Description

All the relevant skills, qualifications and experience that a successful applicant will need are listed in the following description. Title: Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy Unit: Policy and Advocacy, U.S. Program Division Center Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights worldwide. With offices in New York City, and Washington, D.C.; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; and Geneva, Switzerland, 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 270+ 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 $60 million and won the respect of law firms in countries around the world. Our global pro bono network includes over 2,000 lawyers across 6 continents, 64 countries, and 130 law firms. Last year, law firms contributed over $30 million USD in pro bono legal services.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 were in 2020. The Center has a 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. We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. The Center has also led development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights. It has built the legal capacity of women’s rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting. To learn more about the Center, please go to www.reproductiverights.org The Job: Amid an escalating assault on reproductive rights in the United States, the Center for Reproductive Rights is urgently seeking a bold, strategic, and visionary leader to guide the next chapter of our U.S. policy and advocacy work. The Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy will play a pivotal role in driving the Center’s response to an increasingly hostile legal and political landscape and in advancing transformative policy solutions at a time when the stakes could not be higher. Reporting directly to the Chief Program Officer, U.S. Division, the Senior Director leads the Center’s U.S. Policy and Advocacy Unit. It is currently a team of 31 members, including 20 attorneys and 11 professionals working across policy, advocacy, and operations. This role is responsible for setting and executing the Unit’s programmatic vision, ensuring that the Center’s federal and state policy and advocacy efforts are strategically integrated with litigation and corporate engagement activities to advance the Center’s mission and maximize impact. The Senior Director also serves as a key external representative of the Center–engaging with donors, coalition partners, policy makers, media, and other stakeholders to drive changes, elevate our priorities, and cultivate support for our work. Within the Policy and Advocacy Unit, the Senior Director will lead a cabinet-style leadership structure, supported by an Associate Director and a team of senior leaders with defined areas of expertise and substantive responsibility. While the Senior Director will directly supervise this senior leadership team, the Senior Director is ultimately responsible for the vision, cohesion, and overall success of the Policy and Advocacy Unit. This includes ensuring strong execution across all levels of the team, making high-level decisions on priorities and resource allocation, and fostering a team culture grounded in collaboration, transparency, and accountability. The Senior Director will also lead efforts to integrate policy and advocacy strategies across diverse forums and levels of government, ensuring that the Unit’s work is coordinated, mutually reinforcing, and positioned to maximize the Center’s impact. This position will be based in the Center’s Washington DC office in a hybrid model of 3 days in-office, 2 days working-from-home. Primary Responsibilities: Strategy Development The Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, in partnership with the Chief Program Officer, U.S. Division, is responsible for developing ambitious federal and state policy goals and advocacy strategies that advance reproductive rights and justice in the United States. They will ensure the Unit’s work is forward-looking, responsive to the political landscape, and rooted in long-term Center objectives. The Senior Director will work closely with the Chief Program Officer, U.S. Division, to ensure alignment with the U.S. Division’s integrated strategy and will collaborate with leaders of the Litigation and Corporate Engagement teams to maximize impact. As a key member of the U.S. Division’s cross-functional leadership team, the Senior Director will also contribute to Division-wide planning and organizational decision-making processes. Serve as a key strategic advisor to the Chief Program Officer and actively participate in the U.S. Division leadership team. Contribute bold ideas, asking critical questions, and helping to shape strategic priorities across Litigation, Policy and Advocacy, and Corporate Engagement. Collaborate with fellow senior leaders to develop and test new approaches to cross-functional challenges, ensuring that each team’s work is strategically aligned and mutually reinforcing. Identify opportunities for coordinated action on key issues, jurisdictions, and external developments—bringing forward creative, timely ideas that strengthen the Center’s overall impact. Represent the Policy and Advocacy Unit in Division- and organization-wide strategic planning and decision-making forums, offering insights that reflect both deep subject matter expertise and a broad, cross-functional perspective. Drive strategic thinking and innovation—developing long-term goals, fostering a culture of experimentation, and translating complex ideas into actionable plans responsive to external conditions. Programmatic Execution Having set the policy and advocacy strategy, the Senior Director is responsible for driving its execution—ensuring that the Unit’s programmatic work is carried out with excellence, coordination, and urgency. They are accountable for translating strategic goals into impactful advocacy, overseeing the quality, timeliness, and effectiveness of the team’s policy initiatives and external engagements. The Senior Director will ensure that the Unit’s work remains responsive to the evolving political landscape, aligned with organizational priorities, and supported by clear internal processes, strong team collaboration, and a culture of rigor and adaptability. Design the leadership structure of the Policy and Advocacy Unit, organizing the team’s work into strategic focus areas designed to foster collaboration, reduce silos, and support bold, multi-faceted advocacy strategies that operate across forums and jurisdictions. Oversee the Center’s policy and advocacy strategies across federal, state, and local levels, ensuring alignment with the Division’s integrated strategy and long-term goals, and provide strategic input on the tools and tactics—legislative, administrative, and regulatory—used to achieve impact across forums. Stay abreast of U.S. legal and political developments and regularly brief leadership on emerging risks, opportunities, and their implications for the Center’s strategy and operations. Lead coordinated rapid response efforts to political and policy developments, engaging external stakeholders to ensure timely, strategic action. Guide the development and execution of high-impact Center and coalition-led advocacy campaigns, increasing their reach, visibility, and alignment with policy opportunities. Manage the flow of information from the Policy and Advocacy Unit to the Chief Program Officer and Chief of Staff, ensuring they receive timely and regular updates to support effective decision-making. Proactively elevate issues through the appropriate channels to enable strategic guidance and responsiveness. Lead and contribute to the preparation of high-quality materials and updates on policy and advocacy work for the Chief Program Officer, CEO, Board of Directors, and other senior stakeholders, including in advance of meetings, events, and donor engagements. Partner with the Development team to ensure timely, strategic, and accurate reporting on the Policy and Advocacy Unit’s work for funder proposals, grant reports, and donor briefings. Provide strategic direction and oversight to the Associate Director, who is responsible for developing and managing systems for the tracking and analysis of proposed legislation and policy developments that impact reproductive health care—including overseeing lobbying reporting. Guide strategic decisions about the scope, structure, and utility of bill tracking to ensure it is purposeful, efficient, and aligned with advocacy priorities. Ensure the effectiveness of internal systems for planning, coordination, and communication within the unit, providing strategic oversight to the Associate Director, who is responsible for their development and day-to-day management. Track progress toward programmatic goals and ensure clear lines of accountability across the team. Identify gaps, risks, or areas where course correction is needed, and guide timely, strategic adjustments and prioritization. Coordinate with the Litigation and Corporate Engagement teams to ensure that policy and advocacy activities are mutually reinforcing and timed to maximize strategic impact Build trust and shared purpose among senior leaders working across departments, contributing to a cohesive organizational culture rooted in collaboration and a shared mission. Leverage the expertise of pro bono counsel to expand the Center’s capacity and enhance the effectiveness of its legal and policy work. External Engagement Lead the Policy and Advocacy Unit’s external-facing strategy and represent the Center with a wide range of stakeholders, including donors, coalition partners, the media, advocacy communities, pro bono partners, and federal, state, and local elected officials, appointees, and their staff. The Senior Director will serve as a key public voice for the Center’s policy and advocacy work and play a critical role in strengthening external partnerships, enhancing the Center’s visibility, and advancing its strategic objectives. This role requires a strong presence in public and coalition spaces and will involve approximately 25% travel for in-person meetings, conferences, and events. Represent the Center and the policy and advocacy work in external coalitions, at public events, and in strategic partnerships, elevating the Center’s visibility and leadership in the field. Expand and strengthen the Center’s presence in coalition spaces by cultivating relationships across reproductive rights and broader social justice movements and identifying new opportunities for leadership and collaboration in policy development and advocacy. Participate in donor-facing meetings, briefings, and communications, in coordination with the Development team. Serve as a spokesperson for the Center and the policy and advocacy work in media engagements, in collaboration with the Communications team. Build and maintain trusted relationships with legal and advocacy partners to support strategic alignment, collaboration, and information sharing. Build and maintain intentional relationships with local and diverse community-based partners—particularly those serving or led by historically marginalized groups—to ensure the Policy and Advocacy Unit’s work is grounded in lived experience and aligned with community needs. Ensure the Policy and Advocacy Unit’s external messaging is aligned with the Center’s integrated strategy and organizational values. Lead the Policy and Advocacy Team The Senior Director will provide unified leadership for the Policy and Advocacy Unit, fostering a cohesive and aligned team while directly supervising the Associate Director and senior leaders who manage distinct teams and workstreams. The Senior Director of Policy is responsible for ensuring these leaders have the guidance, resources, and feedback needed to succeed, while cultivating a strong, inclusive team culture grounded in transparency, accountability, and collaboration. This role calls for someone who can address challenges proactively and create an environment in which all team members feel supported, empowered, and able to thrive. Convene and lead regular cabinet-level meetings with the Senior Counsels and Associate Director to ensure coordination across policy and advocacy workstreams and support integrated strategic decision-making for the unit as a whole. Conduct regular check-ins with each senior team member to review priorities, assess progress, and ensure alignment with unit- and division-wide goals. Ensure senior team members have the support and guidance needed to manage their own teams and workstreams Address personnel or operational challenges with transparency and care, supporting a problem-solving culture and timely resolution of issues. Cultivate an inclusive team that values open communication, shared ownership of successes and setbacks, and a commitment to professional growth, equity, and well-being. Inspire commitment and build high-performing teams by developing and empowering staff, mentoring future leaders, and fostering a results-oriented culture grounded in clear direction, delegation, and open dialogue. Communicate with clarity and purpose, share decisions transparently, and build strong relationships internally and externally—including across lines of authority—through emotional intelligence, strategic foresight, and interpersonal savvy. Model the Center’s core values (global inclusivity, integrity, impact, and excellence) with courage, self-awareness, and a steady, non-reactive presence. Demonstrate humility, learn from experience, and lead with confidence and composure. Compensation: The annual salary for this position is $245,000. This salary will be subject to a downward locality adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside the location listed in this posting. Union Status: This position is not within the Center’s collective bargaining unit. FLSA Exempt Status: This is an exempt position. Job Band: Senior Director (L11) Benefits: Health: The Center provides 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. 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 provides generous leave, including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave. We are closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend winter holiday time with their loved ones. Investment: After the first year of employment, the Center will contribute 7.5%* of your annual salary to a 401(k) (*applicable only 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 but unsure about whether your experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles. To learn more about the Center’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, please visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Center for Reproductive Rights . Center policy on visa sponsorship for U.S.-based positions: Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by The Center for Reproductive Rights. Requirements 20+ years of professional experience with at least 15 years in a legal or policy setting, and at least 10 years supervising a team of 10 or more J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school and active D.C. Bar membership, or eligibility and willingness to obtain D.C. Bar membership promptly upon hire This position is based in Washington D.C.; candidates must be located in or willing to relocate to Washington D.C. Ability to travel up to 25% of the time, including for conferences, meetings with partners, donor engagements, and team retreats Qualifications: Strong commitment to the Center's mission, purpose, and values Strong understanding of the political landscape and the policy-making process. Significant experience influencing government policy is required Demonstrated experience in both federal and state legislative and policy advocacy, with the ability to advance strategic objectives across jurisdictions and forums strongly preferred Strong advocacy skills, including the ability to engage and persuade policymakers, build coalitions, and move partners and decision-makers through diplomacy, credibility, and strategic communication Strong foundation in legislative and administrative policy, including demonstrated skills in policy analysis and writing Experience working in government is desirable but not required Some litigation experience is desirable but not essential Demonstrated experience leading policy and advocacy teams or programs in alignment with broader organizational strategies, preferably in mission-driven, political, or advocacy contexts Experience in reproductive rights, health, or justice is preferred but not required. A strong track record of advancing social justice through work in nonprofit, government, or pro bono contexts. Experience may span issue areas such as racial and gender equity, LGBTQ rights, disability justice, democracy, economic justice, criminal justice reform, environmental justice, or health equity Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages for a range of audiences including donors, media, and external partners. Proven ability to build credibility and trust with colleagues at all levels, including senior leaders, direct reports, and external stakeholders A proactive and bold leadership approach—comfortable raising questions, surfacing tensions, and pushing for clarity and alignment in pursuit of shared goals. High degree of self-awareness and resilience, with a track record of learning from setbacks and modeling steadiness in dynamic or high-pressure environments Discretion and sound judgment, including a strong track record of handling confidential or sensitive information Detail-oriented and highly organized, with the ability to manage competing priorities and operate with agility in fast-paced environments Ability to give and receive feedback professionally, and to provide openness and honesty in communications Ability to work in a multicultural, diverse, and highly performance-driven environment

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