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Public Policy Assistant

Employer
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Location
Washington D.C.
Closing date
Dec 3, 2021

Job Details

About Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU)

AU is a national non-profit organization that, for nearly 75 years, has been fighting for religious freedom for all Americans through education, litigation, and advocacy. We are a dynamic organization composed of people from all walks of life: lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, faith leaders, and impassioned Americans. Americans United includes people of faith and people who are nonreligious. It is a community that includes and welcomes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions or beliefs, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, classes, and abilities. Because we work on a wide variety of issues with many different communities, we value what diversity and diverse perspectives bring to our work.

AU’s Public Policy team fights in state legislatures, Congress, and the presidential administration for policies that respect religious freedom. We work to end the misuse of “religious freedom” as a justification to cause harm, including to discriminate against LGBTQ people and deny people access to reproductive healthcare. We oppose an onslaught of bills that would send taxpayer dollars to religious schools through private school voucher schemes, and advocate to ensure that public schools remain welcoming to students of all religions and none. These are just a few recent fights; we’re often on the cutting edge of civil rights battles and involved in the policy debates that make the headlines.

The Public Policy Assistant Position

Americans United for Separation of Church and State seeks a Public Policy Assistant who coordinates the work of the entire Public Policy team and conveys AU’s position to various audiences, including allies, AU supporters, and the public. The Public Policy Assistant will be managed directly by the Vice President of Public Policy.

Responsibilities include:

  • Monitoring, and analyzing legislation on the federal and state level. This person will identify and dissect relevant legislation and elevate it to the rest of the policy team.
  • Drafting and editing various advocacy materials, including blog posts and policy backgrounders.
  • Ensuring AU remains in compliance with state and federal lobbying laws. This requires researching state and federal lobbying laws and using judgment to submit filings and reports that are in compliance with the law.
  • Working with AU’s Communications and Outreach & Engagement teams to develop action alerts that inspire AU’s supporters to contact their public officials about key campaigns and bills.
  • Conducting research on specific legislative and other policy issues and participating in discussions on developing advocacy strategy.
  • Coordinating and participating in coalition activities.
  • Planning Capitol Hill lobby day events to take place every other year. This person will liaise with outside consultants, handle logistics, train attendees on how to lobby, and act as point person on the lobby day.
  • Occasionally managing interns by assigning projects and providing feedback.
  • Providing administrative support to the policy team, such as scheduling meetings, travel, and appointments, and reporting expenses.

You have:

  • A Bachelor’s Degree in a related field. 2-4 years of experience working in public policy, politics, government, law, or advocacy preferred. Experience working on Capitol Hill or at another nonprofit advocacy organization is a plus.
  • Strong organizational, analytical, writing, research, and speaking skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to balance multiple projects simultaneously while prioritizing the ones that are most important. You possess project management skills to keep yourself and colleagues on task and see large projects through to completion.
  • Demonstrated interest in progressive advocacy, civil rights, civil liberties, and/or church-state separation.

You should apply for this job if you:

  • Believe that the separation of church and state is fundamental to protecting the religious freedom and civil rights of all Americans, and you want to fight for it every day.
  • Want a job that allows you to grow your advocacy skills and learn firsthand how change gets made.
  • Would fit in on a team that holds itself to high standards but whose members genuinely enjoy our work and like to laugh. We take our work seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

This position is based in Washington, D.C., however, our office is currently operating remotely due to the COVID-19 health emergency. We are closely monitoring public health guidance and plan to return to in-person work in the D.C. office when advisable.

Salary Range:   $63,500 – $68,000 depending upon experience.

Generous Benefits: Americans United offers a comprehensive benefit package including employer paid premiums for health care, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, and a 401(k) with match and commuter subsidy.

Position Closes: November 30, 2021

To apply: Please send cover letter, resume and short writing sample (max 3 pages) to hr@au.org. No calls, please.

Company

About Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a nonpartisan educational and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the constitutional principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure freedom of religion, including the right to believe or not believe, for all of us. Founded in 1947, Americans United is a diverse and dynamic organization composed of people from all walks of life: lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, religious leaders and impassioned Americans. AU includes people of faith and people who don’t profess any particular faith. It is a community that includes and welcomes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions or beliefs, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, classes and abilities.

Americans United uses high-impact litigation, powerful lobbying and grassroots advocacy to ensure that:

  • Religion does not dictate public policy.
  • The government does not tell Americans what to believe or how to practice their faith.
  • Discrimination is not justified under the guise of religious beliefs.

Through a strong, diverse national supporter network, both on the ground and online, AU defends the separation of church and state and protects religious freedom for all in communities across the country. Americans United is a 501(c)(3) organization and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Company info
Website
Telephone
2024663234
Location
1310 L Street, NW
Suite 200
Washington
DC
20005
US

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