Senior Managing Policy Director

Position open until filled. First review of applicants scheduled for August 31, 2026.

About the role

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 promised civil rights and liberties, are free to do so without barriers. 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.

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.
• Provide input to the PAD Director on department issues, emerging operational challenges, and potential resolutions.
• Analyze proposed and prospective legislation and regulations; provide 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, lobby elected officials and other public officials. Sit on government task forces as assigned.
• Prepare and deliver testimony; draft and review legal and policy advocacy letters and regulatory comments.
• Collaborate with the Communications Department to identify and advance opportunities to increase support for ACLU-WA policy proposals through public education.
• Provide legal and policy expertise to support effective message development and ensure 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.

Requirements

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

Qualifications

• Be committed to advancing the mission, vision, and values of the ACLU-WA.
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives.
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.

Work Environment & Conditions

• The ACLU-WA observes a hybrid workstyle, with some staff working primarily remotely while others work in the office several days a week. This position is required to work in the office a minimum of two (2) days per week.
• Input information into a computer for long periods of time.
• Access information communicated through a computer.
• Work some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Periodically work long and extended hours.
• Travel locally or regionally for work-related meetings and events.
• Mental demand: Decision-making, high emotional intelligence, giving and receiving feedback, and building trusting relationships. The nature of this work can be emotionally demanding and requires thoughtful and clear communication and resilience.

Pay

The salary for this position is $154,000.00 – $189,000.00.

Benefits

• Three weeks of vacation.
• Twenty-three sick days given in 2026.
• Twelve paid holidays and 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.