Job Description

Director of LGBTQ+ Family Law & Policy

Job Title:   Director of LGBTQ+ Family Law & Policy, Senior Policy Counsel

Location:   Flexible – must be comfortable working from a remote environment

Reporting to:  Chief Policy Officer

Compensation:   Salary commensurate with experience + generous benefits package

Background:

Family Equality advances legal and lived equality for current and future LGBTQ+ families through building community, changing hearts and minds, and driving policy change. We envision a future where:

• All LGBTQ+ families and youth live in communities that recognize, respect, protect, and value them.
• Everyone has the right and opportunity to form and sustain a loving family.
• Systems of service and support are free of discrimination and maximize opportunities for LGBTQ+ families & youth.

As an organization, we have prioritized anti-racism and integrating racial equity into every facet of our work. We acknowledge our history as a predominately white organization and are committed to ending white supremacy. Doing so is essential to our objective of full equality for all LGBTQ+ people.

Family Equality is a distributed organization, with employees throughout the country. The Director of LGBTQ+ Family Law & Policy is a full-time position and may work remotely anywhere in the United States.

Position Summary:

The Director of LGBTQ+ Family Law & Policy will lead Family Equality’s work on LGBTQ+ family law and policy throughout the country. They will lead efforts to advance our legislative and public policy agenda at the state and federal level, focusing primarily on relationship and family recognition, family formation and expansion (adoption, assisted reproduction, and surrogacy), and parentage. This includes legislative and administrative advocacy, grassroots calls to actions, and creation of written resources and materials to inform our families of their rights related to the various paths to parenthood and family formation. The Director of LGBTQ+ Family Law & Policy also will lead our work on amicus curiae briefs in key LGBTQ+ family law and family recognition cases, including identifying opportunities to file or join briefs related to LGBTQ+ family law, family formation, adoption, and/or parentage. This work is done in collaboration with our pro bono law firm or other LGBTQ+ movement partners.

As with all of Family Equality’s work, this position will have a storytelling component aimed at driving and effecting change, and lifting up the stories and lived experience of LGBTQ+ families and youth to highlight the inequities that exist, the impact of discrimination, and the need for legal and policy change. This will include defensive and proactive policy advocacy and legislative work throughout the country, engaging in public education efforts, creating of resources, and participating in and facilitating panels, workshops, and presentations. In addition, as a senior attorney on the Policy Team, they may assist with other state and federal policy issues that affect the lives of LGBTQ+ families and those who wish to create and expand them as needed to further Family Equality’s organizational mission and the Policy Department’s mission and strategic plan.

The Director of LGBTQ+ Family Law & Policy will report directly to the Chief Policy Officer. This position is highly collaborative, working closely with other members of the Policy, Communications, and Programs teams, as well as civil rights partners at the national and state level, state equality groups, federal and state lawmakers, and constituents.

Responsibilities:

• Carry out all work with a racial and economic justice lens and intentional incorporation of the perspectives of multiple communities, including communities of color and low-income communities, in consideration of impacts and outcomes of policy advocacy.
• Draft and advocate for state laws and administrative policies related to recognition of LGBTQ+ families and their right to form and expand them, including parentage, family formation and expansion (foster care, adoption, assisted reproduction, and surrogacy), relationship recognition, and nondiscrimination.
• Work to eliminate discriminatory parentage laws and other barriers to family formation, expansion, and recognition for LGBTQ+ people.
• Support legislative solutions to outdated laws such as laws that prohibit marriage equality or inhibit equal recognition of marriages of same-sex couples and LGBTQ+ families.
• Work in coalition with national and state partners to expand the rights of LGBTQ+ people to form families and establish and protect their legal rights as a parent and defend against legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ parents and their families.
• Provide legislative drafting and other technical assistance (such as talking points, fact sheets, tool kits, and action alerts) to national, state, and local partners and elected officials.
• Carry out all work with a racial justice lens and intentional incorporation of the perspectives of multiple communities, including communities of color and low-income communities, in the consideration of impacts and outcomes of policy advocacy.
• Lobby on key legislation, regulations, and policies related to LGBTQ+ family formation, parentage, and protection, including providing written or in person testimony or written regulatory comments to local, state, and federal agencies in support of priority policy goals.
• Work with our Communications team to develop and execute social media driven public education campaigns on legislation and issues that impact LGBTQ+ families and those who wish to form them.
• Participate in and facilitate strategic workshops, panels, presentations, trainings, and webinars.
• Conduct legal research and create and update written resources to inform and educate partners, allies, LGBTQ+ parents and families, and other constituents.
• Track and analyze state legislation, regulations and litigation impacting LGBTQ+ family formation, parentage, and protection, and identify opportunities for collaboration with state and local partners.
• Lead amicus curiae work in key LGBTQ+ family law cases, including identifying opportunities to file or join briefs related to LGBTQ+ family law, family formation, adoption, and/or parentage; collaborate with pro bono law firm or other LGBTQ+ movement partners to guide or assist with drafting brief, and lead story collection effort for “voices” briefs.
• Engage with press and media on issues of local, state, and national concern related to the role.
• Collaborate on an ongoing basis with the Director of Family Formation, who leads the programmatic and family engagement work related to the various paths to parenthood, to create and execute an interdepartmental work plan related to the various paths to parenthood.
• Recruit and supervise legal and policy interns.
• Occasional travel will be required.

Qualifications:

All candidates must enjoy a fast-paced environment, be highly organized without losing sight of larger objectives, and be committed to justice and equality for LGBTQ+ families.

• Law degree; licensed in at least one state; and a minimum of 7 years of post-law school legal or policy experience, which must include LGBTQ+ family law and/or policy.
• Expertise in LGBTQ+ family law and/or policy, including assisted reproduction, surrogacy, parentage, and adoption.
• Commitment to legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families and those who wish to form and expand them.
• Commitment to racial and economic justice, and an understanding of – or a strong and demonstrated desire to learn about – the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.
• Strong legal research, analysis, and writing skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including experience with written legal, legislative drafting, and policy document development and analysis; ability to communicate complex legal and policy issues in accessible ways to a variety of audiences; and experience with lobbying or advocating with government officials and external partners.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently in a remote work setting.
• Interest in writing and creating content and ability to translate complicated legal concepts into non-legalese and digestible content.
• Willingness to collaborate with people who are mixed across race, income, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, and more.
• Experience incorporating the perspective of multiple communities, including communities of color and low-income, rural, and/or southern communities, in the consideration of impacts and outcomes of a decision-making process is preferred.
• Interest in engaging with lawmakers and state agency employees.
• Ability to handle and prioritize appropriately multiple tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Strong interpersonal and team-collaboration skills, with a willingness to work across departments and teams, both internally and externally.
• Comfort working with a regionally diverse team in a solely remote work environment.
• Familiarity with and strong personal relationships with state and national LGBTQ+ organizations is preferred.
• Willingness to participate in professional organizations including the LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s Family Law Institute.

• An impeccable sense of discretion at all times, especially when under pressure; ability to apply sound judgment skills when giving, denying, or asking for information and conducting internal and/or external operations.

• Adaptable and able to adjust and contribute to a continually evolving work environment and ever-changing and evolving priorities while prioritizing multiple tasks in a timely, efficient and flexible manner.

Even if you don’t meet all of the qualifications, but feel you have something unique to contribute to Family Equality, we encourage you to apply.

Benefits Summary:

Family Equality is 100% committed to revolutionizing the workplace, with a goal of demonstrating to the larger LGBTQ+ Movement that a human-centered workplace based in equity and justice is an effective workplace, where we can thrive as we work to change the world.  Here is an overview of our benefits, plus below are some new ideas that we are working on:

• 100% employer-paid health premium for individual employee
• FSA / HSA options
• 3 weeks paid vacation, 10 days health time, 3 personal days, 13 paid Holidays
• Winter office closure between Christmas and New Year’s
• 1% employer 401k Match (plus discretionary 1% additional match when finances allow)
• Paid Family Medical Leave
• Monthly Day of Rest
• “No meeting” Fridays

The entire staff is currently evaluating various options to radically transform our work lives.  These ideas are in the evaluation phase as they will require a radical transformation of how we define work and hold ourselves accountable:

• A “take what you need” vacation policy (“We trust each other to care for each other”)
• A 4-day minimum workweek (or a workweek with 5 shorter days)
• A scheduled week off in the summer (complimenting our existing winter end of year office closure)

Leadership Philosophy

We are a team of enthusiastic, empowered, and capable professionals who love our work.  You don’t have to think of yourself that way to be successful here, but we think if you like a challenge, and if you enjoy being prized, valued, and recognized for your contributions, and if you’re ok making a mistake because you know that it’s through mistake-making that we grow the fastest – then this could be your work home.  We prioritize the employee experience because when you feel cared for, you’ll give your work everything you can. To thrive here, it’ll help if you’re very organized, able to see “now” and “later” both at the same time, and do it clearly.  That way, you’ll have a better idea of what to pay attention to.  But don’t worry; you’ll have a passionate, smart, and – most importantly – compassionate work family behind you.

To apply, please submit  a letter of interest, resume, and salary requirements inside Idealist.  (Director of LGBTQ+ Family Law & Policy)

Anticipated Search Timeline:  Interviews will begin the week of June 13^th, with the goal of making an offer by the end of June.

For questions ONLY, please contact Brandon Gill, Director of HR + People Operations, at

bg***@fa************.org











– PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT APPLICATION MATERIALS VIA EMAIL AS THEY WILL BE DELETED.

Family Equality provides a team-based environment and we value the benefits of a diversified workplace.

Family Equality provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

Women, people of color, transgender individuals and members of other underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply.

Family Equality performs background checks on all volunteers and staff members as a condition of employment.

However, Family Equality also supports and encourages people who were formerly convicted to be active in their community.

Background checks results that indicate a conviction do not necessarily disqualify you from employment – Family Equality reserves the right to request further information to fully assess an applicant’s candidacy in relation to the job duties associated with the position.

For more information on Family Equality please visit our website at www.familyequality.org.

How to Apply

Job Categories: LGBT. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: Not Disclosed.

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