Senior Vice President, Policy and Litigation Strategy

We are looking for a Senior Vice President to lead Common Cause’s federal policy advocacy and litigation strategy. This senior leadership role will shape and execute the organization’s vision for federal engagement, serving as the organizations primary representative on Capitol Hill, overseeing our strategy for litigation that advances democracy reform, and working closely with our state teams to create connections between our state and federal policy work.

As a member of the executive team, this role requires a dynamic, visionary leader with deep expertise in government affairs, public policy, and law, and a demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and democracy. The Senior Vice President will also work closely with internal teams, including campaigns, organizing, and communications staff, to drive member engagement and amplify Common Cause’s impact.

This is a full-time role reporting to the President; this role is based in Washington, DC, with an expectation to come into our DC office at least 2 days per week. We hope our new Senior Vice President, Policy & Litigation Strategy will start as soon as possible.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement our federal policy strategy, and establish structures to unify our approach to policy at the state and federal levels

- Oversee and execute Common Cause’s federal policy agenda, with a focus on campaign finance reform, voting rights, election security, and other democracy-related priorities

- In collaboration with the Senior Vice President, States, establish structures to unify our approach to lobbying and policy, and identify opportunities to improve our legislative approach on key issues at state and federal levels

- Act as a resource to our state executive directors to examine, evaluate, and align advocacy strategies on key democracy reform issues

- Provide legal and policy counsel on legislative and regulatory matters to Members of Congress, the Executive Branch, and federal agencies

- Manage and strengthen relationships with Members of Congress, staff, and senior federal officials to advance Common Cause’s legislative priorities

- Monitor and analyze developments in federal law and policy, ensuring Common Cause remains at the forefront of democracy reform efforts

- Lead the creation and approval of policy materials, including reports, statements, Congressional testimony, regulatory comments, and talking points, to educate policymakers and the public on Common Cause’s federal priorities and coalition issues

Lead our litigation strategy

- Oversee federal and state litigation that supports the organization’s democracy priorities, including voting rights and campaign finance cases

- Collaborate with internal and external legal, program, and states teams to develop strategic litigation that defends democratic values and advances systemic reform

- Partner and liaise with our board’s policy and litigation committees to support board members’ oversight of the organization

Build and manage key national relationships, and represent our national agenda publicly

- Serve as Common Cause’s primary representative on Capitol Hill, engaging with policymakers, coalitions, and other stakeholders

- Lead strategy and drive policy discussion within national coalitions

- Manage relationships with advocacy organizations, civil rights groups, think tanks, and social justice coalitions to strengthen partnerships and Common Cause’s leadership in the field

- Represent Common Cause in public forums, media appearances, and thought leadership opportunities, advancing the organization’s vision and values

Foster member and public engagement, and support our fundraising efforts

- Collaborate with states, campaigns and organizing teams to drive member engagement on federal policy priorities

- Support grassroots advocacy efforts, mobilizing members to influence public officials and hold them accountable

- Engage directly with foundations, donors, and partners to articulate Common Cause’s federal advocacy and litigation impact and secure funding for key initiatives

- Collaborate with the Development team on fundraising and grant reporting for federal policy and litigation work

Support and develop the Policy team and provide executive leadership

- Manage the federal Lobbyist and other members of the Policy team : collaboratively set goals, coach and develop them towards these goals and support their career progression and retention at Common Cause

- In partnership with other members of the executive team, ensure efficient coordination between members of the Federal - Policy team and other internal teams 

- Serve as a key member of the executive team, contributing to the organization’s strategic vision and decision-making

- Develop and implement department goals aligned with Common Cause’s mission and organizational strategy

- Oversee, monitor and adhere to department's budgetary objectives to support the organization's fiscal health and sustainability

• A strong commitment to Common Cause’s nonpartisan mission and to advancing civil rights through our pro-democracy agenda   
• A commitment to equity in the goals of your work and in how you work with others 
• A track record of working collaboratively with others, navigating organizational and power dynamics to meet common goals, and respectfully navigating conflict while maintaining your values 
• Ability to quickly build rapport, trust, and credibility with multiple stakeholders with diverse interests  
• Innovative and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to navigate through ambiguity to achieve goals, and a resourceful approach to solve problems
• Can navigate organizational dynamics, leverage relationships, and influence others to adopt changes to meet common goals  
• Ability to manage and meet deadlines for multiple priorities at once, including setting direction for direct reports to manage priorities; high attention to detail; strong organization skills, and the ability to manage your time independently
• Ability to compel action through both written and verbal communication, including distilling complex concepts for a broad audience, and to differentiate communications as needed for various audiences 
• Openness to feedback and awareness of your own strengths and areas for growth    
• Familiarity with office productivity tools including Microsoft Office, Slack, and Zoom

• Juris Doctor degree and bar admission in one or more states
• Demonstrated experience working on civil rights issues at the federal level
• Demonstrated knowledge of the unique aspects of our federal political culture and climate, and existing relationships with decision-makers at the federal level
• Demonstrated experience with the federal legislative process, including policy research and analysis, policy development, legislative drafting, legislative advocacy and lobbying, and policy implementation   
• Have led successful state-level or national campaigns related to elections, voting rights and democracy  
• Have managed and developed a team; set strategic direction for a team, and built a unified approach to achieve goals 
• Track record of leading organization-wide change initiatives
• Ability to work in-person in the DC office at least two days per week, as well as on Capitol Hill as needed; ability to travel 4-5 times per year for meetings and team and/or all staff retreats
• Per our nonpartisan policy, Common Cause staff members may not currently be in elected office (or running for office); on the Steering Committee or Finance Committee for any political candidate; or affiliated with the leadership of a political party

• This position is classified as management and therefore not included in the union-represented collective bargaining unit.
• Common Cause is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time; please note that if hired, you will be asked to produce documentation for authorization to work in the US. 

Common Cause is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants of any race, creed, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, income class, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or marital status, as well as applicants who have been previously incarcerated.

Common Cause (501(c)(4)) and Common Cause Education Fund (501(c)(3)) are nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots affiliate organizations dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create an open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.  

Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Washington, DC, Common Cause has more than 1.5 million members and supporters living in every congressional district in the United States, and offices in 23 states around the country.