Senior Counsel, Reproductive Rights and Health

Job Description:

The Position

The National Women’s Law Center seeks a Senior Counsel to join the Reproductive Rights and Health team who will focus on working to expand access to birth control at the state level. The Senior Counsel will help lead the Law Center’s contraceptive access work at the state level, including identifying and developing policies to improve contraceptive access and supporting our network of state contraceptive advocates. This role is for a term limit of 2 years with the possibility extension.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain relationships with state advocates and policymakers to expand birth control access and ensure successful implementation of contraceptive access measures at the state level;
• Conduct legal and policy analysis of state-level legislative and regulatory proposals;
• Provide technical support to state-based advocates and partners, including through drafting analysis and talking points, sharing strategic thinking, and facilitating communications support;
• Maintain NWLC’s network of state-based advocates, by managing an active listserv, identifying new partners to join the network, developing, and facilitating information sharing such as webinars, facilitating NWLC grants to state partners as needed, and generally being responsive to the needs of state partners in the network;
• Identify ways to allow state advocates to share information and build relationships across states;
• Draft written materials, including factsheets, blogs, and letters;
• Identify and develop promising contraceptive access policies in the states;
• Represent the Law Center at coalition meetings and with the reproductive health, rights, and justice coalition broadly, as well as with key stakeholders in the states;
• Work in close coordination with other staff at the Center doing state-level work on reproductive rights & health and in other programmatic areas, as well as the Center’s Research, Strategy & Policy, and Marketing and Communications teams;
• Travel to states to meet with state-based advocates and partners;
• Contribute to the Reproductive Rights and Health team’s broader work at the federal and state level.

 Qualifications

The candidate must possess:

• A law degree and admission to a state bar with ability to waive into the DC Bar if not already admitted;
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience;
• Excellent research, analytical, oral, and writing skills;
• Ability to build trust and credibility with state and local advocates and other stakeholders;
• Collaborative and collegial approach, and an ability and desire to work in a team-based environment, and an orientation to the work that recognizes and values the contributions of all team members;
• A commitment to the mission of the Center, including improving access to contraception and abortion.
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience working on gender and racial equity and centering communities of color in their approach to work and in executing key responsibilities;
• Willingness to travel, (when NWLC allows staff to resume traveling), estimated to be approximately 15-20% of time.

Additional preferred skills and knowledge:

• Knowledge of and commitment to reproductive rights, health, and justice issues;
• Work on contraceptive access issues, either at the federal, state, or local levels;
• Experience working for or with state-based advocacy groups.

Key Relationships

The Senior Counsel will report directly to the Director of Birth Control Access and will work closely with other staff focused on contraceptive access, as well as other members of the Reproductive Rights and Health Team. May have supervisory responsibilities for legal interns or fellows.

Compensation & Benefits

A minimum salary of $88,100 who will be provided to the successful candidate who has at least 5 years of experience directly relevant to this role, consistent with the National Women’s Law Center’s compensation framework .

The Center offers a comprehensive benefits package, and four weeks of annual vacation.

NWLC is a non-profit organization whose headquarters and staff are based in Washington, D.C., with our office located in historic Dupont Circle. However, due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, all NWLC staff are temporarily working remotely. We continue to monitor public health guidance and keep safety, science, and flexibility top of mind as we evaluate what reopening looks like for our team.

Classification

NWLC recognizes a staff bargaining unit, NWLC United, affiliated with the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union/IFPTE Local 70, a union for non-profit workers. This position is included in NWLC’s bargaining unit. Specific employment terms are subject to collective bargaining.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a resume and a cover letter to SeniorCounselRRH2021@nwlc.org. Resumes should include exact start and end dates (month and year) of employment. In your cover letter, please describe how your professional background is a good fit for this position. Applications accepted until position is filled.

The National Women’s Law Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and values a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage and seek applications from people with disabilities; people of all gender identities and sexual orientations; people of color; and veterans. 

Reasonable Accommodations

If you require reasonable accommodations during any part of the hiring process, please email ldiala@nwlc.org.

About the Organization

The National Women’s Law Center fights for gender justice—in the courts, in public policy, and in our society—working across the issues that are central to the lives of women and girls.

We use the law in all its forms to change culture and drive solutions to the gender inequity that shapes our society and to break down the barriers that harm all of us—especially women of color, LGBTQ people, and low-income women and families.

For almost 50 years, we have been on the leading edge of every major legal and policy victory for women. Find out more at NWLC.org.

Apply Now