ACLU-NoCal - Associate Director

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Application Deadline: August 7, 2009

(Inquiries will be accepted until position is filled.)

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) seeks an experienced leader to serve as Associate Director to manage and coordinate the programmatic activities of the largest ACLU affiliate in the country.

The Associate Director will be responsible for directing the organization' s policy and organizing activities, working in concert with all program related departments in enhancing programmatic and political capacity and effectiveness. The Associate Director will provide guidance and oversight in the development and implementation of multi-disciplinary, high-impact campaigns for civil liberties. The Associate Director will also help build the future constituency and leadership of the organization, particularly from communities of color, young people, the LGBT community and other marginalized communities.

The Associate Director will report directly to the Executive Director, have significant supervision responsibilities of individual staff and departments, and coordinate program activities and resources for the organization. While working closely with the Executive Director at the level of direction and strategy of the overall program work, the Associate Director will be the primary staff person responsible for program management. As an important member of the ACLU-NC's small senior leadership team, the Associate Director will play a key role in shaping the future of the organization.

The Associate Director is not primarily responsible for the organization' s overall fundraising, governance, or financial management. The Associate Director will also not be directly involved in litigation but will help coordinate the non-litigation advocacy work of the staff attorneys in the Legal Department.

Job Description:

The Associate Director's responsibilities will include:

Program Coordination and Campaign Management:

• Provide overall leadership, management, and support for affiliate program activities including multi-disciplinary campaigns that utilize litigation, advocacy, public education, and organizing strategies;

• Guide and advise program staff in the conception and implementation of project and campaign goals, content, strategy and tactics;

• Facilitate resource allocation – both financial and human – balancing and mediating amid the range of priorities and needs of the program;

• Coordinate and set priorities with the Legal Department to provide for maximum impact of litigation and to support non-litigation policy advocacy strategies of staff attorneys;

• Coordinate with the Communications Department to set program related priorities and goals for media relations and other communications strategies;

• Develop and execute joint priorities with the National ACLU, the two other ACLU affiliates in California, and ACLU Legislative Office in Sacramento.

Supervision and Support of Program Staff (which may include):

•Primary supervision and support of Policy Directors (Racial Justice, Technology and Civil Liberties, Death Penalty, and a position to be hired focused on police practices and criminal justice matters);

•Primary supervision and support of Organizing Department, which focuses on mobilizing public support through campaigns and supporting ACLU-NC chapters, activists, and volunteers;

•Primary supervision and support of the Friedman Project, which focuses on development of youth as leaders for civil liberties and civil rights;

•Primary supervision and support of the San Jose Director, and any future regionally-based staff or offices.

Political and Constituency- Building:

• Provide significant leadership to ACLU-NC led or supported ballot measure campaigns;

• Work with organizing department, board members and others to manage grass tops and grassroots advocacy;

• Work with all staff to identify channels for volunteer engagement and development of new leaders, particularly from communities of color, from LGBT community, and among young people;

• Build and sustain partnerships with other organizations and with key sectors and allies.

Fundraising and Organizational Development:

• Participate in some individual donor fundraising, as assigned;

• Coordinate with Director of Foundation Support to secure foundation grants and to evaluate and report grant outcomes and deliverables;

• Implement strategies for program work to recruit new members, identify donor prospects and involve new fundraising volunteers;

• Support program-related board committees, as assigned;

• Participate in senior staff management and planning;

• Assist staff and departments under their supervision with budgeting.

Systems and Organizational Effectiveness:

• Manage overall program planning, documentation of outcomes and evaluation of effectiveness;

• Create and utilize systems for short and long term program planning and execution;

• Provide guidance to overall contact management and database systems to ensure effective management of volunteers, supporters, activists, and organizational relationships.

All other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will be a sophisticated, hard-working leader (minimum of seven years relevant experience) with a proven record of accomplishments related to civil rights and civil liberties advocacy. Other qualifications will include:

• Strong leadership skills in communicating, listening, guiding and supporting people toward achieving common goals;

• Substantial experience in developing successful public policy, legislative, ballot measure and/or activist campaigns;

• Management experience – both supervising staff and managing budgets and juggling multiple priorities and projects effectively;

• Ability to work effectively with experienced lawyers and other professional staff;

• Ability to motivate and interact with multi-racial, multi-generational staff, activists and leaders;

• Experience with activist training and leadership development, including amongst young people;

• Working knowledge of civil liberties issues generally (which may include those emerging from the aftermath of September 11, criminal justice issues, reproductive freedom, and equal justice on the basis of race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation) ; a "quick study" on a dynamic array of additional issues;

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral;

• A deep and demonstrated commitment to the cause of civil liberties and civil rights;

• Comfort with analyzing and articulating legal concepts and other complex issues and communicating them to a variety of audiences;

• Personal enthusiasm and optimism, along with a sense of humor;

• Organized and able to develop and manage systems for planning and effective internal communication;

• Able to work quickly, flexibly in an often fast-paced work environment.

Compensation:

Salary based on experience. Excellent benefits include four weeks paid vacation; medical, vision and dental insurance for staff members and their dependents and spouses/ domestic partners; life and long-term disability insurance; pension; and thirteen paid holidays.

To Apply:

Applicants should mail a resume and cover letter describing the applicant's interest in the Associate Director position to the attention of Bonnie Anderson, Finance and Administrative Director, ACLU of Northern California, 39 Drumm Street, San Francisco, CA 94111 or e-mail to HR-Admin@aclunc. org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

All applications, inquiries, and nominations, which will remain confidential, should be directed to the Bonnie Anderson.

About the ACLU of Northern California:

The ACLU is a nationwide, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the defense and expansion of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC), based in San Francisco, was founded in 1934. It is the largest ACLU affiliate in the nation, with 53,000 members, 23 all-volunteer chapters and clubs and a staff of over 50, including a legislative office in Sacramento and a satellite office in San Jose.

The ACLU-NC is proud to be an affirmative action employer.

All interested individuals, including people of color, women, persons with disabilities and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex are particularly urged to apply.