About The Center for HIV Law and Policy

Employment Opportunities

The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP) currently has two employment opportunities--Deputy Director and Staff Attorney. See both job descriptions below and as attachments.

CHLP challenges barriers to the rights and health of people affected by HIV through legal advocacy, high-impact policy initiatives, and creation of cross-issue partnerships, networks and resources. We support movement building that amplifies the power of individuals and communities to mobilize for change that is rooted in racial, gender and economic justice.
 
Two of our current major initiatives focus on discriminatory policies in the U.S. legal system. The Positive Justice Project is a national coalition coordinated by CHLP and organized to end criminal laws targeting people living with HIV and viral hepatitis. Teen SENSE and the Sexual Health Youth Advocacy Coalition advocate for written policies guaranteeing LGBT-inclusive/affirming sexual health care and sexual health literacy programming in juvenile detention, foster care and other state-operated youth facilities.
 
CHLP’s signature HIV Policy Resource Bank - the first of its kind - is a free online database of legal memoranda, research, reports, legal guides, court and agency decisions, pleadings and briefs, policy analyses and recommendations, and other materials on topics of importance to people living with HIV and their advocates.
 
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
 
Summary of Position
The Deputy Director works closely and collaboratively with the Executive Director and other staff on strategic planning and organizational management and development, oversees the supervision of staff,
and helps to ensure that CHLP’s legal and policy programs and strategies serve its mission, goals, and high standards of service, accuracy, and excellence.
 
The Deputy Director is responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of all legal, policy, and advocacy work, and oversees the professional development of staff. The Deputy Director also supports the Executive Director on development/fundraising work and ensuring organizational sustainability.
 
Key Responsibilities
  • Play a leadership role in the organization’s long-term strategic planning process and promote CHLP’s role as a leading and visionary organization.
  • Relationship-build and explore collaborations with legal, civil rights, human rights, and immigrants rights organizations to strengthen connections with people of color, low-income individuals, immigrants, and other marginalized communities at risk for HIV.
  • Work with the Executive Director and staff to advance, promote, execute, and ensure high-quality results for strategic case and advocacy work.
  • Identify, select, develop, implement, and monitor the progress of new strategic legal and policy initiatives, ensuring that work priorities and commitments are developed and implemented on a mreasonable timeframe.
  • Oversee the review and completion of CHLP publications, resources, and materials.
  • Assist legal staff and consultants as requested by the Executive Director.
  • Develop a progressive system for staff performance evaluation and feedback.
  • Maintain ongoing literacy on major developments in HIV law and policy issues.
  • Conduct and contribute to trainings and presentations across diverse audiences and settings.
  • In collaboration with the Executive Director, build and engage CHLP’s Advisory Board.
  • Represent CHLP at meetings, conferences, presentations, networking and fundraising events, and other engagements that will bring more visibility and resources to CHLP and the communities we serve.

Expectations

  • Commitment to CHLP’s values, mission, and the needs of the communities we serve.
  • Ability to articulate, clarify, and uphold high standards for the quality, vision, and soundness of CHLP’s work.
  • Consistently strong work ethic and passion for honest, direct communication.
  • A minimum of 3 years supervisory experience, with the ability to supervise a range of positions, work, and personalities.
  • Law degree or legal experience a plus.
  • Talent for performing, recognizing and encouraging excellent legal work and policy analysis.
  • Commitment to a work culture of mutual respect among employees and supervisors, to regular, clear and direct communication, and to developing future leaders for CHLP and for movement work more generally.
  • Ability to navigate complex relationships with partners across diverse communities and socialjustice movements.
  • Self-confidence demonstrated in a willingness to take risks, make mistakes, acknowledge and learn from them, and keep on task.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Well-developed sense of humor and compassion.
  • On occasion, travel and/or evening and weekend work may be required.
 
Salary
Commensurate with experience, and with the pay scale of a small not-for-profit, social justice organization. Compensation includes health insurance (including dental and vision), liberal vacation and personal time allowances, and generous employer contribution to retirement account.
 
To Apply
Send a cover letter, resume, recent writing sample, and salary needs to Catherine Hanssens, Executive Director, at chanssens@hivlawandpolicy.org. Please put “DEPUTY DIRECTOR POSITION” in the subject line.
 
Deadline for Applications/Interviews
Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis and applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

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The Center for HIV Law and Policy is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to advancing fairness, equality, and diversity in both its work and its workplace. We strongly encourage applications from all communities, particularly people of color; people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds; individuals living with disabilities, including those living with HIV; formerly-incarcerated individuals; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons.

The Center for HIV Law and Policy is a project of the National Center for Civic Innovation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded by the Fund for the City of New York.

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STAFF ATTORNEY


CHLP is looking for an individual who enjoys researching and writing about complex legal and policy issues and working in partnership with members of diverse communities to achieve meaningful legal and policy reform. The Staff Attorney will support the following areas of CHLP’s work with particular focus on our anticriminalization work.

Primary Responsibilities
• Take a leading role on legal/policy research and strategy development and collaborate with all staff on CHLP’s strategic planning;
• Provide legal expertise and support, consistent with CHLP program priorities, to community and legal advocates around the country;
• Oversee the implementation of CHLP’s Teen SENSE/SHYAC work, including supervision of CHLP’s Teen SENSE staff;
• Assist with CHLP’s anticriminalization work, including possible co-counseling criminal and civil commitment cases;
• Review, draft and synopsize legal, policy, medical, scientific and related materials for CHLP’s national online Resource Bank;
• Assist in the hiring and supervision of interns;
• Assist in building and supporting CHLP’s HIV legal Collaborative (e.g. recruit new attorneys in criminal law and other needed practice areas)
• Maintain thorough records and reports on legal and policy work, outreach and organizing plans and progress.

Positive Justice Project work may include:
• Assist in research and drafting of state specific resources and responses to legislative developments and local advocates’ needs;
• Assist with drafting and updating of other CHLP publications;
• Participate in and organize meetings and trainings to engage and train new advocates and other stakeholders on PJP principles and related advocacy.

Teen SENSE responsibilities may include:
• Oversee implementation of existing work plan for CHLP’s Teen SENSE initiative, ensuring that key deadlines and deliverables are clearly defined and met, and that related efforts include the meaningful participation of system-experienced young people;
• Provide guidance as needed to SHYAC (the Sexual Health Youth Advocacy Coalition), a network of national and regional Teen SENSE allies and partners, in state and national advocacy efforts.

Staff Attorney Requirements

The applicant must be admitted to the New York State Bar (or admitted to practice in another jurisdiction and willing to take the NY bar); have a strong, demonstrated interest in progressive public interest legal advocacy and working with diverse communities; and must have superior research and writing skills with a minimum of 2 years of experience. The position is best suited for a leader with a solid sense of humor, compassion, patience, and grounded self-confidence. There is significant preference for an individual with criminal law and litigation practice.

Salary

Commensurate with experience.  Generous benefits package including contribution (10% of salary) to 401(k).

To apply

Please send the following to employment@hivlawandpolicy.org with the subject heading "Staff Attorney Application":
• Cover letter explaining your interest in CHLP staff attorney position;
• Resume; and
• Writing sample demonstrating research and analytical skills.

Deadline for applications

December 1, 2018. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

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The Center for HIV Law and Policy is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to advancing fairness, equity, and diversity in both its work and its workplace.  We strongly encourage applications from all communities, including people of color, women, people living with HIV or other disabilities, individuals who formerly have been incarcerated, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. 

The Center for HIV Law and Policy is a project of the National Center for Civic Innovation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded by the Fund for the City of New York, which the Ford Foundation created in 1963.