Reproductive & Sexual Health Staff Attorney or Policy Analyst

United States
Posted on  

Job Description

THE ORGANIZATION

The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) protects and advances the health rights of low-income and underserved individuals. Our teams (in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Chapel Hill, N.C.) engage in national, state, and local advocacy efforts, including analyses of federal and state laws, policy advocacy, litigation, education, and individual technical support. We work with lawyers and advocates, community-based entities, federal and state policymakers, health care providers, and clients.

NHeLP is committed to health equity—ensuring that everyone has access to the resources they need to be healthy—and to cultivating an internal environment that empowers an exceptional and diverse staff.

THE TEAM

NHeLP’s Reproductive and Sexual Health (RSH) team works to build a future in which all people in the United States (U.S.) have equitable access to the full range of reproductive and sexual health services, free from discrimination. While not a reproductive justice organization, NHeLP approaches its RSH work through that lens.

THE POSITION

We are seeking a full time, junior Staff Attorney or Policy Analyst to help to develop and implement NHeLP’s legal, policy, and advocacy strategies for advancing access to quality reproductive and sexual health, with a focus on state work. In particular, they will assist our RSH team with our policy advocacy capacity-building efforts at the interface of RSH and Medicaid in the U.S. South, as well as our work to improve state contraceptive access policies nationwide.

The ideal candidate will have prior experience in reproductive and sexual health, rights, or justice, as well as working knowledge of the Medicaid program and Affordable Care Act. This candidate will think strategically and respond quickly to changing circumstances; have an interest in and willingness to listen and learn in partnership with state advocates; demonstrate strong leadership, communication, research, and writing skills; and be able to work individually and in teams. They will have experience working within communities of color and will demonstrate an understanding of the issues of contraceptive equity and reproductive justice as they effect people with low incomes, women and LGBTQI+ people of color, and other underserved populations, particularly in the U.S. South.

RESPONSIBILITIES

This position entails the following functions:

External Representation and Coalition Building (20%)

  • Participate in regional and state RSH coalitions, particularly in the U.S. South and in the state contraceptive access space.
  • Cultivate relationships with RSH advocacy partners, particularly Southern partners, including at legal services and reproductive and sexual health, rights, and justice organizations.
  • Plan and coordinate advocacy coalition meetings and biannual summits with state RSH advocacy partners in the U.S. South, including scheduling, preparing agendas, circulating documents, critical note-taking and tracking of action commitments, liaising with partners, and more.
  • Facilitate a coalition listserv with RSH advocacy partners in the U.S. South.

Strategic Partnerships and Capacity Building (40%)

  • Respond to requests for legal and policy analysis from staff as well as external sources, including coalition partners, attorneys, advocates, providers, policymakers, and scholars, particularly on issues of contraceptive access.
  • Deliver trainings to state advocates on contraceptive access and other relevant RSH law and policy topics.
  • Provide research and writing support to state partners in collaboration with staff to develop RSH advocacy toolkits.

Research/Analysis (40%)

  • Provide research and writing support for publications, including fact sheets, blog posts, memoranda, and articles concerning legal and policy developments, legislation, and regulations concerning Medicaid, RSH, the Affordable Care Act, and other issues in NHeLP’s priority areas.
  • Author/co-author relevant written work products, as described above.
  • Monitor and analyze state legislative, administrative, and other policy changes as they effect reproductive and sexual health, rights, and justice in Medicaid and other public and private health programs and plans.
  • Undertake additional duties as assigned.

MUST-HAVE SKILLS & EXPERIENCES

  • Graduate degree (J.D., M.P.H., M.A. or similar) or previous relevant experience
  • 0–2 years of legal or policy experience post law or graduate school.
  • Experience or demonstrated interest in reproductive and sexual health, rights, or justice law or policy.
  • Excellent policy research and analytic skills, including the ability to research and analyze proposed and final legislation, regulations, and sub-regulatory guidance; and the ability to write clearly and concisely, with attention to detail.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to handle multiple tasks and prioritize appropriately.
  • Commitment to NHeLP’s mission and values.

NICE TO HAVE SKILLS & EXPERIENCES

  • Experience working and living in the U.S. South and an understanding of the region’s political landscape.
  • Prior experience or a demonstrated interest in contraceptive access, Medicaid, or health insurance coverage.
  • Prior experience working or interning at a reproductive and sexual health, rights, or justice organization.
  • Legislative and administrative advocacy experience at the state level, especially in the U.S. South.
  • The ability to talk and write about legal and other complex issues in clear, persuasive terms for non-lawyer audiences.
  • Strong sense of self-motivation; ability to work independently without hesitating to ask questions or to seek guidance when necessary.

COMMITMENT

Full-time, immediate availability

COMPENSATION

Competitive with other public interest organizations and commensurate with experience, in accordance with NHeLP’s pay scale. For example, for an attorney or Ph.D. with 0 years of legal experience, the starting salary is $63,415. For an attorney or Ph.D.-trained policy analyst with 1 year of legal experience, the starting salary is $67,823. For an attorney or Ph.D.-trained policy analyst with 2 years of legal experience, the starting salary is $72,536. For a policy analyst with a master’s degree ( e.g ., M.P.H.) and 0–2 years of legal experience, the starting salary is $61,637–$66,211. Generous benefits are available, including employer-paid medical, dental, life, and disability insurance, as well as pre-tax savings plans and a retirement savings opportunity. NHeLP also offers generous paid time off, including holidays, sick time, personal time, paid family and medical leave for eligible employees, 150 hours (20 days) of vacation per year, and more.

LOCATION

All NHeLP offices have the opportunity to work remotely, subject to job requirements and team-based determination of meeting needs. This position requires periodic in-person meetings with state RSH, legal services, and reproductive justice partners, particularly in Southern states. Residence in a Southern state ( e.g. , Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia (particularly outside of the Washington, D.C.-area), West Virginia) is preferred. There is also an expectation that all NHeLP staff will gather in-person at least once and possibly twice a year for staff meetings, retreats, and other gatherings.

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified applicants should email a cover letter, resume, list of references, and a writing sample (preferably related to contraceptive care, administrative or legislative advocacy, Medicaid, or the ACA) in a single PDF document to jobs@healthlaw.org . In your cover letter, please address your experience with and/or commitment to expanding your knowledge about the roles racial and other inequities play in our society, and your desire to build and/or deepen your commitment to equity work. Your email’s subject should describe the position the applicant is seeking, i.e ., “Reproductive & Sexual Health Staff Attorney or Policy Analyst State Strategies.” Please add your name (last,first) to the application attachment that you send. For example, Sanchez,Jane.PDF .

No phone calls, please. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact us at jobs@healthlaw.org.

DEADLINE

June 23, 2023 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis if received later).

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