Director of Policy & Coalition Building

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel organizes its work through seven legal teams: Child Youth & Family Advocacy Community Development Consumer Rights & Economic Justice Homelessness Prevention Immigrants Rights Education Equity and our impact litigation team Opportunity Under Law.

Public Counsel has a staff of approximately 170. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color people with disabilities and people of all gender identities gender expressions and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation benefits training mentorship and overall workplace wellness making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Vice President Chief Advocacy Officer the Director of Policy & Coalition Building provides strategic leadership for Public Counsels policy advocacy and coalition-building efforts across the organization. The Director works closely with program leaders and staff to identify policy priorities strengthen coordination of existing policy work and develop systems that enable Public Counsel to leverage its expertise and resources effectively. The Director builds and maintains relationships with community organizations coalitions policymakers and other partners; provides guidance and technical assistance on policy advocacy; and helps connect policy work with Public Counsels direct services and impact litigation efforts. The Director also works collaboratively with the Directors of Litigation and Pro Bono the Communications and Development teams and other organizational leaders to advance Public Counsels policy goals and visibility. The ideal candidate is a strategic collaborative and highly organized leader who brings strong policy expertise relationship-building skills and a commitment to client- and community-centered advocacy.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Policy Leadership & Internal Organization

• Develop and advance a coordinated organizational approach to policy advocacy that supports Public Counsels mission advances systems change and amplifies the expertise of legal teams and staff
• Assess and organize Public Counsels existing policy work identify opportunities for coordination and joint advocacy and establish systems for tracking sharing and reporting policy activity and outcomes
• Work with legal team leaders and staff to identify policy priorities and develop strategies that leverage Public Counsels expertise and resources
• Develop and maintain internal guidelines tools and resources for policy advocacy including processes for developing organizational positions and addressing compliance lobbying and disclosure requirements
• Convene and facilitate cross-team policy working groups and other fora to promote information-sharing collaboration and coordinated advocacy
• Advise organizational leadership and staff on policy strategy including how policy advocacy can complement and strengthen direct services and strategic litigation

Coalition Community & Government Relations

• Build and maintain strong relationships with grassroots organizations community leaders coalition partners policymakers government officials and staff
• Advance a community-centered model of coalition building and advocacy that supports community-led policy initiatives and incorporates partner priorities into Public Counsels policy strategies
• Identify and cultivate opportunities for Public Counsel to participate in lead or support coalitions and policy campaigns consistent with organizational priorities
• Provide guidance and support to Public Counsel staff in developing and maintaining external policy relationships and navigating political and coalition dynamics
• Represent Public Counsels policy priorities with policymakers coalition partners community organizations funders media and other external audiences
• Build relationships with pro bono academic and other partners to bring additional expertise and capacity to Public Counsels policy advocacy

Policy Development Advocacy & Analysis

• Provide technical assistance to staff in identifying policy opportunities developing policy proposals and crafting legislative and administrative advocacy strategies
• Monitor and analyze relevant federal state and local legislation regulations and policy developments and help assess their implications for Public Counsels clients communities and policy priorities
• Support the development of legislation policy proposals comment letters testimony public comments policy briefs and other advocacy materials
• Work with staff and coalition partners to develop and advance policy campaigns including strategies for legislative administrative and other policy advocacy
• Help ensure that Public Counsels policy positions are coordinated consistent with organizational priorities and informed by client and community perspectives
• Partner with the Communications team to translate complex policy issues into clear accessible messages and elevate the visibility and impact of Public Counsels policy advocacy

Organizational Capacity Building & External Engagement

• Identify policy-related training and capacity-building needs across the organization and develop or facilitate training mentorship and other resources to strengthen staff policy advocacy skills
• Develop and improve systems tools and processes that make policy advocacy more efficient coordinated and accessible to staff across Public Counsel
• Work with organizational leadership and the Development team to identify funding opportunities and strengthen grants and other support for policy advocacy and coalition-building efforts
• Collaborates with the Communications Development and other organizational teams to advance Public Counsels policy priorities and external visibility
• Represent Public Counsel at conferences panels community forums meetings with elected officials and other public and professional settings
• Contribute to organizational leadership and agency-wide initiatives including efforts to advance equity inclusion racial and economic justice and community-centered advocacy

ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Bachelors degree with an advanced degree in public policy law public administration communications or a related field preferred
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in policy advocacy legislative affairs government relations coalition building public affairs community organizing or a related field with substantial experience leading policy initiatives
• Significant experience navigating legislative and/or policy processes at the federal state or local level with experience working across multiple levels of government strongly preferred
• Demonstrated experience developing advancing or leading legislation policy campaigns regulatory advocacy or other significant policy initiatives
• Significant experience working collaboratively with and developing and maintaining strong trusting relationships with community organizations grassroots advocates coalitions elected officials legislative staff and other external stakeholders
• Strong organizational and project-management skills including the ability to develop systems establish priorities track multiple projects and deadlines coordinate complex work across teams
• Inspiring collaborative transparent inclusive and approachable leadership style
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills including the ability to translate complex legal technical or policy issues into clear and accessible messages for different audiences including in collaboration with communications teams
• Demonstrated ability to assess an organizations existing policy work identify gaps and opportunities and develop practical systems and strategies to improve coordination and effectiveness
• Strong strategic judgment and the ability to distinguish among opportunities that Public Counsel should lead support monitor or decline to pursue
• Strong meeting facilitation consensus-building diplomacy and conflict-management skills
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively across teams levels and functions within an organization and to build trust among colleagues with different levels of experience and expertise including by providing thoughtful technical assistance and mentorship to colleagues with varying levels of familiarity with policy advocacy
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice and advancing diversity equity and inclusion in the workplace and in the communities Public Counsel serves
• High levels of emotional intelligence and cultural competency including being curious self-aware cognizant of bias compassionate patient and willing to listen and having a growth mindset and openness to new perspectives
• Spanish-language proficiency is a plus

JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS

• Full-time/exempt
• Salary range is $135000$165000 with most candidates expected to fall within the middle of the range depending on experience
• Non-bargaining

Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Medical coverage with an option for 100% employer-paid employee and dependent child(ren)s premiums; buy-up options are available for other HMO and PPO coverage
• Dental and vision coverage
• Option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans

Generous paid time off (per year):

• 15 accrued vacation days that increase to 20 days after 3 years of employment
• 12 accrued sick days that may be used for physical and mental health needs
• 2 personal observance days
• 11 paid holidays plus 2 one-week office closures (during the summer and winter)
• Up to 60 hours of compensatory time per calendar year (for exempt staff only)

Additional benefits:

• 403(b) retirement plan with an elective employee contribution and after a year of employment a discretionary employer contribution
• Free on-site parking or public transportation reimbursement
• $45 per pay period for employees who use non-English language skills to perform work duties
• Up to 6 months of parental leave
• Organizational and team wellness activities to build team cohesion and camaraderie
• Professional development support and opportunities
• Annual payment of dues for required licenses or certifications (state bar dues for attorneys) and for a mutually agreed-upon professional organization
• Centrally located headquarters in the heart of Koreatown a vibrant neighborhood with easy access to public transportation diverse dining options and cultural attractions

HOW TO APPLY

We value lived experiences and experiences working with clients across a range of settings. Please discuss such experiences in your cover letter especially if they are not reflected in your resume. We strongly encourage interested candidates to apply no later than November 30 2026. We plan to start interviewing candidates during the week of January 11 2027. Please submit the following materials:

1. Your cover letter

2. Your resume

3. Three references including at least:

• One person you supervised
• One person who supervised you

If you are unable to submit any one of these materials through our portal linked below please email it to Erica Garcia at with the subject line: DPCB Application Supplement.

PUBLIC COUNSEL VACCINATION POLICY AND COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

Public Counsel requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees including new hires. Pursuant to federal and state laws Public Counsel will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.

Public Counsel is generally office-based but remote work was launched during the pandemic. All employees with Public Counsel are now required to work in the office at least one day per week at the discretion of the head of department. Some positions require additional in-office days. This policy is subject to redesign by leadership. Public Counsel will work in a manner consistent with public health and local and state emergency orders.

PUBLIC COUNSEL EEO POLICY

Public Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate against employees or prospective employees on the basis of union membership or activity race religious creed religious observance ethnicity color gender sex sexual orientation gender identity gender expression genetic information or predisposition military service military and veteran status pregnancy child birth and related medical conditions marital and family status national origin ancestry age medical conditions as defined by state or federal law or disability or any other basis prohibited by law.

All qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

Our leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment hiring placement promotion transfer training compensation benefits employee activities discipline discharge and general treatment during employment.