Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy

Priority Final date to receive applications will be September 18th, 2026 at 5pm PT.

UnCommon Law fights to ensure that all people incarcerated for violent crime have access to effective legal representation and opportunities for healing. Through our unique, trauma-informed model of advocacy, we provide the space currently missing in the system for healing, accountability, and safe pathways home from prison. In developing new self-narratives, the people we serve are able to more effectively disrupt violence inside and outside prison and become leaders who change negative societal narratives about those incarcerated for violent crime.

Our groundbreaking approach is changing policy and outcomes, driven by the voices and experiences of system-impacted communities.

UnCommon Law’s values include accountability, audacity, authenticity, collaboration, community, empathy, imagination, joy, liberation, and sustainability.

The Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy leads the day-to-day execution of UnCommon Law's legislative and regulatory policy advocacy and will be the primary advocate for advancing these efforts. Working closely with the Director of Policy and Advocacy, this position translates organizational and policy advocacy strategy into legislative campaigns, lobbying, regulatory advocacy, coalition engagement, and policy research. The Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy is responsible for tracking and analyzing legislation and regulations, developing policy positions and advocacy materials, representing UnCommon Law before policy stakeholders and coalition partners, and helping advance statewide efforts to transform California's parole system.

This position will work in collaboration with other teams across the organization, including but not limited to our Litigation, Communications, and Development teams. The position requires a strong understanding of California's legislative process, exceptional legal and policy analysis skills, and the ability to communicate complex issues to policymakers, advocates, incarcerated people, and other community members.

This exempt position reports directly to the Director of Policy and Advocacy and offers an annual salary range of $99,000.00to $+ commensurate with experience. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our values. New hires are typically placed between the minimum and midpoint range. Final salary offers are determined based on the candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as assessed during the interview process and aligned with our structured salary schedule.

Our office is based in Oakland, CA, and we offer a team-dependent hybrid work model to our employees. This role will require frequent travel to Sacramento, CA, particularly during the legislative session.

• Lead day-to-day advocacy on UnCommon Law's legislative and regulatory priorities
• Analyze proposed legislation, regulations, administrative actions, and relevant case law, and produce analyses and research memos for internal and external audiences as needed
• Draft legislation, amendment proposals, regulatory comments, and policy recommendations
• Coordinate legislative strategy and implementation with the Director of Policy and Advocacy
• Conduct direct lobbying and legislative education with members of the California Legislature, legislative staff, executive agencies, and other decision makers.
• Represent UnCommon Law in legislative hearings, agency meetings, stakeholder discussions, and public forums
• Monitor relevant legislative and administrative policies in California and track legislative and regulatory deadlines to ensure timely organizational responses

• Lead the California Alliance for Parole Reform (CAPR) Policy Working Group, including developing and executing collaborative policy advocacy strategy
• Facilitate CAPR coalition meetings and collaborative advocacy efforts in coordination with the Director of Policy and Advocacy
• Build and maintain relationships with partner organizations, impacted community members, researchers, and state-wide government agencies
• Support community education efforts related to parole and criminal justice system reform

• Conduct legal, legislative, and policy research supporting organizational advocacy
• Develop policy briefs, white papers, fact sheets, issue analyses, reports, testimonies, talking points, comment letters, and educational materials
• Translate complex legal and policy issues into accessible communication materials for diverse audiences
• Work with the Policy and Communications teams to develop policy messaging and rapid response materials
• Monitor emerging research, best practices, and policy developments affecting parole and criminal legal reform

• Develop and maintain systems for tracking…