Career guide
Remote social justice and civil rights careers
Social justice organisations work on civil rights, equity and systemic change through legal advocacy, policy work, organising and communications. This guide covers the main career tracks, the skills employers ask for, and organisations that hire.
Career tracks in social justice
- Legal advocacy — Impact litigation, civil rights law and public defence. Requires a JD. Organisations include the ACLU, NAACP LDF and Lambda Legal.
- Policy and advocacy — Policy analysts, campaign managers and lobbyists working on legislation, ballot measures and regulatory change.
- Community organising — Grassroots mobilisation, coalition building and voter engagement. Often requires local presence and relationship building.
- DEI roles — Diversity officers, DEI consultants and employee resource group leads at companies and nonprofits.
Key skills employers want
- Policy analysis — Research, legislative tracking, regulatory comments, policy briefs and coalition mapping.
- Communications — Narrative strategy, media relations, digital campaigns, storytelling and rapid response.
- Campaign strategy — Power mapping, theory of change, escalation tactics, electoral strategy and coalition management.
- Data and research — Survey design, qualitative research, impact measurement and demographic analysis.
Organisations that hire
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
US civil liberties organisation with a national office and affiliates in every state. Hires lawyers, policy analysts, organisers and communications staff.
Focus: legal and advocacy. Location: national and state offices. Pay: $65K–150K.
Human Rights Watch
Global human rights investigations and advocacy. Hires researchers, advocates, and communications and development staff. Offices in New York, Washington DC and elsewhere, with some remote options.
Focus: international research and advocacy.
Color of Change
Racial justice campaigns and corporate accountability work. Hires for digital organising, campaigns and research, with a strong online and media presence.
Focus: digital organising, campaigns. Location: remote-first.
Human Rights Campaign
LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation working on policy, communications, field organising and corporate engagement. Based in Washington DC with field staff around the country.
Focus: LGBTQ+ policy, corporate engagement.
Also hiring: NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, Brennan Center, Public Citizen, NRDC, Sierra Club and many state-level advocacy organisations.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a law degree for social justice work?
Only for litigation roles. Policy, organising, communications and operations roles accept various backgrounds. Many advocates have degrees in public policy, social work or journalism, or no advanced degree at all. Lived experience and demonstrated commitment often matter as much as credentials.
Are social justice jobs remote-friendly?
Often. Policy, research, communications and digital organising roles are frequently remote. Field organising typically requires in-person presence in specific communities. Many organisations went remote during COVID and have kept hybrid or fully remote options.