Voting Rights Fellow

Who We Are

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a 501(c)(4) organization, is the premier coalition of more than 240 organizations that promotes and protects civil and human rights in America. The Leadership Conference has coordinated national lobbying efforts on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957. To learn more about The Leadership Conference, please visit www.civilrights.org .

The Leadership Conference Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect civil and human rights in the US. Founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference, the Education Fund’s campaigns empower advocates to push for progressive change in the US. To learn more about the Education Fund, please visit www.leadershipconferenceedfund.org .

About The Role

We seek a Voting Rights Fellow to join our Government Affairs Department for 18 months. The ideal candidate will have experience in voting rights litigation, legislation, or policy and will be knowledgeable about a wide range of voting rights issues, including discriminatory barriers and other measures reducing access to the ballot. The Voting Rights Fellow will seek to elevate the importance of voting rights as a critical civil rights issue for all communities and work to secure, protect, and expand voting rights through legislation and policy. This position works in collaboration with interdepartmental disciplinary teams and with national, state, and local coalition partners to formulate, coordinate, and lead a legislative advocacy strategy to strengthen voting rights. The position provides support for the Voting Rights Task Force and seeks to strengthen its intersectional approach to protecting democracy.

This position will report to the Sr. Director, Voting Rights and is part of the collective bargaining unit.

What You Will Do

• Research and draft legal memoranda on federal bills and proposed administrative rules and regulations affecting voting rights.
• Lobby members of Congress, their staff, and administration officials to support coalition positions on pending legislation and policy initiatives. Coordinate legislative and policy briefings for Congressional and Executive Branch staff.
• Assist in developing educational materials, including reports, policy statements, congressional testimony, talking points, and fact sheets to educate policymakers, stakeholders, and the general public on voting rights issues. Writes and/or edits position papers and advocacy letters.
• Helps lead public education and collaboration on advocacy about the impact of federal legislation on voting rights in state and local jurisdictions. Provides analysis of federal voting rights legislation.
• Work with the Senior Director to convene and facilitate meetings of civil and human rights organizations to lead the coalition’s advocacy around federal voting rights legislation.
• Provide staff support for the Voting Rights Task Force and the task force chairpersons, including convening and facilitating working groups of the Voting Rights Task Force.
• This is a lobbying position. After hiring, the Counsel will need to register as a federal lobbyist.
• Perform other duties as necessary and related.
  
  

What You Will Bring

• A minimum of 3 years of legal experience working on voting rights litigation, legislation, or policy.
• A Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree is required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong legal research and analytical skills, including drafting and analyzing legislative language. Demonstrated ability to analyze federal and state voting rights legislation.
• Ability to work effectively, independently, and with a broad cross-section of organizations at the national, state, and local levels and internally across functional and operational departments.
• An understanding of issues relating to law, public policy, and the strategies and tools needed to achieve policy change using federal legislative, administrative, and regulatory processes.
• A capacity to organize, lead, and work with coalitions to achieve lobbying goals.
• Possess a commitment to civil and human rights issues.
• Ability to prioritize among multiple projects and in a fast-paced environment.
  
  

What We Offer

The position is a full-time 18-month appointment. The Leadership Conference offers its employees a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, and generous personal leave and vacation time. Staff can also take advantage of Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and a retirement savings account.

Salary Range – $95,000 – $100,000, dependent on years of related experience.

To apply, please visit our Career Center and submit your resume and cover letter. Cover letters are required and should be attached.

Office Re-opening Statement

Currently, staff has the option to work from the office or home while we determine our long-term policy on remote and hybrid work. Please note this position is not permanently remote and over time the person filling this role may be required to work on occasion or regularly from the Washington, DC-based office.

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace

The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.