Legislative Director, Courts, Justice, & Administrative Law

Earthjustice • Washington, DC

109d • $168,900 - $187,700

About The Position

This position provides legislative and administrative strategy development and implementation as well as oversight of a team of the Policy and Legislation staff working on Earthjustice’s court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues, including limited PAL advocacy in the states if applicable. This is a hybrid position from our Washington, D.C. office (minimum 2 days a week).

Requirements

• Eight years combined federal legislative and administrative advocacy experience.
• JD required.
• Proven leadership skills.
• Significant familiarity and experience with administrative rulemaking process.
• Substantial knowledge and experience with the federal legislative process.
• Experience with U.S. environmental laws required.
• Proven ability to develop and implement successful legislative and administrative strategies.
• Maintain leadership within D.C. environmental community on assigned issues.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, projects and deadlines.
• Excellent writing and oral communications skills.
• Proven ability to develop sound relationships with key staff of decision-makers.
• Detail-oriented and good organizational skills.
• Proven ability to work in diverse coalitions and with allies, and ability to grow these relationships.
• Experience in working with traditional and social media.
• Proven ability to work independently and proactively.
• Prior management experience a plus.

Nice To Haves

• Prior management experience a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the development and implementation of legislative and administrative advocacy strategies by supervisees as well as develops and implements same on issues covered directly.
• Directly lobby Congress and the Administration.
• Educate the Administration and Congress on key legal challenges and rulings.
• Serve as spokesperson for Earthjustice on court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues.
• Responsibly takes positions on policy and legislative matters relating to court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues in consultation with the V.P. of PAL, relevant supervisees, and, as warranted, relevant Legislative Director peers, Litigation V.P.s, litigators and other internal policy experts.
• Works with V.P. of Policy and Litigation and, as appropriate, relevant PAL, Litigation and Leadership staff in recommending positions on Presidential nominees.
• Develop, maintain and expand trusting relationships with senior staff of key congressional and administration decision-makers, including relevant congressional committees.
• Tracks legislation and policy initiatives relating to court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues.
• Develops or oversees the development of lobby and education materials by staff, including but not limited to fact sheets, letters, action alerts and blogs.
• Works with the relevant issue-based and PAL National Communications Strategists to develop media strategies and conducts media outreach and the creation of social media, blogs, op-eds and other strategic communications tools on court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues.
• Perform policy, legislative and legal analysis.
• Plan and implement initiatives, as well as oversee the planning and implementation of initiatives by supervisees, to educate the public and foster broader public advocacy for court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues.
• Plan and execute events, such as fly-ins, briefings and lobby days and oversee same by supervisees.
• Proactively seek out opportunities to advance policies in the federal, and when applicable state, legislative and regulatory arenas.
• Creates and maintains a leadership position within the D.C. environmental community and when applicable state and local environmental and justice communities on assigned issue areas.
• Represent Earthjustice in coalitions and with partners on assigned issues.
• Create opportunities for partners and allies to engage in education and advocacy on assigned issues and to be engaged in strategy development as appropriate.
• Cultivate and expands deep and trusting relationships with clients, partners, and coalitions in support of court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues.
• Coordinate briefings, seminars, and informational sessions with clients and partners as well as support partners’ Hill/administration outreach as appropriate.
• Serve on the PAL Managers Team and meaningfully contribute to same.
• Liaison with Earthjustice Vice Presidents of Litigation, relevant Practice/Working Group chairs, litigators as well as PAL and National Communications Strategists.
• Contributes to organization-wide annual and strategic planning, including serving on planning working groups and/or delegating team members to do so.
• Contribute to department-wide advocacy and efficiency improvement strategies.
• Maintain clear communication and close coordination with PAL Vice President, fellow Legislative Directors and, as appropriate other PAL lobbyists, work you or your team are doing that may impact them, as well as on shared legislation or cross-cutting issues.
• Act as a team player, including assisting supervisees or other PAL lobbyists when time-pressed to complete actions pertaining to their assigned issues.
• Participate and contribute in strategy meetings regarding possible or pending litigation likely to impact advocacy efforts on covered issues.
• Assist PAL V.P. in developing annual budget, mid-year enhancements and establishing PAL issue priorities to advance strategic plan objectives.
• Ensure timely submission of attendance, time accounting and reimbursement requests.
• Regularly assist in fundraising efforts for court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues as requested by the Earthjustice Development Department and proactively flag cultivation opportunities when appropriate.
• Cultivate and lead a cohesive and supportive policy team around court integrity, justice system, and administrative law issues.
• Occasionally substitute for V.P. of PAL when the V.P. is unavailable.
• Hire and supervise PAL staff on the Courts, Justice & Administrative Law team and foster coordination and collaboration with PAL staff whose work intersects with the work of your team.
• Provide advocacy coaching, mentoring and regular feedback to direct reports.
• Foster a transparent and inclusive culture within your team and PAL.
• Supervise projects and other efforts performed on assigned issues by Legislative Assistants, Interns or contractors.
• Recruits and hires qualified candidates who fit position requirements and the work environment.
• Promotes change in terms of the expected benefits, as well as removing or lowering the impact of potential obstacles.
• Sets clear team direction that aligns with Earthjustice strategy, mission, and vision.
• Develops staff by identifying and encouraging training and professional development opportunities appropriate to role and creating development plans for all staff.
• Provides staff with consistent performance feedback — both positive and constructive — and acts as a coach and mentor.
• Creates a learning culture, by encouraging debriefing after completion of significant stages of projects.
• Resolves interpersonal conflict among team members and brings in outside facilitators as needed.
• Communicates regularly with existing employees and encourages staff to raise concerns and to provide ongoing feedback.
• Creates or identifies strategic opportunities for team building and individual and overall staff engagement with one another in order to strengthen teamwork, interaction and collaboration.
• Values and uses individual differences and talents to improve employee satisfaction and the quality of collective work.
• Celebrates successes and helps team members to understand and manage setbacks.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and excellent benefits that are comprehensive and competitive.
• Extremely congenial work environment.
• Casual dress code.
• Qualifying employer for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees