Deputy Director of Federal Policy

The Deputy Federal Policy Director

The Deputy Federal Policy Director is responsible for assisting the Federal Policy Director in managing day-to-day activities of the Federal Policy Team and its work in collaboration with the state policy, legal, communications, and program staff to advance Southern Poverty Law Center’s impact areas: eradicating poverty, transforming the criminal legal system, dismantling white supremacy, and strengthening voting rights and democracy. This includes providing direct supervision for some members of the team. The role also includes working on projects to advance Federal Policy Team priorities across impact areas as determined by the Federal Policy Director.

Who You Are

• Experienced. Demonstrated experience in working to advance civil and human rights through public policy and legal advocacy.
• People Manager. Experienced staff manager with proven success in leading, training, and developing teams. Clear communicator of goals and priorities, organizational policies, and processes, keeping the SPLC’s best interest at the heart of all communications, decisions, and actions.
• Effective Leader. Established leadership in creating department work plans, setting annual goals, and tracking staff performance toward achieving the goals.
• Advocate. Experience working with community organizations, grassroots campaigns, and impacted communities, particularly in the South, to advance civil and human rights.
• Strategic & Innovative. Ability to create vision and take calculated risks in crafting and executing strategies to move advocacy priorities forward.
• Collaborative. Demonstrated ability to work with internal teams, external organizations, and stakeholders to execute strategies that advance the team’s work.
• Communicative. Exceptional communication skills and ability to communicate persuasively to various audiences through writing and speaking.
• Mission, Vision & Culture Alignment. Demonstrated awareness of SPLC’s mission and vision; and a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and fostering an anti-racist work culture and principles.

What You’ll Do

• Supervise team members within the Federal Policy team, including but not limited to SPLC Senior Policy Counsels/Advisors, Policy Counsels, Policy Associates, interns, and others, providing mentoring and coaching in support of the work.
• Manage and advise direct reports on the development and implementation of SPLC policy priorities, including setting goals, objectives, strategies, and activities as directed by the Federal Policy Director.
• Lead the development and implementation of innovative policy recommendations and advocacy plans on key policy priorities; draft advocacy materials such as letters, statements, memorandums, factsheets, and talking points.
• Support day-to-day team functions in partnership with the Federal Policy Director, including overseeing administrative tasks, drafting/reviewing materials, providing updates, developing procedures, and liaising with consultants and departments.
• Collaborate with the Federal Policy Director, the Policy Team, and other SPLC departments to advance policy priorities at state, local, and federal levels, including communications strategies for advocacy.
• Serve as a public thought leader on key issues, representing SPLC in media, conferences, and public forums as assigned or approved.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community partners, coalition members, and legal allies to support communication and collaboration with directly impacted communities.
• Monitor performance and development of supervised staff, including conducting performance reviews.
• Perform other duties as required or assigned, within the scope of the job classification.
• Uphold JEDI principles by engaging diverse collaborators and ensuring all contributions support the center’s mission, vision, values, and departmental goals.

Minimum Qualifications

We are committed to equitable hiring practices; therefore, you must meet the minimum qualifications to be considered for the role.

• At least seven (7) years of public policy and legal advocacy experience in advancing one or more of SPLC’s focus areas.
• At least five (5) years of supervisory experience managing staff.
• At least a Master’s degree in Public Policy or a related field.

Compensation & Benefits

This is an exempt role, and the minimum starting salary is $164,864.00 annually.

Click here to view the benefits available to SPLC staff.

Where & How You’ll Work

This role has the following work designation options:

• Local Remote: Will work remotely but is expected to attend work-related activities at SPLC offices or within the states where SPLC operates.
• Telework: Will work at an SPLC office at least three days per week and may work two days from an alternative location.

This position will report to the Federal Policy Director.

Other Special Considerations

This job is performed under general office conditions and is not subject to strenuous physical demands or dangerous conditions.

Learn more here