We are looking for a Senior Policy Director & Counsel, Voting & Fair Representation, to lead Common Cause’s work to protect voting rights, ensure free and fair elections, and strengthen representative democracy. This leader will set the vision for our voting and fair representation policy pillar, lead our national Election Protection program, and bring together policy, litigation, legislative advocacy, organizing, and communications strategies to meet the challenges facing our democracy.
The Senior Policy Director will lead a growing team of experts and work across Common Cause’s national and 22 state teams and coalition partnerships to turn ideas into action. This role requires a strategic leader who brings deep expertise in voting and fair representation, strong judgment in navigating complex political and legal landscapes, and the ability to build programmatic strategies that deliver impact.
This is a full-time role reporting to the Vice President, Policy; this role is based in Washington, DC with an expectation to come into our office at least two days per week and travel at least six times per year. We hope our new Senior Policy Director and Counsel, Voting & Fair Representation will start in September.
Responsibilities
Lead our Voting & Fair Representation strategy
- Set the strategic vision for our voting and fair representation work across federal, multi-state, and state-level advocacy
- Develop and execute strategies that bring together policy, litigation, legislative advocacy, organizing, communications, and coalition engagement to protect voting rights and strengthen fair representation
- Serve as a national coalition leader and trusted expert on voting, fair representation, and election protection
Lead and grow our Election Protection Program
- Lead our national Election Protection program, including strategy, coordination, and execution across our 22 state teams and national partnerships
- Identify emerging threats to free and fair elections and develop proactive strategies, including policy solutions, litigation strategies, and rapid response plans
- Represent Common Cause in key national coalitions and help shape the broader democracy movement’s response to election challenges
Manage and develop a high-impact team
- Lead, mentor, and grow a team of voting and fair representation experts
- Manage a large team including direct supervision of policy directors and counsels: collaboratively set goals, coach and develop them towards these goals and support their career progression and retention at Common Cause
- Build a collaborative team culture focused on strategic thinking, bias towards action, creative problem-solving, and measurable impact
- Ensure strong coordination across Common Cause departments and teams, including litigation, legislative affairs, campaigns, organizing, communications, and state teams
Drive policy implementation and impact
- Work with state teams, partners, policymakers, and election officials to advance and implement pro-democracy reforms
- Translate complex legal and policy issues into strategies that move decision-makers, partners, and the public
- Provide expertise through testimony, media engagement, coalition leadership, and strategic guidance
Support organizational leadership
- Help strengthen Common Cause’s role as a leading voice in the democracy movement
- Ensure Common Cause is recognized as a trusted leader in voting rights and representation policy, influencing national and state-level policy, regulatory, and legislative debates
- Play a leadership role in contributing to organizational strategy, planning, and cross-team initiatives
- Perform other duties as assigned
You will thrive in this role if you have:
- A strong commitment to Common Cause’s nonpartisan mission and to advancing voting and fair representation
- A commitment to equity in the goals of your work and in how you work with others
- A track record of working collaboratively with others, with the ability to build rapport, trust, and credibility with multiple stakeholders with diverse interests
- Ability to navigate organizational and power dynamics, respectfully navigate conflict while maintaining your values, and influence others to adopt changes to meet common goals
- Innovative and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to navigate through ambiguity to achieve goals, and a resourceful approach to solve problems
- Ability to manage and meet deadlines for multiple short- and long-term priorities at once, with high attention to detail; strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage your time independently
- Ability to compel action through both written and verbal communication, including distilling complex concepts for a broad audience, and to differentiate communications as needed for various audiences
- Openness to feedback and awareness of your own strengths and areas for growth
- Familiarity with office productivity tools including Microsoft Office, Slack, and Zoom
The following is required:
- Juris Doctor degree and bar admission in one or more states
- Demonstrated experience in successful state-level or national public advocacy campaigns related to democracy, elections, voting rights, and civil rights, including creating and managing campaign or annual plans, from conception through implementation and completion
- Demonstrated experience with the legislative process at the federal level as well as in at least one state (ideally in multiple)
- Demonstrated experience leading complex advocacy litigation to protect voting or civil rights
- Demonstrated experience managing complex programmatic efforts, such as multi-state election protection programs
- Experience leading coalitions or groups that represent stakeholders with diverse interests to achieve a goal
- Experience managing and developing a team; setting strategic direction for a team, and building a unified approach to achieve goals
- A track record of leading organization-wide change initiatives
- Ability to work in our Washington, DC office at least two days a week, and to travel at least six times per year
- Willing to have a social media presence on behalf of Common Cause, including being tagged on posts and creating content on behalf of the organization (as needed, Common Cause will provide accounts for staff members to use)
- Per our nonpartisan policy, Common Cause staff members may not currently be in elected office (or running for office); on the Steering Committee or Finance Committee for any political candidate; or affiliated with the leadership of a political party
Additional information about this role:
- This position is classified as supervisory and therefore not included in the union-represented collective bargaining unit
- Common Cause is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time; please note that if hired, you will be asked to produce documentation for authorization to work in the US
Common Cause is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants of any race, creed, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, income class, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or marital status, as well as applicants who have been previously incarcerated.
Common Cause (501(c)(4)) and Common Cause Education Fund (501(c)(3)) are nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots affiliate organizations dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create an open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.
Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Washington, DC, Common Cause has members and supporters living in every congressional district in the United States, and offices in 23 states around the country.
Skills Required
- Juris Doctor degree and bar admission in one or more states
- Demonstrated experience in successful state-level or national public advocacy campaigns related to democracy, elections, voting rights, and civil rights, including creating and managing campaign or annual plans from conception through implementation
- Demonstrated experience with the legislative process at the federal level and in at least one state
- Demonstrated experience leading complex advocacy litigation to protect voting or civil rights
- Demonstrated experience managing complex programmatic efforts, such as multi-state election protection programs
- Experience leading coalitions representing stakeholders with diverse interests
- Experience managing and developing a team and setting strategic direction
- Track record of leading organization-wide change initiatives
- Ability to work in Washington, DC office at least two days a week and to travel at least six times per year
- Willingness to have a social media presence on behalf of the organization and create or be tagged in content
- Not currently in elected office, running for office, on a political candidate Steering or Finance Committee, or affiliated with political party leadership (per nonpartisan policy)
- Strong commitment to Common Cause's nonpartisan mission and advancing voting and fair representation
- Commitment to equity in work goals and collaboration
- Track record of working collaboratively and building rapport with diverse stakeholders
- Ability to navigate organizational dynamics, respectfully manage conflict, and influence stakeholders
- Innovative and strategic thinking with ability to work through ambiguity and solve problems
- Strong organizational skills, ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines with high attention to detail
- Ability to distill complex legal and policy concepts for varied audiences and compel action in writing and verbally
- Familiarity with office productivity tools including Microsoft Office, Slack, and Zoom
What We Do
Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. Founded in 1970, it works at the national, state, and local levels to create an open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest. The organization focuses on issues such as voting rights, campaign finance reform, ethics, and media accountability, empowering citizens to make their voices heard in the political process.
