Senior Counsel, Bolder Advocacy

Reports to

Interim Senior Legal Director, Bolder Advocacy

FLSA Status

Full time - Exempt Position

Location

Preference for California, but open to remote arrangements

Position Summary

Senior Counsel, as a part of AFJ’s Bolder Advocacy (BA) team, will provide training, technical assistance, write plain language legal guides, and engage in a variety of other communications with nonprofit and foundation staff, AFJ member organizations, board members, and volunteers to help them understand their rights and abilities to advocate, lobby, engage in election related activities, and fund advocacy.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance to nonprofits, AFJ member organizations, and foundations on federal exempt organizations tax and election law, as well as relevant state and local law that impacts advocacy organizations.
• Plan, conduct, and travel to provide nonprofit organizations with training on the laws impacting advocacy organizations.
• Write thought leadership pieces such as articles, op-eds, or blog posts that address current issues affecting nonprofit advocacy and foster discussion or attention around BA’s core issues.
• Develop new written legal resources and training curriculum to meet the needs of the nonprofit advocacy community.
• When needed, lead policy advocacy efforts, including lobbying to protect the rights of nonprofits to engage in advocacy and other subjects as relevant opportunities arise. This could include the drafting of briefs, talking points, explainer memos, regulatory comments, statutory language, or amicus briefs.
• Train and mentor other BA team members on difficult and complex legal questions and the progressive nonprofit advocacy and advocacy funding landscape.
• Represent the organization at conferences and other gatherings of nonprofits and foundations. Seek out opportunities to present at conferences.
• Network and build relationships with nonprofits and foundations representing priority constituencies and issue areas.
• Assist with publicity/outreach and logistics as needed to reach desired audiences. Promote AFJ content on social media platforms.
• Collaborate with staff from other AFJ programs to deliver appropriate program content, program activities, and special events.
• Manage grants and contracts to ensure that deliverables are met and relationships with funders are maintained. Take a lead role in discussions with funders, support BA leadership in proposing grant and contract deliverables, and participating in drafting of grant proposals. Oversee implementation of BA grants, and draft grant reports.
• Support the Development team and BA leadership in seeking out new funding prospects.
• Master and stay up to date on federal tax and election law for tax-exempt organizations and effectively convey the material to a non-legal audience.
• Become familiar with state and local lobbying disclosure, ballot measure, and campaign finance law in relevant jurisdictions.
• Offer training on AFJ’s capacity assessment tools for advocacy/organizing as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Law degree, bar membership, and 6 or more years of experience as an attorney, including at least 3 years specializing in lobbying, campaign finance, and / or tax law for tax-exempt organizations. Please note that we are also open to receiving applications from candidates with fewer years of experience (1-5 years) for a Counsel level position.
• Experience working at or representing nonprofit organizations.
• Experience conducting training programs and working with coalitions and community organizing groups.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills, including the ability to write quickly and clearly in plain English.
• Legal Research and writing experience.
• Proficiency in lobby and / or campaign finance law for multiple jurisdictions.

Other Desired Qualifications

• Experience developing, leading, or participating in nonprofit advocacy campaigns at the local, state, or federal levels.
• Experience handling federal or state compliance for an advocacy organization.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in Spanish or other non-English language relevant to AFJ’s work, including the ability to write clearly and quickly in that language in a professional setting.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a union position covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, CWA Local 32035, which includes salary minimums based on job position category. The Senior Counsel position is in Group 6 and has a salary minimum of $104,000. If a candidate for this position is better suited for a Counsel position in Group 5, the salary minimum is $85,000.

We also offer a comprehensive and generous benefits program, including:

Health
We offer medical, dental, vision benefits, as well as an employee assistance program for physical and mental well-being.

Savings
Save for retirement with our employer matching 401K plan. Other insurances include life and disability.

Time
We have a generous paid time off policy.

Family
We provide a range of paid and unpaid family leave programs that allow our employees to bond with and care for their children and other dependents.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer and communicate with others while doing so. On occasions, travel by train and airplane. Ability to work long hours when needed. All employees are required to satisfactorily perform the essential duties and responsibilities of their positions. The essential duties and responsibilities listed above are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position that is eligible for a hybrid work schedule (combination of in-person and remote work). General office working conditions, the noise level in the office is usually quiet. Some occasional evening and weekend hours may be required.

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities. AFJ’s non-management staff members are unionized with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, CWA Local 32035 and this position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Direct Reports

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but will assist in management of interns.

Racial Equity

Our employees share our commitment to increasing racial diversity in our movement and organization, integrating justice and equity into the work we do, and ensuring an inclusive organizational culture.

Alliance for Justice provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state,

or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Disclaimer

This description is intended to provide an overview of this position and is not all-inclusive. The incumbent in this position will be expected to perform other duties as required. Responsibilities may change over time. This description is provided for informational purposes only and does not form the basis of a contract.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants please reference Senior Counsel, Bolder Advocacy in your subject line and submit a letter of interest and resume on our website at https://www.afj.org/about/careers. (NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE).

Equal Employment Opportunity

Alliance for Justice provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.