POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: SENIOR POLICY COUNSEL/PUBLIC BENEFITS ATTORNEY
ABOUT MOTHER’S OUTREACH NETWORK
Mother’s Outreach Network, Inc., (MON) based in Washington DC, is a non-profit, tax-exempt, racial justice and antipoverty advocacy organization that pursues the inclusion and empowerment of Black mothers in the struggle for family preservation by transforming government income and child welfare laws, policies, and practices from punitive to empowering. MON uses movement-lawyering strategies that will build parents’ power to transform systems and that will aid in harm reduction against impacted constituents. MON does so through three primary programs:
- The community engagement program, which draws upon the leadership of, and drives the inclusion and participation of our constituents – Black mothers impacted by poverty, gender and racial injustice. This work entails outreach events, know-your-rights workshops in law and civic activism, peer-to-peer training and support activities, as well as community-driven research and mutual-aid.
- The advocacy program, which seeks to transform income and child welfare/family regulation system policy at the local and federal level.
- The legal program, which includes representation, advice, and referrals for mothers on family law and related matters when they are at risk of separation from their children by the DC Child and Family Services Agency and when advocacy can prevent further involvement with the agency. This includes representation at Fair Hearings to address removal from the Child Protection Register and otherwise representing parents in accessing housing and other public benefits to generally mitigate the Child Welfare System’s negative impacts on family preservation and economic mobility.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
MON is seeking a Senior Policy Counsel/Public Benefits Attorney to help advance our advocacy push for Guaranteed Income in local Washington, D.C. and our related efforts in the greater District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) region and at the federal level. This position will combine policy analysis, with legislative advocacy, and direct legal advice and counsel that informs and drives systemic change. The role spans the burgeoning field of guaranteed income policy and public benefits. The responsibilities will split roughly 75/25 between policy analysis and individual benefits counseling. Supporting MON’s guaranteed income pilot participants through advice, counsel, and referrals on public benefits will advance MON’s broader policy goals to be achieved through the guaranteed income pilot. The policy analysis and legislative drafting will include guaranteed income style programs and public benefits alongside policy analysis of the local District of Columbia budget, related budgets in other jurisdictions and of local and federal safety net programs. This position will support MON’s critical work on the policy front through a two-pronged approach: advocacy on practices, rules, and laws and individual advocacy on public benefits. The Senior Policy Counsel/Public Benefits Attorney will touch and support the entirety of our efforts on guaranteed income and will serve as an essential bridge across government income systems change programming of our advocacy and broader coalition-building work.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Senior Policy Counsel Responsibilities
- Conduct research and analysis on the direct cash transfer program landscape and the interaction with related public benefits, in the local and federal context.
- Produce and coordinate draft legislation, short written analyses, longer reports, interactive web tools, testimonies, presentations, and communications for the audience of local policymakers, the general public and Coalition partners, as needed.
- Produce a range of written materials such as reports and issue briefs that influence the policy debate on Guaranteed Income. Elicit and provide feedback on written products for both internal organizational team members and external partners.
- Analyze and track pending local and federal legislative proposals, administrative policies, and regulatory changes.
- Support advocacy and coalition building activities.
- Actively participate in DC Guaranteed Income Coalition activities, and help work towards the growth and strengthening of the Coalition.
- Public Benefits Attorney Responsibilities
- Provide benefits counseling, representation, and coordinate placement and referrals as needed to MON Mother Up Pilot program participants to assist them in providing informed consent around any loss of their public benefits upon entry into and ongoing participation in the Mother Up Pilot program.
- Develop and maintain expertise in public benefits, and the impact of changes to income on public benefits eligibility.
- Other Responsibilities
- Assist with grant applications and grant reports.
- Other duties related to the position as assigned by the Executive Director and as supported by funding.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS
- JD required but not a substitute for work experience.
- Three to five years of experience in administrative law, policy analysis, or related role.
- Experience in low-income tax policy or public benefits required.
- Demonstrated commitment to intersectional gender and racial justice.
- Legislative drafting skills preferred.
- Research and analytical skills, including attention to detail.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate policy matters to a nonpolicy audience.
- Ability to independently plan, prioritize, allocate time, balance projects, and coordinate with internal and external partners.
- Ability to independently manage projects from conception to completion.
- Ability to work under and meet deadlines in a team setting.
- Ability to analyze government and agency budgets and reports.
- Experience in low-income tax policy or public benefits.
- Strong communication skills.
- Superlative interpersonal skills.
- Strong work ethic.
- Ability to juggle multiple tasks at a time and to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- Flexible, positive, and passionate about Mother’s Outreach Network’s mission and values.
COMPENSATION
This is a full-time salaried position. The salary range is $80,000 to $90,000. A benefits package will be provided.
TO APPLY
If you are interested, please email to Melody Webb at careers@mothersoutreachnetwork.org a resume, a list of three professional references, a writing sample, and a cover letter that describes why you are interested in joining Mothers Outreach Network, the experience you have which makes you a good fit for this position, what skills you will bring to this position towards achieving our goals, and how this position fits into your career goals. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position is open until filled.
Mother’s Outreach Network is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and insist on equity and inclusion in our work environment and in the world. If you have the passion for our mission and have the skill sets to help us fulfill this mission, we welcome you as you are.
Visit https://www.mothersoutreachnetwork.org for more information about the organization.
