Overview

Position: Policy Counsel/Senior Policy Counsel Terms of Employment: Regular Full-Time / Exempt / Local 2320 Union. NYCLU staff is currently working in a hybrid model; a number of in-person days will be required. Location: 55 Broadway, New York, NY 10006 Salary: $99,500 - $122,500 (3-8 Years Experience) Application Deadline: November 11, 2026 (Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled). The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is one of the nation's leading advocates on behalf of constitutional rights and liberties. Founded in 1951, as the New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, the NYCLU is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization with more than 90,000 members and supporters, and eight offices statewide. We work in the courts, in the legislatures and on the streets to advocate for racial and economic justice, free speech, freedom of religion, privacy and equality before the law for all New Yorkers. For more information, please visit our website: . DEI VISION STATEMENT The NYCLU is committed to building an equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist workplace that centers the voices of marginalized and directly impacted communities. This commitment strengthens our mission to protect civil liberties and advance justice across New York. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated people, and others whose experiences reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION The NYCLU seeks an experienced and innovative Policy Counsel to lead a broad docket that is focused on issues to enhance First Amendment protections, free speech, privacy and technology protections, as well as provide wide-ranging defensive work for our legislative program. Issues that the Counsel may work on include advocacy on local and state speech regulations such as limitations on the right to protest, the rights of journalists and whistleblowers, government regulations pertaining to personal data, the intersection between First Amendment rights and the use of technology, and a broad array of civil liberties issues the legislature is attempting to curtail. The NYCLU's Policy Department implements and monitors legislative and policy initiatives across the state that implicate constitutional rights and liberties. The Policy Department drafts and supports affirmative legislation that advances constitutional freedoms, and opposes laws, rules, and policies that would compromise those freedoms. The work of the Policy Department includes (a) representing the NYCLU at the state legislative session in Albany, (b) monitoring and advocating before the New York City Council, (c) engaging in advocacy with other municipal bodies, in close collaboration with the NYCLU's regional offices, and (d) engaging in rulemaking and implementation efforts. This work involves technical research, extensive written analysis and commentary, direct lobbying of and engagement with lawmakers and agency officials, collaboration with our Legal Department on litigation, collaboration with our Field Organizing team on campaign priorities, public education and testimony, supervision and management of personnel and campaign work, strategic communications and media in close collaboration with our colleagues from the Communications team, and coalition building that engages NYCLU members and allied organizations. The successful candidate will implement these strategies in advancing their docket. We are seeking a candidate who thrives in a collaborative organization and can skillfully handle diverse approaches to advance policy reform. The successful candidate is a creative thinker and collaborates well both internally and with external partners. When designing and managing campaigns to enhance the rights of New Yorkers, Counsel must work closely with the NYCLU's Policy, Legal, Field Organizing, and Communications Departments.