AFJ Law Program Director

Job purpose

Alliance for Justice (AFJ) is a national association of over 140 organizations representing a broad array of groups committed to progressive values and the creation of an equitable, just, and free society. AFJ’s programs comprise three core pillars:

·        Our Bolder Advocacy program builds progressive power by providing nonprofit advocates with the training, technical assistance, and resources they need to comply with the federal and state laws associated with nonprofit advocacy. Bolder Advocacy is the nation’s leading resource for foundations and nonprofits who want to engage more actively and knowledgeably in the policymaking process.

·        Our Justice Program works to ensure that our state and federal courts protect our democracy and our core rights and values, preserve human rights, and provide access to justice for all. We research federal judicial nominees, educate the public and elected leaders about them, and advocate for demographically and professionally diverse nominees, who will protect our rights.

·        Our Outreach & Membership team deepens and expands the engagement of AFJ’s core constituencies, including supporting our member organizations with Bolder Advocacy, judicial nominations, and capacity building resources to advance their missions. We also educate and mobilize members, partners, and advocates with the tools and AFJ resources they need to advocate for courts that protect the rights of all us and defend nonprofits’ role in protecting our democracy.

AFJ is proud to launch AFJ Law, a new program to deepen our support of nonprofits’ advocacy, strengthen the progressive movement’s ability to advocate within the bounds of IRS restrictions on tax-exempt organizations, and ensure compliance to keep their organizations safe. Building on the success of Bolder Advocacy, AFJ Law will go beyond providing technical assistance to providing legal advice on clients’ activities. While AFJ Law’s scope will be solidified by the Program Director in consultation with the VP of Strategy and organizational leadership, legal services are likely to include providing legal opinions on lobbying and elections questions; compliance checks for organizations’ internal and external documents, plans and communications; review and support developing staff and board policies; and/or review and support of 501(c)(3)/501(c)(4) grant, cost-sharing, and firewall policies. By offering critical guidance on the most challenging advocacy rules and regulations, AFJ Law will empower nonprofits to be both bold and secure in their advocacy as they fight to advance their missions, protect their communities, and transform our democracy.

The AFJ Law Program Director is responsible for the overall strategy, management, and direction of the program. They are an experienced leader with a vision for how AFJ Law can establish itself as a trusted provider of and meet the progressive nonprofit sector’s needs for compliance legal services. They have deep, firsthand knowledge of the rules of advocacy with an eagerness to continually learn; experience providing nonprofit legal services; demonstrated staff and operational management skills; and the ability to represent the organization with nonprofits of a range of sizes and scopes, coalitions, events, media, and funder audiences. This is an exciting opportunity to build a program from the ground up to meet the needs of the movement as protecting and bolstering nonprofit advocacy has never been more important.

Duties and Responsibilities

·        Plan, develop, and direct AFJ Law to build progressive nonprofits’ power by providing legal services pertaining to 501(c)(3) compliance and risk management strategies related to federal and state advocacy laws;

·        Represent clients in limited scope representations; review, research, interpret, and prepare written opinions on relevant legal issues;

·        Work with the Vice President of Strategy, VP of Operations/Chief of Staff, and finance and administration staff to design AFJ Law’s structure, operational systems, and new organizational infrastructure to support AFJ’s expansion as a legal service provider;

·        Work with VP of Strategy and other organization leadership to identify priorities for AFJ Law’s client base, such as geographic, issue area, and size/scope of nonprofits to prioritize;

·        Identify staffing and consulting needs; manage (including hiring, supervision, discipline, and firing) staff and vendors;

·        Work with Bolder Advocacy staff to ensure advice/guidance provided by both programs is in line, and identify frequently asked Technical Assistance questions to inform the scope of potential AFJ Law services;

·        Stay up to date with and advise nonprofits on laws applicable to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, including tax code, election, campaign finance, and lobbying disclosure;

·        Provide timely research and advice when novel or complex questions related to tax code, election, lobbying, campaign finance, ethics, and other nonprofit laws arise;

·        Work with the Communications team to develop messaging and promotion resources to increase visibility of AFJ Law;

·        Oversee the development of AFJ Law program goals, future scope of legal services for program growth, and KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) in coordination with the VP of Strategy and organization leadership and report progress to stakeholders such as the Board of Directors as necessary;

·        Partner with the Development team to raise funds for AFJ Law, meeting with donors and funders and ensuring existing grant deliverables are met;

·        Work with organization leadership and finance team to develop and monitor AFJ Law’s budget, ensure maximum resource utilization, and long-term growth of the program;

·        Establish and maintain relationships with a diverse group of partners, nonprofit legal service organizations, and networks of nonprofit tax and elections law attorneys, representing AFJ Law as an established player in the sector’s response to attacks on nonprofits;

·        Work with AFJ’s General Counsel to develop internal policies to ensure adherence to legal requirements and best practices for legal service providers;

·        Develop policies related to managing conflicts of interest and other ethical concerns related to client representation;

·        Develop standard operating procedures for client intake, scope of service, retention, and termination;

·        Maintain legal expertise in state lobby and campaign finance law for any jurisdictions where Program Director maintains an active law license; and

·        Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• J.D., an active law license in one or more U.S. jurisdictions, and a minimum of 15 years of experience in legal policy or advocacy work, at least 8 of which must have been spent specializing in nonprofit advocacy, lobbying, and/or campaign finance law;
• Experience providing legal services and legal representation to nonprofit clients; drafting legal memos, motions, or similar documents; managing client relationships; and utilizing organizational systems required to do so;
• 5+ years' experience in management, with demonstrated commitment to inspiring a team and the professional development of staff;
• Mastery of federal nonprofit advocacy laws (i.e. tax code lobbying limits for public charities, 501(c)(3) nonpartisan advocacy, 501(c)(4) primary vs. secondary purpose activities, etc.), plus knowledge of state laws in jurisdiction(s) where you maintain an active law license;
• Experience in program development, including ability to develop multi-year strategic program plans and implement new priorities;
• Familiarity with the progressive nonprofit landscape, state of nonprofit advocacy laws, and regulatory climate pertaining to nonprofit advocacy and tax status;

·        Experience with, and working knowledge of contract review, negotiation, drafting and contract process management experience.

·        Ability to respond quickly to questions and issues with succinct and practical advice and to provide legal counsel geared to the goals and values of nonprofits.

·        Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to understand complex legal concepts and offer succinct explanations and counsel to colleagues and partners.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with experience and comfort in engaging diverse audiences and external stakeholders including high level audiences such as boards and funders;
• Innovative, with demonstrated experience driving big picture ideas from conception to implementation;
• Experience developing and managing organizational department budgets; and
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice causes.

Compensation and Benefits:

The starting salary range for this position is $145,000 - $150,000. AFJ also offers a comprehensive and generous benefits program including:

Health – Full employer-paid medical, dental, vision benefits, as well as an employee assistance program for physical and mental well-being.

Other Insurance – Employer-paid life and disability insurance.

Savings – Save for retirement with an employer matching 401K plan. Save on out-of-pocket medical and childcare expenses with a flexible spending account.

Annual Leave – We have a generous paid time off policy.

Sick Leave – 10 days per year.

Bereavement Leave – Employees are granted 3 days of bereavement for the deaths of immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.).

Family Leave – We provide up to 16 weeks of parental leave and a range of paid and unpaid family leave programs that allow our employees to bond with and care for their children and other dependents.

Physical Demands: 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer and communicate with others while doing so. On occasions, travel by train and airplane. Ability to work long hours when needed. All employees are required to satisfactorily perform the essential duties and responsibilities of their positions. The essential duties and responsibilities listed above are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. 

Work Environment:   

This is a full-time position that can be done from anywhere within the contiguous United States. The person chosen for this role may opt in to using workspace in Washington, DC. They should expect periodic travel to DC and/or other parts of the country where staff or clients may be located. The normal work schedule for all AFJ employees is Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. in their time zone, with a one-hour lunch break. Some occasional evening and weekend hours may be required. This position has supervisory responsibility. 

Direct Reports: 

This position will hire and manage a Program Manager and additional staff as needed.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility:  

Our employees share our commitment to increasing racial diversity in our movement and organization, integrating justice and equity into the work we do and ensuring an inclusive organizational culture.

AFJ/AFJAC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. AFJ/AFJAC prohibits discrimination against its employees and applicants for employment based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, sero-status and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or income.

If you require reasonable accommodations during any part of the hiring process, please email alicia.peyton@afj.org.

Disclaimer: 

This description is intended to provide an overview of this position and is not all-inclusive.  The incumbent in this position will be expected to perform other duties as required. Responsibilities may change over time. This description is provided for informational purposes only and does not form the basis of a contract.  

How to Apply:

Qualified applicants please reference AFJ Law Program Director in your subject line and submit a letter of interest, resume and writing sample at https://www.afj.org/about/careers/.

 (NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE).