The Thurgood Marshall Institute (TMI or Institute) at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) seeks an experienced advocacy campaign manager to advance the work of the Institute’s Policing Reform Campaign.

The Policing Reform Campaign.

As one of its inaugural initiatives, the Institute launched a Policing Reform Campaign in 2015. The United States is undeniably in the depths of a national policing crisis. The life-threatening reality of racial bias in policing has undermined public confidence in our justice system, in law enforcement, and in the rule of law itself. Outrage over police-involved assaults and killings of unarmed African Americans—with many incidents captured in graphic and devastating detail on citizen cell phone videos—has inspired a movement of activists, captured the public attention, and generated intense calls for a fundamental change in policing.

Through TMI’s Policing Reform Campaign, LDF is reforming policing policies and practices through work at the federal, state and local levels. For more information about the Campaign, please visit https://www.tminstituteldf.org/advocacy/campaigns/policing-reform/objectives-strategies/.

The Manager of the Policing Reform Campaign will report directly to the TMI Director, the Director of Policy, and the Deputy Director of Policy/Campaign Director.

Responsibilities:

• Assist the Campaign, TMI and Policy Directors with identifying, developing and implementing policing reform strategies at the federal, state, and local levels, consistent with TMI’s Policing Reform Campaign goals;
• Oversee the evaluation of the work of the Campaign, recommend modifications to Campaign goals and strategies and supervise the day-to-day work of Campaign personnel, which includes policy counsel, fellows, community organizers, and communications staff. 
• Conduct policy and other forms of research in the areas of criminal justice and policing; 
• Participate in and/or organize briefings with policymakers, including federal or state agency officials on TMI’s Policing Reform Campaign priorities;
• Assist with building and/or participating in national, state and grassroots coalitions, partnerships and task forces working to advance policing reforms;
• Work collaboratively with LDF’s attorneys, organizers and multidisciplinary teams to advance national, state and local reforms;
• Work collaboratively with LDF’s attorneys and researchers to write, publish and widely disseminate policy briefs, fact sheets, talking points, infographics, reports, and other documents that will educate policymakers, agency officials, stakeholders and the general public about the need for policing reforms to address issues and propose solid recommendations for change;
• Other duties as requested by the TMI Director, the Director of Policy, the Deputy Director of Policy/Campaign Director, or other senior management.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess the following:
• A Juris Doctor degree;
• Five to eight years of experience in policy reform or advocacy at the federal, state or local level in the area of civil rights and/or criminal justice;
• A demonstrated commitment to civil rights and racial justice;
• Demonstrated experience in managing diverse teams comprising attorneys, communications experts, and/or community organizers; 
• Excellent project management and managerial skills, such as defining and planning strategic work, developing schedules, identifying and supervising team leaders, delegating tasks, monitoring and reporting progress, and troubleshooting;
• A demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong relationships and partnerships with national and grassroots coalitions of organizations, community members/leaders, and public officials;
• Excellent research, writing and public speaking skills; and
• Ability to travel.