The Director of Legislative Affairs is a member of the ACLU California Action senior management team and is responsible for advancing the ACLU’s broad civil liberties policy agenda before the state legislature and state agencies. Our policy priorities are aimed at dismantling systems rooted in oppression and discrimination through an integrated advocacy approach that employs rigorous policy analysis, lobbying, cultivation and accountability campaigns, communications, coalition-building, and grassroots organizing.

We are looking for a Director of Legislative Affairs with superb analytical skills, strong relationships in the Capitol, the ability to inspire, and lead a team of high performing lobbyists in advancing a statewide policy agenda. We seek a mission-driven, values-aligned leader adept at working in teams and coalitions and motivated by ACLU’s diverse range of policy areas, which include criminal justice and law enforcement accountability, reproductive justice, LGBTQ equality, gender, sexuality and reproductive justice, voting rights, immigrants’ rights, racial and economic justice, technology and civil liberties, and education equity. Each year, the ACLU California Action reviews and responds to hundreds of bills introduced in the legislature, while also sponsoring or being substantially engaged in a dozen or more priority bills.

Job Functions

• Identify, analyze, and track all legislation before the state legislature that affects civil liberties.
• Manage a team of Legislative Advocates and Legislative Attorneys; cultivating a collaborative team approach to advance our policy agenda while effectively delegating and balancing workload amongst team members, as well as having oversight of the work from all the legislative advocates and legislative attorneys.
• Facilitate a robust inter-organizational policy planning process each biennial that centers the priorities and needs of impacted communities, gathers input from 300+ internal and external stakeholders, and maximizes political opportunity while balancing against political challenges.
• Develop, analyze, and negotiate legislative and other policy and budget proposals, positions, and amendments, as well as produce advocacy materials, and generate and present committee testimony, working collaboratively with the government affairs and communications teams.
• Fosters collaboration with a robust network of fellow advocates, organizations, and allies with aligned interests, missions, and values.
• Develop, maintain, and leverage strong working relationships with members and leadership of the California Legislature, the executive branch, regulatory agencies, and other state-level policymakers, and their staff. 
• Co-create comprehensive multi-year strategic plan, inclusive of cutting-edge legislative campaigns that educate public officials, drive accountability against ACLU’s policy goals, and provide opportunities to communities that have been the targets of systemic oppression, and reform and dismantle inequitable and unjust systems.
• Build systems, processes, and tools to track, measure, report, and communicate on legislative activity, priorities, progress in real time.
• Design, manage, and execute integrated advocacy campaigns in collaboration with internal staff, affiliate staff, and external partners and allies that fully leverage rigorous policy analysis, strategic communications, coalition-building, and grassroots organizing.
• Serve as a spokesperson on ACLU issues in the media and at public events, as directed.
• Serve as a member of the Cal Action senior management team; providing input and guidance on organizational matters, supporting the budget development and management efforts, and liaising with the board of directors and funders as appropriate.
• Facilitate culturally responsive workplace conditions.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Juris doctorate (required).
• Candidates must have a demonstrated track record of success working with marginalized communities to advance a policy agenda that centers the voices of those impacted. (required)
• Experience as a registered lobbyist in the State of California.** (preferred)

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience navigating the legislative process, drafting, and introducing legislation, analyzing legislation, legislative strategy, implementing policy, as well as navigating the state budget process and drafting and analyzing budget proposals, and/or other related advocacy, including legal advocacy, in California and particularly at the State Capitol (7+ years).
• Demonstrated expertise with civil liberties and civil rights issues, and/or in one or more of ACLU’s core policy areas, including criminal justice and law enforcement accountability, reproductive justice, LGBTQ equality, voting rights, immigrants’ rights, racial and economic justice, technology and civil liberties, and education equity, preferably in California. (5+ years).
• Strong working relationships with California policymakers, including members of the Legislature, Governor’s Office, and state agencies.
• Strong political acumen and experience anticipating how political conditions in the Capitol interact with the legislative process.
• Demonstrated ability to work in coalition with social justice and human rights leaders that are impacted directly by policies we pursue.
• Managerial experience leading professional teams in pursuit of aggressive and challenging goals. (3+ years)
• Coaching and mentoring skills in the following areas:
  • Navigating California’s policymaking process and its procedures.
  • Developing and implementing effective strategies to realize policy goals.
  • Establishing and building strong working relationships with elected officials and their teams.
  • Drafting, analyzing, and advancing policy positions.
  • Communicating policy positions to legislators and their staff, members of impacted communities, non-lobbyist/policy partners, and the general public.
  • Data gathering and research to advance and enhance policy.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity, and belonging principles; proactively prioritizes these principles as a leader and hiring manager of a team.
• Organizational and time management skills to oversee a wide-ranging and dynamic portfolio (600+ pieces of legislation) of sponsored, support, opposition legislation and bills that are closely monitored; ensuring adequate time and attention to each, proper deployment of resources, and on-going communication with stakeholders to keep them engaged in the process and aware of progress and setbacks.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills to convey complex policy positions in simple terms and prepare compelling documents and presentations.
• Willingness to engage in the work “hands on” and take on a wide range of tasks and projects to advance our policy agenda. 
• Resourceful, diplomatic, team-oriented, accountable, and sensitive to the needs of our partners and staff.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a team environment and independently, with internal and external stakeholders, in large coalitions, and with diverse staff, activists, and public officials.
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills, enthusiasm, optimism, and ability to work across differences and power dynamics.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-stake environment and balance a large portfolio of work; ability to manage one’s time independently and respect agreements, especially around due dates, timeliness, communications, and strategy.
• Ability to work from Sacramento when the Legislature is in session.
• Proficient in common office communication and presentation software, such as Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Teams.
• Management skills to lead complex multi-year projects, develop and manage budgets, and facilitate change on many levels.

About ACLU California Action

The ACLU California Action advocates for the defense and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights in the State Capitol in collaboration with ACLU’s three California Affiliates: ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, and ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. We work to secure greater equality, equity, justice, and freedom for all Californians, working in coalition with communities and social justice leaders. ACLU California Action is a 501(c)(4)* organization federated with ACLU’s three California affiliates for the purpose of statewide advocacy.

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