Director, Federal Policy

Job Description

Who We Are

The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) is a non-partisan, nonprofit research and policy advocacy organization that promotes financial fairness and economic opportunity for all, including families of color, rural residents, women, military personnel, low-income borrowers, low-wealth individuals, and early-career workers.

CRL provides a strong voice on both the state and national levels for these families to expand family wealth and financial stability through sustainable homeownership, affordable higher education, and support for small businesses, and protect their financial stability by preventing abusive products that trap families in debt and strip away their income, by ending payday lending and other predatory high-cost lending, exorbitant bank fees, and abusive debt collection practices. CRL's staff, allies, and funders reflect a collective commitment to eliminating systemic injustice in America’s financial services.

CRL is an affiliate of Self-Help, a community development lender founded in 1980 that has provided more than 9 billion dollars in financing to help over 185,000 low-wealth borrowers buy homes, build businesses, and strengthen community resources.

We are seeking a Director of Federal Policy for our Washington, DC team

Position Summary

This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior leadership role where your voice carries weight: you’ll set strategy alongside CRL’s President, supervise a talented policy and litigation team, and represent CRL as a spokesperson in the media and on the Hill. If you’re driven by the belief that financial systems should work fairly for everyone, not just those with wealth and power, this role puts that belief into action every day.

What You’ll Do

Shape Federal Policy

• you’ll lead CRL’s strategy for advancing our legislative and regulatory agenda, monitoring proposed legislation, drafting policy proposals, and guiding our positions on everything from mortgage lending to payday loans. you’ll oversee our Hill and regulatory engagement, working closely with issue teams to make sure CRL’s voice is heard where it matters.

Lead a Team You Believe In

• you’ll supervise our federal policy staff, setting goals, coaching for growth, and building a team culture rooted in inclusion and shared purpose. you’ll help your team navigate competing priorities and make the call on where CRL’s resources can have the most impact.

Be the Face of CRL’s Federal Work

• whether it’s a coalition meeting, a congressional briefing, or a media interview, you’ll represent CRL with credibility and clarity. you’ll build and deepen relationships with coalition partners, industry contacts, and allies across the consumer protection and civil rights space.

Connect Strategy to Impact

• you’ll sit at the table for CRL’s broader strategic conversations, helping leadership understand how federal opportunities and constraints shape what’s possible - and you’ll track and report on your team’s work so we can keep learning and improving.

What You’ll Bring

• 8+ years of progressive senior experience in federal policy, for example: Hill, regulatory agency, or comparable experience strongly preferred.
• Supervisory experience and a track record of building strong, motivated teams.
• Sharp strategic thinking paired with strong writing and communication skills e.g., you can write a comment letter and deliver testimony with equal confidence
• Comfort in representing an organization publicly, including in the media and on the Hill.
• A collaborative spirit: this role thrives on partnership, not solo work.
• A genuine, demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, including an understanding of how policy has shaped racial wealth disparities.
• Passion for CRL’s mission; interest and commitment to social justice work.

Nice to Have

• A JD, master’s in public policy, or background in consumer financial law, but we care more about what you’ve done than what’s on your diploma.
• Experience in civil rights, housing/mortgage lending, predatory lending, consumer law, or banking law.
• Experience and skill at building relationships with external partners and cultivating collaboration.
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest law, families of modest means, communities of color, and experience in racial justi