Managing Policy Counsel

About Americans United

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a nonpartisan educational and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the constitutional principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure freedom of religion, including the right to believe or not believe, for all of us. Founded in 1947, Americans United(AU)is a diverse and dynamic organization composed of people from allwalks of life: lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, religiousleadersand impassioned Americans. AU includes people of faith and people whodon’tprofess anyparticular faith. It is a community that welcomes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions or beliefs, sexual orientations, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities. Because we work on a wide variety of issues with many different communities, we value what diversity and diverse perspectives bring to our work. 

Position Summary

TheManaging Policy Counselwill be a forward-thinking, passionate leader for change who is excited to lead and collaborate with a dynamic team and organization, working together to fight for freedom without favor, and equality without exception. The positionwillreport to the Vice President of Public Policy and be part ofthePublic Policydepartment’s leadership team,along with the Associate VP of Public Policy.

AU’s Public Policy department implements state and federal legislative and policy-advocacy strategies to advance and protect the separation of church and state. We build partnerships on the Hill, in state legislatures, and with diverse federal andstate stakeholders.The department’smain areasof work include: 

• Protecting and advancing the separation of church and state at both the federal and state levels.

• Fighting the misuse of religion to discriminate and causeharm, such as inundermining LGBTQ+ rightsandreproductive rights.

• Protecting secular public education.

• Fighting private school vouchers.

This isanexcitingnewleadershiproletoenvision andbuildout thePublic Policy department’s capacity to support integrated advocacy campaigns and projects for movement building and narrative changeatstate/local levelsinalignment with theorganization’sstrategic goals.This position will work closely with the Senior Director of Field and Organizing in the Outreachdepartmentas well as otherAUdepartmentstoensure strong collaboration and communication.This role will require creativity and intention to translate the Public Policy department’s technical policy workintoactionable organizing and outreach initiatives.

A significant portionof time willalsobe spent supervising AU’s policy counsel team, currentlycomprisedof three attorneys.Theirday-to-daywork includes:

• Analyzingand trackingfederal and state legislation and regulations 

• Draftinglegislation and potential amendments to bills.

• Writingletters, talking points,backgrounders, etc. with legal and policy analysis on bills—distributed to legislators, legislative staff, and coalition partners.

• Writingregulatory comments, coalition comments, and template comments for proposed regulations with legal and policy analysis.

• Developingstrategies for federal and state legislative hearings, debate, and briefings, including preparing witnesses and panelists; drafting testimony and questions that legislators ask witnesses.

• Leadingandparticipatinginnational and state coalitions and forge ad hoc coalitions by successfully recruiting and equipping other allied organizations toadvocate onchurch-state separation issues on legislative and regulatory matters.

• Working closely across AU departments so that policy work canadvance litigation, movement building, narrativechange strategies.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities 

Developand LeadIntegrated PolicyEffort

• Build and strengthenintegrated advocacy work between AU departments, with a special focus onbridging the policy work of the Public Policy department and the organizing work of the Outreach department.

• Collaborate across departments and partner organizations toinitiate, lead, and/or support integrated advocacy campaignsat state/local levelsthatintegratepolicy work withAU’slitigation, movement-building, andnarrative change work.

• Oversee and expand AU’s lobbying and policy efforts at the state level.

• Serve as a subject matter expert and policy strategy expert to partners, legislative and administration officials, and staff.

• Supervise advocacy, including lobbying, before state legislatures, Congress, the White House, and federal agencies.

• Build and strengthen relationships with partner organizations: represent AU in coalitions, run AU-led coalitions, and build ad hoc coalitions as needed.

• Analyze and research legislation and proposed regulations and policies; draft legislativeand policylanguage; draft and edit legislative and policy materials (such as congressional testimony, regulatory comments, and letters to public officials)as well as public-facingresources.

• Help determine strategic vision and direction for Americans United’s public policyprogram. 

Supervise Policy Counsel Team 

• Manage the Public Policy department’s policy counsel team to effectively advance AU’s policy agendaandtosupport AU’s litigation, movement-building, andnarrativechange strategies.

• Alignpolicyworkwith AU’s strategic plan and organizational goals.

• Providedirect supervision, mentoring, and professional development support to the policy counsel team and their work. 

• Organizetrainingstothedepartment as needed for skills development.

• Set clear performance expectations and support policycounselstaff in meeting them. 

• Support the Vice President of Public Policy and Associate Vice President of Public Policy as a thought partner in the Public Policy department’s leadership team, further developing and shapingtheimpact of thePublic Policy department.

Skills and Experience

*Research shows candidates from marginalized groups are less likely to apply for positions when theydon'tmeet 100% of listed requirements; please consider applying even if youdon’tmatch 100% of these criteria.

Americans United seeks an attorney who ideally: 

• Has aJ.D.and islicensed to practicein the District of Columbia or eligibleand willingto become a member of the bar of the District of Columbia.

• Has aminimum of ten years ofpublic policy or relatedlegalexperience (judicial-clerkship experience counts toward those years).

• Hasdemonstrablesupervisory or managerial experience, including experience with change management.
  

• Has experienceengaging in organizing, outreach, engagement, or other non-legal policy advocacy activities.

• Is a self-starter who takes initiative and gets excited about identifying and developing newinitiatives integrating public policy work withorganizing, outreach, and engagement. 

• Hasexceptional analytical,writing, and research skills, includingfluency in breakingdown technical legal conceptsfor resourcesgeared towards thegeneral public.
  

• Has experience and interest in training and developingstaff,including attorneys at all practice levels. 

• Has the interpersonal skills to collaborate productively with stakeholders of differing viewpoints, work across diverse communities (e.g. race, age, class, LGBTQ+, religious/nonreligious), and integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into our work.

• Is committed to advancing the public interest and the separation of religion and government. 

• Isdemonstrably committedto diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibilityandto fostering an inclusive and respectful work environment.

• Can travel astheir work requires, including conferences, in-person briefings, and speaking engagements.

• Canwork from AU’s headquarters officein downtown Washington, DCat leastonceperweek,andas needed,as determined by the VP of Public Policy and/or AU executive leadership.

Americans United welcomes applicants of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions and beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, socio-economic backgrounds, and abilities. Because we work on a wide variety of issues and with many different communities, we value what diversity and diverse perspectives bring to our work. 

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

This is a hybrid position that primarily involves working from a home officeand/or professional office environment. The role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and video conferencing tools. It requires the ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods, communicate effectively, and occasionally move about within the workspace.

Compensation and Benefits 

The salary range for this positionis $153,688.50 - $181,135.50.Thisstated range includes a 5% localitypay adjustment for the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The successful candidate’s placement within that range will be consistent withAU’s compensation framework, which is based on role placement and years of related experience.

Americans United offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid premiums for health care, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) with match, and commuter subsidy. 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

AU is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. If you need an accommodation for a disability to apply to this position, please let us know by emailinghr@au.org. 

Application Information

We will only be accepting applications from candidates who currently live in or would be willing to relocate to the Washington, DC metro area.