Managing Policy Counsel

Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Managing Policy Counsel leading and collaborating on advocacy efforts to protect church-state separation. Overseeing a policy counsel team and advancing AU’s strategic goals.

Posted 5/20/2026full-timeWashington • District of Columbia, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorLead💰 $153,689 - $181,136 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and Lead Integrated Policy Effort
Build and strengthen integrated advocacy work between AU departments, with a special focus on bridging the policy work of the Public Policy department and the organizing work of the Outreach department
Collaborate across departments and partner organizations to initiate, lead, and/or support integrated advocacy campaigns at state/local levels that integrate policy work with AU’s litigation, movement-building, and narrative 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 legislative and policy language; draft and edit legislative and policy materials (such as congressional testimony, regulatory comments, and letters to public officials) as well as public-facing resources
Help determine strategic vision and direction for Americans United’s public policy program
Supervise Policy Counsel Team
Manage the Public Policy department’s policy counsel team to effectively advance AU’s policy agenda and to support AU’s litigation, movement-building, and narrative change strategies
Align policy work with AU’s strategic plan and organizational goals
Provide direct supervision, mentoring, and professional development support to the policy counsel team and their work
Organize trainings to the department as needed for skills development
Set clear performance expectations and support policy counsel staff 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 shaping the impact of the Public Policy department.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Has a J.D. and is licensed to practice in the District of Columbia or eligible and willing to become a member of the bar of the District of Columbia
Has a minimum of ten years of public policy or related legal experience (judicial-clerkship experience counts toward those years)
Has demonstrable supervisory or managerial experience, including experience with change management
Has experience engaging 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 new initiatives integrating public policy work with organizing, outreach, and engagement
Has exceptional analytical, writing, and research skills, including fluency in breaking down technical legal concepts for resources geared towards the general public
Has experience and interest in training and developing staff, 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
Is demonstrably committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and to fostering an inclusive and respectful work environment
Can travel as their work requires, including conferences, in-person briefings, and speaking engagements.

Benefits

Comp & perks

employer-paid premiums for health care
dental
vision
life insurance
short-term disability
long-term disability
401(k) with match
commuter subsidy

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

J.D.public policylegislative analysispolicy draftingresearch skillschange managementadvocacylobbyinglegal writingtraining and development

Soft Skills

supervisory experiencecollaborationinterpersonal skillsinitiativeanalytical skillsmentoringcommunicationstrategic visionproblem-solvingcommitment to diversity

Certifications

licensed to practice in the District of Columbia