Legal Research & Policy Attorney and Policy & Advocacy Professional - Heartland Alliance

Who: Heartland Alliance

What: Grounded in 130 years working to advance human rights, Heartland Alliance informs public policy decisions and advances solutions to improve opportunities and quality of life for people experiencing inequity, living in poverty, and facing danger.

Heartland Alliance’s Research & Policy Division engages in research on social issues and solutions, policy and systems change, and field building nationwide. The division is home to the Social IMPACT Research Center, Heartland Alliance’s Policy & Advocacy team, and Heartland Alliance’s National Initiatives on Economic Opportunity. Our Policy and Advocacy team identifies and advances proven solutions to poverty at the local, state, and federal levels. We lead by developing policy proposals, building strategic alliances, and pursuing legislative and budgetary action. Our Policy and Advocacy team manages several projects based on our policy priorities, including: financial justice, poverty and economic security, and health care. The team also focuses on advancing a sustainable budget, supporting human services, and fighting injustice. Our work is advancing meaningful policy and systems change to strengthen communities, advance equity, and create a more just society.

Legal Research & Policy Attorney
 
Heartland Alliance is seeking a Legal Research & Policy Attorney to lead the analysis of Illinois state statutes, regulations, and case law as it pertains to the collateral consequences of having a criminal record. This person will play a central role in Heartland Alliance's groundbreaking efforts to advance wholesale collateral consequence reform in Illinois.

In partnership with team members across the Research & Policy Division and with expert consultants, the will work to review and analyze Illinois state statutes, regulations, and case law in order to inform our legislative strategy and blueprint for advancing large scale collateral consequence reform in Illinois. This is a one year position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

With expert consultants, conduct legal and policy research and analyze legislation, scholarly literature, and other relevant materials as it relates to the collateral consequences of a criminal record, such as barriers or restrictions to employment, housing, or education.

Draft reports, memoranda and other material to support legislative strategy and campaign goals. Maintain complete, thorough, accurate and current records in an organized fashion in accordance with legal standards, rules and ethics.

Prepare recommendations and support Heartland Alliance policy and campaign staff and partners, in the development of Heartland Alliance’s legislative strategy.

Ensure the accuracy, substance, and timeliness of reports, projects, and other relevant work products.

Remains current on criminal justice law, scholarship, policies, and procedures.

Identifies trends and recurring legal or policy concerns.

Recommends strategies for solutions and other needed advocacy. Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience: Juris Doctor required; and one year of direct experience in social service counseling and/or legal representation. Experience providing direct service to people who have experienced poverty or injustice is a plus. Familiarity with Illinois’s of criminal justice system and/or Illinois’s criminal justice and collateral consequence laws and regulations is a plus. Mission alignment. Demonstrated commitment to racial justice and criminal justice reform. Proven ability to work in a manner that respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance.

Equity Commitments. Fosters a commitment to and application of equity, inclusion, and diversity throughout our work. Provides direction for careful equity analysis of potential consequences of local and federal policies and makes strategic recommendations for appropriate substance. Prioritizes engagement of impacted populations throughout our policy and advocacy work from conception to design to action, and is attentive to the diverse perspectives of our stakeholders. Sustains and builds upon our position as a leading policy change agent by maintaining momentum on critical issues and by laying the groundwork for emerging policy issues.

Language/Communication Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret case law, general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write legal memoranda, reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to draft materials including legal information for a variety of audiences. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Computer Skills:Demonstrated proficiency with computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets and Internet usage, including new media. Familiarity with Microsoft Office package. Other Skills: Demonstrated ability to think critically, solve problems creatively, and manage multiple assignments under deadlines. Highly organized. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Policy and Advocacy Professional

Heartland Alliance is seeking a policy and advocacy professional to lead its criminal justice policy work. This person will play a central role in Heartland Alliance's groundbreaking efforts to advance policy solutions and strategies to eliminate poverty and realize equity and human rights.

The Project Manager is responsible for advancing key initiatives and campaigns to promote criminal justice reform – in particular state-based collateral consequence reform - and address racial inequities. The Project Manager develops and implements strategies to advance change, and engages in policy analysis and development, coalition and campaign building, and direct advocacy with decision-makers. Legislative and administrative initiatives will include work related to collateral consequences of incarceration, violence reduction, and advancing equity and opportunity. Our policy team members are also expected to contribute to the communications and outreach work of their project (criminal justice policy) as well as the overall work of the Policy and Advocacy team. Significant travel is required for this position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead Heartland Alliance’s strategies to address the multiple and pervasive inequities of the criminal justice system and to provide solutions that respond to the needs of people with lived experience of criminal justice system involvement.

Develop legislative and administrative policy proposals and lead efforts to successfully advance those efforts.

Develop and lead successful advocacy strategies for educating policymakers and other decision makers about the needs of people with criminal backgrounds impacted by poverty and inequity.

Analyze state and national public policies, programs, and legislation for their impact on people experiencing poverty and inequity Provide policy information and analyses, both verbally and in writing, to agency leadership, policymakers,advocates, the general public and other stakeholders.

Execute strategies to advance legislative and administrative change by building relationships with legislators and other key legislators and other decision-makers about policy initiatives, and collaborating with advocacy partners toward policy and administrative change.

Contribute to the development and delivery of appropriate communications including fact sheets, policy action alerts, website and new media content, letters to the editor, and other written materials.

Develop strategic partnerships with allied individuals, coalitions, and organizations to pursue specific program and policy changes affecting people formerly incarcerated or justice system involved.

Develop relationships with policymakers, funders, community leaders, public audiences and other stakeholders to create champions and community support for key Heartland Alliance policy and administrative initiatives.

Represent Heartland Alliance externally at events, speaking engagements, trainings and presentations, with policymakers, community leaders, and other key stakeholders and, when appropriate, contribute to or lead efforts to develop those trainings and Identify and support community members, allies and experts to give testimony at key hearings and act as spokespeople with the press.

Participate in key and local meetings and working groups as they relate to specific legislative and administrative initiatives.

Collaborate with Heartland program staff to identify policy/systems barriers, identify macro-level and contribute to overall advocacy activities in support of Heartland Alliance priorities.

Supervise interns or other temporary employees that support the work of the Policy and Advocacy Integrate values of equity and inclusion throughout our criminal justice policy work. Prioritize engagement of impacted populations throughout our policy and advocacy work from conception to design to action.

Support fundraising efforts including contributing to funder reporting requirements.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience: A graduate degree in public policy, law, public administration, social work, urban planning or related field, plus five years' experience or a Bachelor’s Degree plus seven years' experience. Experience includes policy analysis, policy development, and/or legislative/administrative/budgetary advocacy. Experience providing direct service to people who have experienced poverty or injustice is a plus. Familiarity with Illinois legislature and politics strongly preferred. Mission alignment. Demonstrated commitment to racial justice and criminal justice reform and proven ability to work with emotional intelligence, receive feedback, work through conflict with integrity and operate within principles of solidarity when working in partnership with groups representing constituencies impacted by oppression. Proven ability to work in a manner that respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance.

Equity Commitments. Fosters a commitment to and application of equity, inclusion, and diversity throughout our work. Provides direction for careful equity analysis of potential consequences of local and federal policies and makes strategic recommendations for appropriate substance. Prioritizes engagement of impacted populations throughout our policy and advocacy work from conception to design to action, and is attentive to the diverse perspectives of our stakeholders. Sustains and builds upon our position as a leading policy change agent by maintaining momentum on critical issues and by laying the groundwork for emerging policy issues.

Language/Communication Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills. Demonstrated ability to speak and write persuasively to a range of audiences. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from stakeholders, regulatory agencies, senior-level policymakers, or elected officials; communicate effectively with diverse audiences; write speeches and articles for publication that conform to a prescribed style and format and effectively present information to management , public groups, and/or boards of directors. Computer Skills:Demonstrated proficiency with computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets and Internet usage, including new media. Familiarity with Microsoft Office package. Other Skills: Demonstrated ability to think critically, solve problems creatively and manage multiple assignments under deadlines. Experience and comfort with public speaking. Ability to work irregular hours, including evening and weekend events as necessary. Willingness to travel.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms The employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 Due to computer usage, the employee will need vision abilities such as close vision and ability to adjust focus. This position involves significant travel.