Policy Counsel

# **Policy Counsel or Senior Policy Counsel**
**Location:** Remote or hybrid, Washington, DC
**Classification:** Regular, full-time, exempt
**Organization:** Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY)
**Due:** Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Priority deadline: July 10, 2026.
**Start Date:** Late summer–early fall 2026

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## **Overview of the Position**

The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth is hiring a (Senior) Policy Counsel. Founded in 2009, CFSY advocates to ban extreme sentences for children in the United States, ensure meaningful review opportunities for children in the criminal legal system, and create opportunities for those directly impacted by extreme sentencing to thrive and lead.

The (Senior) Policy Counsel is integral to the work of the Legal Policy Department, leading state-based campaigns to ensure pathways to freedom for children who interact with the legal system. This position is supervised by the National Legal and Policy Director.

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## **Primary Responsibilities**

Lead the organization’s state-based legislative and administrative agency advocacy to ban extreme sentences for children, including:

– Coordinate internal CFSY team and external partners toward clearly defined reform goals, including leading coalition calls, establishing agendas and goals, and ensuring forward progress during campaigns.
– Research and evaluate opportunities for reform, including creative ways to leverage existing laws and policies.
– Draft legislation and legislative amendments.
– Evaluate existing and proposed administrative regulations.
– Draft proposed regulations and comments.
– Develop relationships with government actors, including legislators, prosecutors, parole board members, governors’ offices, agencies, etc.
– Create coalitions by building relationships with strategic allies toward reform, including formerly incarcerated youth, family members of incarcerated individuals, prosecutors’ associations, defense community, faith community, business leaders, victims’ advocates, etc., with special attention to elevating directly impacted leadership.
– Testify at committee hearings and coordinate testimony of other supporters.
– Engage in negotiations with prosecutors, legislators, and opponents.
– Ensure compliance with local lobbying laws.

Additional responsibilities:

– Maintain subject matter expertise and serve as internal and external expert on judicial, legislative, and regulatory trends in extreme sentencing of youth.
– Partner with Communications Department to develop strategic messaging around legislative trends, including coordinating on development of fact sheets, talking points, action alerts, and other advocacy tools and materials to assist in bolstering federal and state-level reform efforts.
– Provide technical assistance to local partners leading campaigns to ban extreme sentences and improve quality of life for formerly life-sentenced children.
– Track legislation occurring nationally to end extreme sentencing for children and improve quality of life for formerly life-sentenced children and serve as subject matter expert.
– Support CFSY’s federal advocacy efforts.
– Participate in media interviews as requested.
– Regularly update and consult with other staff members, including facilitating transition to implementation work as appropriate.
– Participate in recruitment, hiring, and supervision of team members, including fellows and interns.
– Perform other duties as assigned.

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## **Qualifications: Policy Counsel**

Candidates for the Policy Counsel role will bring:

**3–5 years of demonstrated success in:**

– Leading community-based efforts toward policy reform, exhibited by success in leading legislative reform efforts, administrative rule changes, and/or ballot initiatives.
– Community organizing and coalition building across diverse ideological perspectives and communities, including visible success working with stakeholders throughout the political and ideological spectrum.
– Ability to leverage strategic narrative work and genuine relationship building to inspire unlikely allies to support reform efforts.

**2–4 years of experience in:**

– Managing staff, including day-to-day assistance with project prioritization, review, and implementation, and a welcoming and inclusive attitude.

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## **Qualifications: Senior Policy Counsel**

Candidates for the Senior Policy Counsel role will bring:

**5+ years of demonstrated success in:**

– Community organizing and coalition building across diverse ideological perspectives and communities, including visible success working with stakeholders throughout the political and ideological spectrum.
– Ability to leverage strategic narrative work and genuine relationship building to inspire unlikely allies to support reform efforts.

**4+ years of experience in:**

– Managing staff, including day-to-day assistance with project prioritization, review, and implementation, and a welcoming and inclusive attitude.

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## **Required Qualifications**

Strong candidates will bring:

– Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree (or equivalent).
– Prior experience drafting legislation, regulations, legislative testimony, and/or public comments to support legislative and/or administrative rule changes.
– Preference for prior work in Southern states and states requiring bipartisan collaboration.
– Demonstrated ability to think creatively and critically, explore innovative solutions, and problem-solve individually and collectively.
– Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to clearly explain law, research, data, and policy to different audiences verbally and in writing.
– Strong attention to detail, including recognizing nuances in bill drafting, communication, and negotiations.
– Ability to work collaboratively across interdisciplinary teams.
– Experience with legal research platforms (e.g., Westlaw, LexisNexis).
– Experience with bill tracking software (e.g., FiscalNote, Quorum).
– Well-developed organizational skills.
– Maturity and reliability.
– Strong communication, interpersonal, and listening skills.
– Prior work in social justice movement spaces, with preference for experience in:
– Criminal or youth justice reform, particularly harsh youth sentencing practices, racial discrimination in the youth justice system, and/or human rights in the United States.
– Organizations and/or movements led by directly impacted individuals.

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## **Values and Traits**

– Strong interest in criminal legal reform, particularly ending harsh youth sentencing practices, racial discrimination, and human rights abuses.
– Belief that society has failed children impacted by life without parole and other extreme sentences, and commitment to creating avenues for restoration.
– Belief in the inherent good, dignity, and humanity of all people.
– Belief that everyone is more than the worst things they’ve done or experienced.
– A willingness to learn.
– Flexibility and adaptability to evolving work.
– Constructive and optimistic mindset.
– Prioritizes self-care.

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## **Location and Travel**

CFSY headquarters are in Washington, DC, with many staff working remotely. Candidates from the DC metro region are strongly encouraged, but all qualified candidates will be considered.

The (Senior) Policy Counsel may work remotely and is expected to travel regularly (up to 2–3 times per month during legislative sessions). Staff participate in in-person gatherings 3–4 times per year, typically in Washington, DC.

All required home-office technology, equipment, supplies, and business-related travel are paid for by CFSY.

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## **Physical Environment and Equipment**

– Regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone.
– Close vision required due to computer work.
– Ability to effectively use a telephone, computer, keyboard, and video conferencing.
– Ability to travel via plane, train, and/or car within the continental United States.

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## **Compensation, Benefits, and Culture**

– Annual salary range: **$80,000–$115,000**, commensurate with experience.
– Regular, full-time, exempt position.
– CFSY practices meaningful connection with individuals directly impacted by extreme prison sentences. All staff engage in this work and maintain proximity to directly impacted communities.

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## **To Apply**

Email a letter of interest, resume, a brief writing sample (3–5 pages), and three references (contact information only) **in one PDF file** to **[email protected]**.

Use **“Policy Counsel–Last Name”** as the email subject and PDF file name.
Include the address you will be working from on your resume (for tax purposes).
Only complete applications submitted as one PDF will be reviewed.

Interviews will be offered based on application strength, including demonstrated interest, skills, and work experience.

CFSY is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. People of color, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ community members, and those with personal experience in the criminal legal system are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you don’t meet every qualification but are excited about the mission, you are encouraged to apply.