Senior Policy Associate

About Acacia Center for Justice:

The Acacia Center for Justice (“Acacia”) provides legal support and representation to immigrants facing deportation through the development, coordination, and management of national networks of legal services providers serving immigrants across the country. Acacia’s goals are twofold: to support immigrant legal services and defense networks to provide exceptional legal services to immigrants; and to advocate for the expansion of these programs and the infrastructure critical to guaranteeing immigrants access to justice, fairness, and freedom. Acacia ensures accountable, independent, zealous, and person-centered legal services and representation to protect the rights of all immigrants.

Job Summary:

Acacia seeks a collaborative, committed Senior Policy Associate to assist in developing and executing Acacia’s federal policy advocacy in addition to a small portion of time supporting Acacia’s state/local advocacy portfolio. The Senior Policy Associate reports to the Director of Federal Policy and works closely with Acacia’s Director of Community Partnerships and Local and State Policy. The position is remote; availability for in-person work in Washington D.C. is highly preferred.

The Senior Policy Associate has a demonstrated commitment to immigrants’ rights and combines a fluency in policy advocacy with strong policy research, analysis, and writing skills.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:

Primary position duties include, but are not limited to:

• Develop strategic relationships with stakeholders in the immigration policy space, including Congressional staff and agency personnel (including HHS and DOJ), to advance Acacia’s policy goals.
• Participate in meetings with elected officials and their staff, administration officials, and agency personnel to share information about, convey the positive impact of, and articulate the needed support for Acacia’s federal programs.
• Participate in policy coalition, campaign, and ally spaces to advance Acacia’s mission, vision, values, and program and strategic goals, with primary focus on the policy goal of ensuring zealous and person-centered legal defense for all immigrants.
• Coordinate with Acacia teams, including program teams; Research, Data Analytics and Evaluation; and Communications, to create resources required for external-facing policy advocacy.
• Cultivate expertise on legal and policy questions to prepare, and have at the ready, resources required to guide policy makers to answers and resolutions that are aligned with Acacia’s strategic goals.
• As needed, coordinate and collaborate with the Director of Community Partnerships and Local and State Policy to ensure alignment between federal and local/state policy priorities. This might include, but is not limited to, supporting drafting of policy materials and attending coalition meetings.

Required Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• Strong and demonstrated mission alignment with Acacia’s work.
• Strong public policy research, analysis, writing, and oral presentation skills.
• Ability to take a self-directed, can-do approach.
• Broad knowledge of the United States immigration court and detention systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to collaborate and exercise leadership in allied coalition, partnership, and federal policy spaces. Deep commitment to race, equity, and inclusion, and to treating colleagues, regardless of organizational hierarchy, with empathy, patience, and person-centeredness.
• Demonstrated skill and ability required to respond, including on ad-hoc or short timelines, to federal and state/local policy threats or opportunities that may arise in relation to Acacia’s work.
• Ability to envision policy innovation building on Acacia’s current work and / or innovation that effectively leverages Acacia’s expertise towards Acacia’s strategic policy goals.
• Ability to pursue both the immediate mechanics of federal policy advocacy – e.g., stakeholder meetings with government officials – and to do so in connection with Acacia’s big-picture strategic goals, with emphasis on codifying at the federal level the legal, policy, and program infrastructure required to provide high-quality, person-centered legal defense to all immigrants.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• JD/MPP/MPA (or comparable second degree) and practice experience at policy level.
• Previous service as Congressional staff, particularly on committees of jurisdiction over HHS, DOJ, or DHS.
• Experience drafting regulatory language or preparing comments to federal regulations, or other relevant regulatory experience.
• Because this position includes meeting with federal government officials, which may be in person, applicants who live in the Washington, D.C. area are highly preferred.

Education and Experience:

• JD/MPA (or comparable second degree); in lieu of degree, relevant life and/or employment experience may be considered.
• 4-7 years of immigration public policy experience, including significant public policy research and writing experience.

Compensation and Benefits:

Acacia has established an internal compensation philosophy that centers equity and pay transparency. The salary for this position is set at $96,000. The salary listed is just one component of Acacia’s total compensation package for employees. Supporting Acacia staff—both personally and professionally—is our priority.

• Medical/Dental/Vision- Some plans at $0 cost to the employee
• Employee Assistance Program
• 20 days per year of vacation time
• 12 days per year of sick time
• 5 personal days
• 4 organization-wide Wellness Days
• 11 observed holidays, including the last week of December.
• $2000 Professional Development Stipend
• Home office set-up stipend
• Internet Stipend
• 401k with 5% employer contribution, no employee participation required.
• Student loan repayment assistance.
• Gym Reimbursement

People of color and those who have been impacted by the criminal system and immigration system are strongly urged to apply. Acacia is deeply committed to race equality, inclusion and belonging and strives to create a work culture that recognizes everyone's unique lived experience.

To Apply:

Submit your resume and cover letter through the Acacia Careers site. If you encounter technical issues or have accessibility needs, email your resume and cover letter to hiring@acaciajustice.org with Subject: ATTN: Human Resources / [Job Title], Acacia Center for Justice

PLEASE ONLY SUBMIT THROUGH ONE METHOD.

Equal Opportunity Employment:

Acacia is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to recruit persons of diverse backgrounds and support their retention and advancement within the organization. We are committed to fostering a workplace culture inclusive of people with respect to their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, marital status, age, disabilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs, or any other characteristic. Our commitment to justice and diversity also means providing a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging.

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties, responsibilities and requirements but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function within our organization.

Acacia Center for Justice is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

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