Policy Counsel

Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY) is hiring a (Senior) Policy Counsel. The role can be remote or hybrid, based in Washington, DC, with responsibilities spanning state-based advocacy to end extreme youth sentencing.

You will lead legislative efforts, draft laws, and build coalitions with partners and communities affected by youth sentencing policies. The position offers full-time, exempt status with a salary range of $80,000 to $115,000 annually, depending on experience.

Qualifications

• J.D. required; experience drafting legislation, regulations, and public comments to support reform.
• Experience leading state-based campaigns and coalition-building across diverse stakeholders.
• Strong communications skills to explain law, data, and policy to varied audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead state-based legislative and administrative advocacy to ban extreme sentences for youth.
• Draft legislation and amendments; assess regulations and contribute regulatory comments.
• Build coalitions with diverse partners; testify at hearings; manage communications and outreach.

Skills

Policy advocacy

Legislative research

Coalition building

Public speaking

Policy drafting

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree

Tools

Westlaw/LexisNexis

Bill tracking software (FiscalNote/Quorum)

Job description

Job title: Policy Counsel or Senior Policy Counsel

Location: Remote or hybrid, Washington, DC

Classification: Regular, full-time, exempt

Organization: Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY)

Due : Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. All applications submitted by the priority deadline of July 10 , 2026, will receive full consideration.

Start Date: Late summer- early fall 2026

Overview of the position:

The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth is hiring a (Senior) Policy Counsel! Founded in 2009, CFSY advocates to ban extreme sentences for children in the United States, ensure meaningful review opportunities for children in the criminal legal system, and create opportunities for those directly impacted by extreme sentencing to thrive and lead. The (Senior) Policy Counsel is integral to the work of the Legal Policy Department, leading state-based campaigns to ensure pathways to freedom for children who interact with the legal system. This position will be supervised by the National Legal and Policy Director.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead the organization’s state-based legislative and administrative agency advocacy to ban extreme sentences for children, including:
  • Coordinate both internal CFSY team and external partners toward clearly defined reform goals, including leading coalition calls, establishing agendas and goals, and ensuring forward progress during campaigns;
  • Research and evaluate opportunities for reform, including creative ways to leverage existing laws and policies;
  • Draft legislation and legislative amendments;
  • Evaluate existing and proposed administrative regulations;
  • Draft proposed regulations and comments;
  • Develop relationships with government actors, including legislators, prosecutors, parole board members, governors’ offices, agencies, etc.;
  • Create coalitions by building relationships with strategic allies towards reform, including formerly incarcerated youth, family members of incarcerated individuals, prosecutors’ associations, defense community, faith community, business leaders, victims’ advocates, etc., with special attention to elevating directly impacted leadership;
  • Testify at committee hearings and coordinate testimony of other supporters;
  • Engage in negotiations with prosecutors, legislators, and opponents; and
  • Ensure compliance with local lobbying laws.
• Maintain subject matter expertise and serve as internal and external expert on judicial, legislative, and regulatory trends in extreme sentencing of youth;
• Partner with Communications Department to develop strategic messaging around legislative trends, including coordinating on development of fact sheets, talking points, action alerts, and other advocacy tools and materials to assist in bolstering federal and state-level reform efforts;
• Provide technical assistance to local partners leading campaigns to ban extreme sentences and improve quality of life for formerly life-sentenced children;
• Track legislation occurring nationally to end extreme sentencing for children and improve quality of life for formerly life-sentenced children and serve as subject matter expert;
• Participate in media interviews as requested;
• Regularly update and consult with other staff members, including facilitating transition to implementation work as appropriate;
• Participate in recruitment, hiring, and supervision of team members, including fellows and interns;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Candidates for the Policy Counsel role will bring:

• 3-5 years of demonstrated success in
  • leading community-based efforts towards policy reform, exhibited by success in leading legislative reform efforts, administrative rule changes, and/or ballot initiatives;
  • community organizing and coalition building across diverse ideological perspectives and communities, including visible success working with stakeholders throughout the political and ideological spectrum;
  • ability to leverage strategic narrative work and genuine relationship building to inspire unlikely allies to support reform efforts;
• 2-4 years of experience in:
  • managing staff, including day-to-day assistance with project prioritization, review, and implementation, and a welcoming and inclusive attitude;

Candidates for the Senior Policy Counsel role will bring:

• 5+ years of demonstrated success in:
  • community organizing and coalition building across diverse ideological perspectives and communities, including visible success working with stakeholders throughout the political and ideological spectrum;
  • community organizing and coalition building across diverse ideological perspectives and communities;
  • ability to leverage strategic narrative work and genuine relationship building to inspire unlikely allies to support reform efforts;
• 4+ years of experience in:
  • managing staff, including day-to-day assistance with project prioritization, review, and implementation, and a welcoming and inclusive attitude;

Strong Candidates will bring the following required qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree (or equivalent);
• Prior experience drafting legislation, regulations, legislative testimony, and/or public comments to support legislative and/or administrative rule changes;
• Preference for prior work in Southern states and states that require bipartisan collaboration to successfully pass legislation;
• Demonstrated ability to think creatively and critically, explore new and innovative solutions to problems, and problem-solve individually and collectively;
• Exceptional communications skills, including the ability to clearly explain law, research, data, and policy to different audiences verbally and in writing, both for use internally and in communicating with external partners and stakeholders;
• Strong attention to detail, including the ability to recognize nuances in situations like bill drafting, communication, and negotiations with stakeholders;
• Ability to work collaboratively across interdisciplinary teams to unite towards a common goal;
• Experience with legal research platforms (e.g., Westlaw, LexisNexis);
• Experience with bill tracking software (e.g., FiscalNote, Quorum);
• Well-developed organizational skills;
• Maturity and reliability;
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and listening skills;
• Prior work in social justice movement spaces, with a preference to individuals with prior experience in:
  • criminal or youth justice reform, particularly reform to harsh youth sentencing practices in the United States, racial discrimination in the youth justice system, and/or human rights in the United States; and/or
  • previous successful participation in organizations and/or movements that are led by the people most directly impacted by the issue centered in the advocacy.

Values and Traits

• Strong interest in criminal legal reform, particularly ending harsh youth sentencing practices, racial discrimination, and human rights abuses in the United States;
• Belief that our society has failed the children impacted by life without parole and other extreme sentences, and that we all have a responsibility to create avenues for their restoration and that of our entire community;
• Belief in the inherent good, dignity, and humanity of all people regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, class, education level, zip code and more;
• Belief that every one of us is more than the worst things we’ve done or experienced;
• A willingness to learn;
• Flexible and willing and able to adapt to the evolving nature of CFSY’s work;
• Constructive and optimistic; confronts problems with the expectation that a solution exists; and
• Prioritizes self-care.

Location and Travel

The CFSY’s headquarters are in Washington, DC, with many staff working remotely throughout the country. Candidates from the metro-DC region are strongly encouraged, but all qualified candidates will be seriously considered. The (Senior) Policy Counsel can work remotely, and is expected to travel regularly (up to 2-3 times a month during legislative sessions). Staff are expected to participate in in-person, all-staff gatherings approximately 3-4 times per year, which are frequently hosted in Washington, DC, but may require travel to other locations. In accordance with CFSY internal policies, all required home-office technology, equipment and supplies, and all business related travel is paid for by the CFSY.

Physical Environment and Equipment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone;
• Specific vision abilities include close vision requirements due to computer work;
• Ability to effectively use a telephone, including mobile phone; computer (with Microsoft and Google applications); keyboard; and video conferencing;
• Ability to travel to a variety of locations in the continental United States via plane, train, and/or car.

Compensation, Benefits, and Culture:

The annual salary for this position is commensurate with experience, with a range between $80,000 and $115,000. This position is regular, full-time, and exempt.

The CFSY believes in and actively practices meaningful connection to individuals directly impacted by extreme prison sentences. We work in deep partnership with people currently in prison, those who have been released, and their family and social networks. All staff at the CFSY, regardless of role and position, engage in this connection and are regularly proximate to those directly impacted by the work we do.

To apply:

Email a letter of interest, resume, a brief writing sample (3-5 pages), and three references (contact information only, recommendation letters are not necessary) in one PDF file to [e-mail]. Use “Policy Counsel-Last Name” as the subject of your email and as the file name for your PDF. For tax purposes, please list the address you will be working from on your resume. Only complete applications sending all application materials in one PDF file will be reviewed .

We will offer interviews based on application strength, including demonstrated interest, skills, and work experience.

The CFSY is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. People of color, individuals with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those with personal experience in the criminal legal system are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you don’t meet every qualification listed but are excited about our mission and the work described, we encourage you to apply. CFSY is most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and you may be just the right person for this or other roles.