Full-Time Senior Policy Counsel (broadband, open internet)
Job Description
New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) seeks a dynamic senior legal counsel to develop and promote innovative policy initiatives that focus on broadband access and adoption, net neutrality, and competition issues.
OTI works at the intersection of technology and policy to ensure that every community has equitable access to digital technology and its benefits. OTI’s staff includes noted experts on an array of tech policy issues who work closely with a diverse team of policy analysts, legal experts, technologists, and associates. OTI is housed within New America, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States. The issue areas for OTI as a whole include surveillance, consumer privacy and security, freedom of expression online, platform accountability, transparency, net neutrality, broadband access, wireless spectrum, and more.
In this position, you will participate directly in the development of and advocacy for OTI’s positions and strategies in current debates over funding and implementing internet access for unserved and underserved populations, advancing net neutrality principles, accountability for internet service providers, transparency for consumers, and related competition and privacy issues. You will report to OTI’s Director and work alongside an enthusiastic team of other lawyers, policy analysts, associates, and technologists in OTI’s Washington, DC office.
Your Responsibilities
- Assisting the Director and project staff in identifying priorities and projects, executing OTI strategy, and developing advocacy and communication strategies;
- Conducting in-depth legal, policy and legislative research and analysis and developing policy recommendations;
- Writing policy papers, blog posts, press releases, testimony, agency comments, and legal briefs and memoranda;
- Representing OTI’s views before policymakers, press, and the public;
- Lead coalition meetings and represent OTI at coalition meetings.
- Developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with other advocates, academics, technologists, companies and communities;
- Working with OTI technologists to develop innovative strategies at the intersection of policy, technology development, and community engagement; and
- Representing OTI in the media and at policy events, roundtables, and conferences.
- Ability and judgment to serve as final approver on content for most routine content in their work area.
- Support OTI and project-related fundraising & development efforts, by writing assigned proposals or reports with minimal supervision, and begin building relationships with potential funders as opportunities arise.
- Support hiring and recruitment of OTI staff as directed by the relevant Director.
Your Qualifications
This position is designed for a senior counsel with demonstrated experience in Internet policy and advocacy.
Technological disruption, online discrimination, and the digital divide disproportionately affect the most historically marginalized communities in society, including people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with a disability. OTI is committed to centering the needs of these communities in our work, and we strongly encourage applications from people with a diverse array of backgrounds to support our mission and apply to join OTI.
Required qualifications:
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in law and public policy;
- A legal degree is required; current bar membership is preferred but not required;
- Knowledge of and experience with the following issues: broadband access and adoption (particularly impacts on historically marginalized communities); net neutrality; spectrum policy; ISP competition, and broadband mapping;
- Familiarity with relevant federal, local, and international policy institutions, including experience working in or with Congress or federal agencies;
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills and demonstrated analytical and problem solving skills;
- Experience working with stakeholders, public interest groups, and policymakers to advocate for these issues;
- Enthusiastic willingness to work on a wide and ever-changing range of Internet policy issues such as broadband access and adoption, net neutrality, cybersecurity, surveillance, government access to data, encryption policy, facial recognition, data portability/interoperability, international human rights and Internet governance, policing technologies, and privacy and security in internet-connected devices;
- A basic technical understanding of modern communications networks and technologies;
- The ability to multitask and maintain momentum in a fast-moving environment; and
- Demonstrated interest or dedication to fostering equitable outcomes across society and especially for lower income communities, communities of color, and other historically marginalized constituencies. This can be in either your personal or professional life.
Not Required, But a Plus if You Have:
- Policy experience related to competition policy;
- Familiarity with relevant congressional committees, including experience working in or with congressional offices;
- Experience working with technologists and an ability to translate technical concepts into language that is accessible to policymakers and others who may lack technical expertise;
- Demonstrated experience with public speaking and communicating with the media;
- Demonstrated experience analyzing statutes and proposed legislation; and
- Existing relationships with key stakeholders, including policymakers, the press, advocates, and tech companies, and experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders and organizations.
In pre-pandemic times, this position required occasional travel, i.e. approximately 1-2 trips per year for conferences and professional events, usually lasting 1-3 days, and frequently included walking as part of work and stakeholder engagement meetings. We anticipate that this kind of travel may begin to increase again in the near future.
At the time of this posting, New America staff are working on a hybrid schedule, and New America is continuing to evaluate when, and under what circumstances, staff schedules will change further.
How to apply:
Submit a resume, cover letter, and at least one but ideally two writing samples as attachments (one as a more formal analytical piece, no longer than 10 pages, and one that is accessible for a general public audience of under 1,500 words). Please be sure to include in your cover letter where you first heard about this posting.
The salary range for a Senior Policy Counsel starts at $92,000. New America offers a highly competitive benefits package that includes health care, dental, and vision coverage; a generous retirement plan with an employer contribution of 7% eligible after the first year of service, and dollar-for-dollar match of up to 3% of the employee’s salary eligible immediately; 20 days of paid time off (combined vacation and sick days) in your first year of employment and 30 days of paid time off in subsequent years; 12 weeks of paid parental leave; 10 paid Federal holidays; and an office-wide closure between Christmas and New Year.
New America is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce at all levels of the organization thereby creating a culture that allows us to better serve our mission, our employees, and our communities. We value and encourage the contributions of our employees and strive to create an environment where everyone can reach their full potential and drive outstanding results. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. This policy applies with regard to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits, and termination. This is a bargaining unit position.
How to Apply
Submit a resume, cover letter, and at least one but ideally two writing samples as attachments (one as a more formal analytical piece, no longer than 10 pages, and one that is accessible for a general public audience of under 1,500 words). Please be sure to include in your cover letter where you first heard about this posting.178 total views, 0 today