Policy Counsel, Corporate Engagement

Job Title: Policy Counsel, Corporate Engagement

Department: Government & External Relations

Center Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights (the Center) is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights around the world. With offices in New York City, New York; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; Geneva, Switzerland; and Washington, D.C., 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 230+ 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 $50 million and won the respect of law firms in countries around the world, with an additional $29 million annually of donated legal services, representing the work of countless lawyers from more than 46 countries.

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 are today. The Center has a track 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 (SRHR). We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. Additionally, the Center has led the development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights and has built the legal capacity of women's rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting.

The Role: The Center is expanding its external relationships and networks as part of its strategic growth. The person in this role will help organize companies around the Center's advocacy goals, ensuring they are aware of-and aligned to support-legislation that would protect their employees' access to reproductive health and rights. With a focus on government affairs and public policy leaders, this individual will develop resources and coordinate with partners inside and outside of the Center to prepare for advocacy opportunities, and to build capacity within companies to speak to public policy related to reproductive rights. The person will shape and implement the Center's policy and advocacy strategies for corporate engagement.

More broadly, as part of the corporate engagement team, this role will include planning and coordination for corporate engagement projects and events as needed. The person in this role will work with the Senior Director of Corporate Engagement and relevant colleagues on the Federal Policy, State Policy, and (to an extent) litigation/USP teams to establish and meet policy objectives. They will adapt messages to work for corporate leaders. They will work closely with the rest of the corporate engagement team, as well as communications and vendors, to ensure resources and engagement aligns to the CRR brand and other corporate engagement activities. Additionally, they will help build strategy within CRR's nascent corporate contacts, as well as with external partners like Don't Ban Equality, to bring companies together in support of policy that will expand access to reproductive healthcare and rights.

An ideal candidate thrives in a dynamic fast-paced environment, is extremely detail-oriented, excels in close collaboration across functions, can provide clarity from ambiguity, has experience in building partnerships, ideally related to policy advocacy, and has experience with reproductive rights policy. The person in this role will report to the Senior Director, Corporate Engagement.

This position is based in Washington, D.C., or New York City. Covid-19 Vaccination is required for all U.S.-based employees of the Center.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Ensuring corporate engagement strategy aligns with policy advocacy strategies:

• Helps build out corporate engagement strategy for public policy, and adapt it to a highly volatile political environment.

• Coordinates closely with advocacy teams within CRR to ensure we share information and best support advocacy goals.

• Takes a transparent approach to planning, messaging, and resources to collaborate closely across teams.

• Identify and develop strategic planning for long-term external partnership building (including corporations and movement partners).

• Maintaining/deepening relationships:

• Develops and maintains relationships with counterparts at partner organizations, both in civil society and within companies (primarily government affairs/policy counterparts).

• Attends and speaks at key meetings and conferences.

• In collaboration with the Program Manager, hones target lists and establishes follow-up cadence.

• Regularly contributes relevant information to the CRM.

• Prepare internal and external communications on key policy/corporate engagement updates and relevant emerging issues (with input from other members of the corporate engagement team.)

• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and provide strategic advice on corporate impact.

• Planning and implementing corporate engagement in key advocacy activities:

• Identifies advocacy opportunities for lobby days, sign-on letters, talking points, memos, regulatory comments, capacity-building events, etc., for government affairs contacts.

• Manages special projects related to corporate engagement advocacy work (e.g. Hill advocacy, ballot initiative corporate engagement, etc.)

• Collaborates with Program Manager and Senior Director to build an editorial and events calendar and ensure successful events.

• Collaborates with Senior Director and CRR communications and/or vendors to ensure the resources created are brand-aligned and valuable for companies.

• Coordinate a communications strategy in collaboration with the communication department to advance the dialogue on an employer's role in ensuring access to reproductive health.

• Collaborate with the communications department/communications experts to develop messaging for external partners.

• Develop and propose corporate policy positions and strategies that align with the Center's mission.

• Briefing senior leaders for key meetings:

• Identifies opportunities to bring in CRR senior leaders in front of corporate leaders who could support our advocacy goals.

• Draft briefs and talking points for Center leadership in anticipation of meetings with corporate leaders and other external stakeholders.

• Ensures that leaders like Nancy, Rachana, and Julia have the materials needed to prepare for meetings and events related to public policy.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 5+ years post-law school experience and at least 5 years experience in building partnerships, ideally related to policy advocacy and experience with reproductive rights policy.

• J.D. is required; licensed to practice law in Washington D.C. or New York State and be in good standing, or seek admission to the New York State or Washington, D.C. bar within 12 months.

• Strong commitment to the Center's mission and purpose;

• Familiarity with constitutional law and knowledge of reproductive rights issues, issues relating to women's equality, human rights, civil rights, or racial and social justice issues, or experience working with or on behalf of marginalized communities;

• General understanding of litigation and court strategy;

• Experience working within (or partnering with) the private sector;

• Experience with public policy;

• Proven ability to build strategic alliances;

• Must be comfortable with and available to travel regularly in the U.S.;

• Strong public speaking skills and experience;

• Experience writing for a variety of audiences;

• Self-motivated, entrepreneurial, strong interpersonal and collaborative skills.

Don't meet every single requirement? At the Center, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Behavioral Competencies:

• Develop & Manage Self & Others: Takes ownership of individual growth in order to achieve full potential; recognizes the value of team members and helps them develop their full potential while also achieving set objectives.

• Collaboration (People First): Works intra- and/or cross-departmentally to support the goals and overarching strategies of the Center and its strategic plan.

• Feedback (Improve & Innovate): Actively engaged in feedback cycles: Gives and requests feedback to and from peers, supervisors and direct reports about work products, behaviors, values, style, and approaches with a view on how this impacts self, other individuals, and teams.

• Accountability: Follow-through on each commitment made to individual contributors, teams and partners and proactively informs others of any delays that occur along the way.

Work Competencies:

• Project Management: Works effectively on project teams in order to achieve long-term project goal and objectives.

• Problem Solve & Make Decisions: Identifies, analyzes and resolves existing and anticipated problems, using common sense to make timely decisions in order to reach the best solutions for the organization.

• Internal/External Focus: Anticipates internal and external partner's needs; assesses requirements and identifies new solutions that align with overall goals and objectives of the organization.

• Communication & Influence: Communicates with and influences others to gain agreement and commitment to the strategic goals of the organization.

Compensation: The annual salary for this position begins at $125,000, benchmarked with years of experience. This salary is reflective of a position based in New York City or Washington, D.C. This salary will be subject to a locality adjustment, if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting. Note that most of the salaries listed on our job postings reflect New York, NY salaries, where our National offices are headquartered.

Benefits:

• Health: The Center pays up to 95%* of the premium for 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. (* % may differ in various countries)

• Flexibility: The Center currently operates in a hybrid model, allowing staff to work 3 days in the office and work 2 days from home

• 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 offers generous leave including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave. We are also closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend time with their loved ones.

• Growth: You will be working with and learning from some of the top legal and operational minds, all passionate about the mission of advancing reproductive rights around the world. You will also be eligible for a stipend to use towards professional growth.

• Global: You will get a front-row seat to update on the fight for reproductive rights in the global space. You will also have access to Employee Resource Groups to connect to colleagues that share similar interests/backgrounds/views.

• Investment: After the first year of employment, the Center will contribute 7.5%* of your annual salary to a 401(k) (* only applicable 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 and unsure about whether your past experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Our hiring processes and our work culture offer support and flexibility for staff with a variety of needs. Should you face an accessibility barrier in the application and interview process please let us know by contacting talent@reprorights.org. We will work with you to provide the accommodation that works best for you.

To learn more about the Center's commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), please visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Center for Reproductive Rights

Learn more about the Center for Reproductive Rights, go to www.reproductiverights.org

FLSA Exempt Status: This is an exempt position.

Union Status: This is a bargaining unit position represented by Local 2325 of the United Auto Workers.

How to Apply: Please complete the application below to apply. A cover letter and resume must be included in your application. Please include these application materials as attachments.

Please note that all genuine Center openings must be applied through the Center website. The Center does not charge a fee at any stage in the recruitment process (application, interviews, or selection). Nor does it request any medical examinations or bank account information as part of this process. If someone contacts, you on behalf of the Center requesting payment for your application please notify talent@reprorights.org before taking any further action.

Our hiring processes and our work culture offer support and flexibility for staff with a variety of needs. Should you face an accessibility barrier in the application and interview process please let us know by contacting talent@reprorights.org. We will work with you to provide the accommodation that works best for you.

Deadline for applications: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Center policy on visa sponsorship for US-based positions: Applicants for employment in the US must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the US by The Center for Reproductive Rights.

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