Director, National Campaigns

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Director, National Campaigns, Abuse of Power in the National Political Advocacy Department of the ACLU’s National office in Washington, D.C. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.    

The National Political Advocacy Department builds power to achieve an accountable, representative democracy. We have ambitious goals across Reproductive Freedom, Democracy and Voting Rights, Systemic Equality, Immigration, Trans Justice, Criminal Justice and other core issues in order to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties, and advance the freedom, equality, ability to prosper, and humanity of all People. 

Our department conducts analysis, develops policy, crafts world class campaigns and situates the ACLU to have impact across legislative, administrative, and electoral levers. We are policy experts, lawyers, community organizers, lobbyists, campaign strategists, electoral specialists, program managers and more. We partner across the ACLU to drive national efforts, and support and amplify the priorities of our affiliates. We work to center principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in our approach. 

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

The Director, National Campaigns, Abuse of Power will report to the Senior Director, National Campaigns. 

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Work closely with Divisions within NPAD, including Policy & Government Affairs and Organizing, and ACLU affiliates to chart the course for the ACLU’s abuse of power portfolio, and other civil rights and civil liberties issues-related federal campaigns within the National Political Advocacy Department  
• Support and consult with the State Campaigns Division and ACLU affiliates on identifying and executing on civil rights and civil liberties issues-related, state-based campaigns to the extent that they overlap with federal/national campaigns 
• Lead a cross-functional team charged with developing campaign goals, strategies, and budgets to reach political/policy outcomes   
• Responsible for achieving legislative and administrative victories that advance civil rights and civil liberties issues at the national/federal level, while building the ACLU’s power  
• Identify areas of work that should be prioritized by the team, as well as campaigns and initiatives in response to unexpected, significant developments  
• In partnership with Policy & Government Affairs, develop and maintain relationships with key allies and partner organizations to further political advocacy goals  
• Drive campaign interventions that leverage the political power wielded by the Department and the ACLU  
• Work with other departments across the ACLU, like Communications, Analytics, Legal etc. to develop comprehensive strategies to advance goals   
• Maintain big-picture awareness of emerging opportunities and challenges within the position’s purview  
• Support efforts to fundraise on behalf of the Department and the broader ACLU  
• Help develop staff capacity to work together collaboratively and grow issue expertise and campaign skills  
• Support efforts to recruit staff, and further strengthen the Department  
• May provide subject matter expertise, advice, and support to fellow colleagues in other Divisions as they develop and execute state/local campaigns in new and unfamiliar issue areas 
• Represent the department in internal and external context, as the leader of the specially designated campaign/programming  
• Demonstrate an ability to be flexible and adjust priorities as necessary in order to adapt to changing external environment     
• Engage in other leadership and management duties as assigned  
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned   
• This position requires flexibility in work schedule and location, including the ability to travel nationally as programming demands and work nontraditional hours  

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

The ACLU seeks a highly-skilled and experienced individual who brings deep issue campaign experience and passion for civil rights and civil liberties issues. They will have a track record of designing campaign strategy and tactics and executing sophisticated campaign plans on a national scale. 

This leader will be experienced in leading legislative and administrative advocacy campaigns. They will be familiar with building, leading, and working within coalitions. The successful candidate will naturally connect and build strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively. They will bring excellent research, writing, and analytical skills. The successful candidate will be comfortable representing the organization and bring public speaking experience. 

This leader will be effective working in a fast-paced environment, can handle multiple tasks simultaneously, is able to work efficiently and quickly, is reliable in their delivery against deadlines, and is composed under pressure. 

In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:

Setting Strategy & Executing for Results 

• Proven track record in issue advocacy and/or electoral campaign experience at the national/federal level - campaign management experience strongly preferred. 
• Decisive in strategic planning but is aware of a changing environment and maintains a needed level of flexibility.   
• The vision and skills to create and articulate an inspiring vision for the Division. 
• The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results. 
• Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; capacity to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations. 
• A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in their approach to making decisions; acts in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization. 
• Develop and manage budget to execute multi-tooled campaign plans.  

  Leading Teams 

• Demonstrated experience leading people and teams 
• The ability to motivate the team, attract and recruit, and retain top talent, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage performance; widely viewed as a strong developer of others. 
• Able to persevere in the face of challenges and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards. 
• Self-reflective and aware of their own limitations; leads by example and drives the organization's performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement. 
• The willingness to make mistakes in pursuit of ambitious, game-changing goals, while possessing the ability to accept responsibility and learn from those mistakes with a sense of humor and humility.  

  Relationships and Influence 

• Outstanding relationship builder who uses influence effectively in a variety of settings, both within the organization and with external constituencies, including public officials, trade associations, and other relevant parties. 
• Ability to work in a matrixed and federated environment; strong conflict management skills; ability to bring consensus around a common purpose and deliver collaborative solutions. 
• Demonstrated commitment to working respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts. 
• Skilled at advocacy, influence, and persuasion; able to convince others to act on information or recommendations based on compelling logic or common best interests. 
• Deep commitment to actively promoting the values and practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and further fostering an environment of belonging and trust. 
• Excellent emotional intelligence and ability to work closely and collaboratively with a wide range of people. 

COMPENSATION

The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with our compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for each role based on geographic work location. The annual salary for this position is $229,096.00 (Level C2), reflecting the salary of a position based in New York, NY.  Salaries are subject to a regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.     For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf  

WHY THE ACLU

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.    

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please complete the Accommodation Request Form.  If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

The Department of Education has determined that employment in this position at the ACLU does not qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.