

• Conduct legal, policy, and legislative research to inform ACLUM advocates about the civil rights and civil liberties implications (federal, state, constitutional, and statutory) of government actions related to ACLUM priority issue areas. 

• Review, analyze, and synthesize the constitutional, civil rights, and civil liberties implications of existing and proposed state legislation, executive branch orders, municipal policies/ordinances, and similar matters, with close attention to how they impact voting rights and election law, due process, immigrants’ rights, racial justice, reproductive rights, rights of people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ rights. 

• Develop and draft local and state legislation, policies and ballot measures, policy models, non-litigation advocacy letters, and public education materials for ACLUM advocates to use in educating policymakers, community partners, and ACLUM staff. 

• Design and lead public records requests in support of priority advocacy campaigns, and assist with reviewing, categorizing, and synthesizing documents obtained, researching civil rights and civil liberties implications of the documents, and communicating those implications to ACLUM staff. 

Public Education, Coalition Work, and Community Engagement 

• Engage in direct civic engagement and coalition building to further ACLUM’s legislative and field-focused advocacy efforts. 

• Draft civic engagement, public education, and communications materials in consultation with the Legislative, Field, and Communications teams. 

• Present research findings, analysis, and other learnings to educate internal and external stakeholders. 

• Forge and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including issue area experts, cooperating attorneys, community organizations, public interest groups, civil rights groups, government officials, advocacy coalitions, and academics, to engage them in ACLUM work and support collaborative projects. 

• Collaborate on ACLUM projects with staff across departments, as assigned, as well as colleagues at other ACLU state affiliates and the National ACLU. 

Strategic Advocacy Projects and Campaigns 

• Engage in designing non-litigation advocacy campaigns at the national, state, and municipal levels to advance civil rights and civil liberties in agreed-upon ACLUM priority issue areas and campaigns, as assigned by the Political Director and in collaboration with other ACLUM advocates. 

• Help to implement strategic local and statewide advocacy campaigns to defend and advance civil rights and civil liberties in ACLUM priority issue areas. 

• Plan and manage advocacy projects to respond to threats and advance law and public policy in areas including, but not limited to voting rights and election law, due process, immigrants’ rights, racial justice, freedom of speech and assembly, religious liberty, racial justice, reproductive rights, rights of people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ rights, and other civil rights and civil liberties. 

Other Responsibilities 

• Special projects and other tasks, as assigned by the Political Director. 

Qualifications, Experience and Attributes 

• Juris Doctor or advanced law degree required. 

• Minimum of six years’ experience in legal system advocacy or practice. 

• Direct experience working on issue-based public advocacy campaigns. 

• Expertise in election, campaign finance, ballot initiative, and related state and municipal law strongly preferred. 

• Knowledge of legal issues and law reform related to immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, free speech, privacy, and broader civil rights and civil liberties, particularly where such issue areas intersect, a plus. 

• Demonstrated strength in legal research and analysis as well as legislative and policy drafting. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication, as well as interpersonal skills. 

• Proven experience in creative problem-solving and deriving insight from research findings and data. 

• Demonstrated experience and success in communicating complex legal and political concepts in a simplified, understandable manner for general audiences. 

• Superb relationship-building skills, as well as ability to inspire collaboration and mobilize stakeholders to take action. 

• Superior project and time management skills, including organization, follow-through, and ability to balance and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities. 

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 

• Attention to detail and commitment to producing meticulous work product. 

• Flexibility to learn and achieve proficiency in new issue areas, as assigned. 

• Experience engaging with and working on behalf of underrepresented communities. 

• Strong belief in the ACLU’s mission and work to defend and strengthen civil rights and civil liberties. 

• Commitment to diversity and inclusion. Respect for differences in race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability and socio-economic background. 

Key Performance Indicators 

• Timeliness and accuracy in delivery of research, analysis, legislative and policy drafting, and other written work. 

• Effectiveness in issue spotting and development of policy responses. 

• Clarity and timeliness in sharing content and insight to advance ACLUM’s understanding and advocacy efforts across departments. 

• Effectiveness in project management. 

• Agility in pivoting between current priority issue areas and achieving proficiency in new issue areas when needed. 

• Proactivity and effectiveness in cultivating, expanding, and maintaining collaborative relationships with issue-area experts, community stakeholders, government officials, and other external partners. 

• Effectiveness in coordination, communication, and collaboration within the Advocacy department, as well as with other ACLUM colleagues and National ACLU partners. 

Other Requirements 

• Frequent written and verbal communication, and ability to read and synthesize complex material. 

• Extensive reading, preparing, and analyzing information, in hard copy and electronic format. 

• Frequent and extended periods of being in a stationary position, in both an office environment and outdoor venues. 

• Ability to frequently and independently travel to various locations across Massachusetts. 

• Flexibility to work outside of regular business hours when needed, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends. 

Compensation 

Salary range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000, with consideration for and commensurate with direct experience. Benefits include 401(k) plan plus employer match, medical and dental insurance, and paid vacation and holidays. Reimbursement for mileage may be provided in accordance with ACLUM policies, when applicable. 

About the ACLU of Massachusetts 

The ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) was founded in 1920 and is an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nationwide, non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that works to preserve and expand the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Through strategies of litigation, advocacy, public education, and grassroots activism, we strengthen and expand public understanding of racial justice, juvenile justice, LGBTQ rights (including equal marriage), women's rights, criminal justice issues, equal opportunity, free speech and assembly, privacy rights, religious liberty, students' rights, voting rights, and reproductive rights. ACLUM staff are unionized and this position will be within the bargaining unit. 

ACLUM is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women, people of color, persons with disabilities, queer people, and formerly incarcerated people to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

This position will be based in Boston, MA and eligible for a hybrid work schedule, being in-person an average of three days per week, with the ability to be in the office on any given day as needed and assigned. ACLUM has a Covid-19 vaccine mandate, and candidates receiving a job offer will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to commencing employment. Exemptions to this requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law. Applicants should be aware that fully remote work will not be deemed a reasonable accommodation. 

TO APPLY:  Applicants for this position should submit a resume, cover letter that best expresses their interest and unique qualifications, writing sample (see further specifications in the application), and three references (two former or current direct supervisors plus one colleague or peer). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled.