Position Overview

The Policy Fellow is an early-career position designed to develop the next generation of civil rights advocates and policy professionals. The Fellow will enhance the capacity of the Political Advocacy team through research, writing, and event support, while also developing and ultimately leading policy reform campaigns on issues central to the ACLU-NJ’s mission.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Research and Analysis

• Conduct research and draft memos in support of ACLU-NJ Political Advocacy campaigns.
• Review and evaluate new legislation to assess alignment with civil liberties priorities.
• Develop subject matter expertise in assigned policy areas to inform legislative and advocacy strategy.

Campaigns and Legislative Strategy

• Participate in the planning and execution of new policy campaigns.
• Research and help draft legislation in support of advocacy priorities.
• As part of the Political Advocacy team, work on strategy and campaign planning.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Support and maintain relationships with legislators, legislative staff, coalition partners, community stakeholders, and the National ACLU.
• Schedule and attend meetings with legislators and their staff.
• Participate in coalition meetings.
• Participate in community outreach in support of Political Advocacy campaigns.

Communications and Events

• Create advocacy communications materials (e.g., one-pagers, fact sheets, talking points) in coordination with the Communications team.
• Write and present oral testimony.
• Support events organized by the ACLU-NJ Political Advocacy team, including lobby days, delegation days, rallies, and speaking events.

Administrative Support

• Create and maintain legislator and partner contact lists, legislative vote trackers, and email listservs.
• Provide logistical support for advocacy events and other team needs as assigned.

Candidate Requirements:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required, in political science, public policy, sociology, legal studies, or a related field.
• Master’s degree (MPP, MPA, MSW, or related) preferred but not required.
• Recent graduates (within 2 years of degree completion) with strong internship or volunteer experience are encouraged to apply.

Experience

• Some professional or applied experience in policy, legislative affairs, civic advocacy, civil rights, or a related field.
• Meaningful internship, clinic, fellowship, or volunteer experience in advocacy, government, or a mission-driven organization will be considered in lieu of professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience conducting policy research and producing clear, well-organized written work.

Knowledge and Abilities

• Strong research ability, with the ability to synthesize complex legal, legislative, or policy information into clear and accessible memos and advocacy materials.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences.
• Familiarity with the legislative process, ideally at the state level.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational ability and attention to detail.
• Collaborative, with the ability to work effectively across teams and with external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with standard office tools (Microsoft Office, Google Workspace).

Values and Commitment

• Demonstrated commitment to civil liberties, civil rights, and social justice, and alignment with the ACLU-NJ’s mission and values.
• Commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in all aspects of work.
• Ability to engage respectfully and effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and communities.

Preferred Qualifications

The following are not required, but will strengthen a candidate’s application:

• Familiarity with New Jersey state government, politics, or the legislative landscape.
• Experience in community organizing, coalition building, or grassroots advocacy.
• Experience drafting or tracking legislation.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish (or another language spoken by New Jersey communities).
• Experience with legislative tracking platforms or CRM/database tools.
• Experience writing testimony or preparing materials for public comment or legislative hearings.

Compensation

The salary range for this position starts at $65,000 and will be commensurate with experience based on the ACLU-NJ salary bands. The ACLU-NJ supports and plans for staff member professional growth and skill development through internal and external opportunities. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package which currently includes 30 days paid time off, 12 office holidays and 16 health care leave days; medical, vision, and dental insurance; 20 weeks (100 days) paid family leave; life and long-term disability insurance; pre-tax transit benefits; and a 401(k) plan with employer match. This position is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

About our Culture

We are a diverse workforce and take pride in our ability to attract and retain employees with a huge array of backgrounds and experiences. We work hard but also like to celebrate our successes. We strive to bring humility, empathy, kindness, and generosity to our work, internally within the organization and externally with our partners and those whom we are serving. We seek to build a work culture with a sense of respect and collegiality, and a willingness to be generous with our expertise and resources.