The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota is looking for a Policy Counsel to join our team! Specifically, we are seeking a passionate and dedicated Policy Counsel to support the ACLU of Minnesota’s legislative program and other policy advocacy efforts. You will be responsible for advancing the proactive civil liberties agenda of the ACLU of Minnesota at the state and local level, lobbying to defeat proposed legislation that threatens to undermine constitutional rights and individual liberty, and mobilizing coalition partners and community groups to achieve our objectives. The Policy Counsel position reports to the Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer.

At ACLU of Minnesota, we take pride in our reputation of more than 65 years of fighting the hard fight for people whose civil liberties are threatened or denied. And now – as we enlarge our staff to face the current threats to our civil liberties – is the ideal time to join us!

Working closely with many of the other community engagement, litigation and legislative policy team members, this Policy Counsel position will also play an essential role in developing and maintaining a healthy and thriving organizational culture that values the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging and making sure that we make progress toward our goals of fighting for systemic change and racial justice internally and externally.

Key Responsibilities

• Policy Oversight: Assist with the preparation of talking points, bill summaries, position papers, internal reports and presentations for ACLU-MN staff and lay leaders, or other documents as necessary. Draft and prepare proposed legislation or amendments preserving and advancing civil liberties.
• Relationship Building: Work with state and local lawmakers and staff, administrative agencies, the Governor’s office, lobbyists, and other stakeholders by providing clear analysis and resources.
• Coalition Building: Work in coalitions as aligned with the organizational strategic plan and represent the ACLU-MN in coalition meetings and community discussions.
• Research and Analytics: Assist with tracking, monitoring, and analyzing proposed Assist with monitoring the legislative calendar for committee meetings and actions involving tracked legislation. Conduct legal and policy research into civil liberties issues raised by proposed legislation at the state and local level and draft legal memoranda analyzing these issues.
• Legislative Reports: Work with the Policy team on overall legislative programs including the annual legislative agenda. Report to and advise the policy and advocacy team on strategic elevation of legislative and policy priorities as needed.
• Legislative Outreach: Lobby members of legislative bodies and their staff in support of ACLU-MN positions on pending Lobby administrative agency and state executive branch officials and their staff in support of ACLU-MN positions on administrative and regulatory matters. Collaborate with staff to implement integrated advocacy policy initiatives involving a combination of policy, legal, communication, public education, and organizing strategies. Policy Counsel will be required to register as a lobbyist for the ACLU-MN.

• Media Outreach & Education: Participate in interviews to the media regarding the civil liberties implications of proposed legislation or policy initiatives. Participate in public education efforts, including making presentations to ACLU-MN members and other organizations or groups about civil liberties related legislation, the legislative process, or other ACLU-MN priorities. Assist in organizing events, training, or membership activities, such as lobby days, related to our legislative or policy Represent the ACLU-MN in a professional manner externally, as well as within the organization.
• Project Management and Participation: Lead, manage, and/or participate on cross-functional project teams.

To Be Successful in This Role, the Candidate Will Have

• Commitment to Mission: Demonstrated commitment to and a strong understanding of civil rights, civil liberties, social justice, and the ACLU-MN’s mission, goals, and
• Commitment to Values: Alignment with the values of the ACLU-MN and professional commitment to advancing them.
• Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging: Ability to work in an environment that respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socioeconomic circumstances.
• Strategies on Legislative Issues: Advanced skills in strategic communications with the public sector, private organizations and policy makers about relevant legislation, policies and procedures relating to ACLU-MN.
• Advocacy Technical Solutions: Advanced skills providing technical assistance, writing technical reports, and policy briefs targeted to decision makers.
• Advocacy: Strong written and oral advocacy skills with advocacy assignments and tasks in the development sector projects.
• Communication: Strong ability to communicate and work effectively and respectfully with staff, board members, volunteers, and the general public. Skilled in communicating both orally and in writing.
• Self-Management: Self-starter with strong follow-through and the ability to meet
• Teamwork: Mastery level ability to build effective working relationships inside and outside the organization. Ability to think creatively and use non-litigation strategies to promote objectives, including building coalitions with ally organizations and public advocacy.
• Education: J.D. degree required.

To Stand Out from Others, You Will Have:

• 3+ years of legislative/policy work
• Professional experience in public policy development, legal advocacy, political campaigns, organizing, or government affairs work.
• Extensive writing and editing experience with a variety of print and online communications media, as well as experience working with media outlets at the national, regional, and local
• Advanced experience for design, page layout, font, and general
• Experience creating advocacy and membership materials including content for newsletters and member/activist email alerts, blog, and website.
• Media relations
• Demonstrated ability to handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.
• Experience with one or more of the ACLU-MN's strategic priority areas: racial justice, immigrants’ rights, criminal law reform, gender equity, reproductive freedom, or LGBTQIA+ equality.
• Available to work long hours and some weekends during the legislative

What Else You Should Know

Finally, our next Policy Counsel will bring a commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU of Minnesota, along with a personal dedication to a professional team that will bring us into our next 70 years as Minnesota’s guardian of liberty.

Compensation Range: $70,000 - $85,000; Benefits include medical and dental insurance, employer contribution to 401(k) plan, vacation, 16 paid holidays and sick leave, long-term disability and life insurance.

The position is based in our Minneapolis office, providing access to the best that the Twin Cities area offers. The ACLU of Minnesota currently employs a hybrid work environment with some level of remote work acceptable. This is also a bargaining unit position within the Minnesota Newspaper and Communications Guild.

Are You Ready to Help Lead Us into the Future?

TO APPLY:

To be included in the application:

Be prepared to upload. (All attachments should be in Word or .pdf format):

• Letter of interest
• C.V./Resume
• Three professional references (relationship, email address, and phone numbers).
• We at the ACLU Minnesota are committed to helping our team members do their best Our promise is to champion diversity, build an inclusive and belonging culture and do our part to create a more equitable world. Please submit a short written statement that explains how you can contribute to making our promise a consistent reality.

(Your references will not be contacted unless you are a finalist for the position.) Applications will be accepted through January 3rd, 2024.

ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, and record of arrest or conviction.

The ACLU undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions. We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact: jburman@aclu-mn.org. Correspondence sent to this email address that is not related to requests for accommodations will not be reviewed. Applicants should follow the instructions above on how to apply.

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