Senior Managing Policy Director

ACLU of Washington•Seattle, WA

1d•$154,000 - $189,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The ACLU of Washington (ACLU-WA) advances liberty and justice in the courts, in the legislatures, in the streets, and at the ballot box. Our work is rooted in the belief of a future where everyone in Washington, particularly those who have been historically and systematically denied full enjoyment of their civil rights and liberties, are free to do so without barriers. Defending and advancing these fundamental rights and core values requires exceptional staff. The Senior Managing Policy Director, reporting to the Policy Advocacy Department Director, provides operational leadership and oversight for the Policy Advocacy and Integrated Advocacy Departments to advance the organization's policy and organizing priorities. The role leads and supervises staff, supports the development and implementation of short- and long-term work plans aligned with organizational priorities, and fosters cross-departmental collaboration and internal alignment. The Senior Managing Policy Director also ensures policy initiatives advance ACLU-WA's programmatic goals and monitors progress toward defined objectives.

Requirements

BA required
Minimum two (2) years of experience managing staff or teams, including supervising direct reports, coordinating work plans, and supporting staff development.
Minimum five (5) years of experience with policy advocacy work. A track record of successfully developing and implementing policy advocacy campaigns.
Experience working successfully in a senior policy position that required significant political acumen.
Experience collaborating with organizers and working within integrated advocacy campaigns that incorporate policy advocacy, organizing, communications, and/or litigation strategies.
Awareness of, and willingness to engage in, the difficult and transformative work of challenging systems of oppression, institutional and structural racism, and implicit bias, with attention to this work as it pertains to both internal and external personal, organizational, and systemic work.
Demonstrated experience planning and implementing effective strategies based on realistic objectives, maintaining momentum, and evaluating progress.
Strong judgement, emotional intelligence, analytics, and problem-solving skills.
A diplomatic advocate with active listening skills who can connect with people from different backgrounds, build relationships across differences, and navigate and resolve conflict.
Accessible, flexible, decisive, and collaborative management style that inspires trust and confidence, inspires staff to work together in pursuit of a common mission, and holds them accountable for accomplishment of objectives.
Effectively provides clear direction, delegates responsibilities, and assumes responsibility for outcomes.
A compelling public speaker with strong writing and editing skills.
Ability to communicate complex and information to a wide variety of audiences and communicate strategically on controversial issues.
Excellent organization and time management skills to manage one’s own work as well as the work of others, ensuring timely completion of assignments and projects.
Competence with the use of office computer applications, electronic databases, and electronic legal research platforms.

Nice To Haves

JD or other advanced degree in the issue area a plus.
Experience or familiarity with immigration law, economic justice policy or policing policy a plus.

Responsibilities

Work with Policy Program Directors, organizing staff, and other departments to advance integrated advocacy campaigns, ensuring coordination across policy advocacy, organizing, legislative advocacy, litigation, and communications strategies.
Supervise multiple Policy Directors and other staff, providing guidance and performance feedback.
Hold staff accountable for work plans and work products and assist in overseeing the success of cross-departmental campaigns and projects.
Support and assist Policy Directors in the development and implementation of long-term priorities.
Manage the execution of campaign strategy and appropriate attendance to urgent and emergent policy needs.
Ensure Policy Analyst research supports PAD Directors’ needs, and that work products are comprehensive, researched, accurate, well written and delivered in a timely manner.
Work with Policy Program Directors and Organizing staff to promote cohesion among the various ACLU-WA issue areas, while mitigating potential conflicts and resolving issues in the work.
Lead and support staff in developing innovative policy solutions that are responsive to impacted community needs and priorities, sound policy, consistent with the ACLU-WA’s mission, vision, values and programmatic plan, and politically feasible.
Identify team needs to support increased cohesion, collaboration, and internal and external coordination.
Support refinement and successful implementation of the Community Centered Policy Development process.
Provides input to the PAD Director on department issues, emerging operational challenges and potential resolutions.
Analyze proposed and prospective legislation and regulations; providing policy and legal feedback to internal and external stakeholders.
Provide guidance and development on emerging policy issues in areas without an identified policy lead (potential areas of focus could include immigration policy, policing, education, and economic justice/reparations).
Develop and maintain familiarity with the ACLU-WA’s organizing theory of change and philosophy.
Support organizing and policy program staff in defining roles and responsibilities for engagement with impacted communities, allies, ACLU-WA supporters, and other community partners, and in developing workplans that effectively use team resources to develop and advance policy priorities.
In collaboration with the Legislative Affairs Department, lobbies elected officials and other public officials. Sits on government task forces as assigned.
Prepares and delivers testimony; draft and review legal and policy advocacy letters and regulatory comments.
Analyzes proposed and prospective legislation and regulations; provide policy and legal feedback to internal and external stakeholders.
Collaborate with the Communications Department to identify and advance opportunities to increase support for ACLU-WA policy proposals through public education.
Provides legal and policy expertise to support effective message development and ensures ACLU-WA communications about policy are accurate, comprehensive, and consistent with ACLU-WA goals.
Collaborate as appropriate with the ACLU national and other affiliates on nationwide and state-specific issues.

Benefits

three weeks of vacation
twenty-three sick days given in 2026
twelve paid holidays
two weeks of paid office closure
Employer-paid professional development
fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance
a retirement plan with employer contributions
student loan reimbursement
family care and adoption assistance
life insurance
an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass
ACLU-WA provides laptops, home office supplies, certain equipment, and technology support.
This position is eligible for a $150 stipend each month to help cover any additional costs while working from home.