ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Director of Strategic Communications in the Communications Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or Washington, DC.

The ACLU Communications Department creates, maintains, and amplifies messages and narratives to engage our supporters and other target audiences to help protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights, and also illustrate the value and impact of the ACLU’s transformational work. Through our messaging, engagement with newsmakers, written content, creative branding, and visual identity, we encourage support for the ACLU and help to build a more perfect union.

This is a unique opportunity for a talented senior-level communications professional to play an important role in framing the debate over civil liberties, civil and human rights and in enhancing the effectiveness of the most prominent national organization dedicated to preserving these liberties and rights. The rights of the accused, free speech and the right to dissent, due process, privacy, religious freedom, reproductive rights, LGBT equality, racial profiling, immigrants’ rights, and voting rights, among others, are all at risk.

This opportunity occurs at a time of continued evolution in the speed and methods of communicating ideas across many platforms (i.e., online, publications, media coverage, social media, and video) and through direct and indirect channels to audiences. The ACLU recognizes the critical role that integrated communications strategies play in the success of overall its mission.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Communications Officer, the Director of Strategic Communications will devise and execute communications initiatives in collaboration with a team of communications professionals, and other members of ACLU’s digital, legal, advocacy, fundraising, and affiliate support teams. The Director will serve on the senior leadership team of the Communications Department. The Director will lead the development and execution of integrated communications strategies and manage the team of communications strategists that advance the ACLU’s work on civil liberties and rights.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leading a team of communications strategists, including directing and mobilizing communications staff to take an integrated communications approach to organizational responses to the news of the day, along with the proactive identification of opportunities to advance the organization’s communications priorities
Overseeing the development of integrated communications strategies for cross-organizational working groups on priority issues, ensuring key domain and subject-matter experts are engaged to help create integrated communications strategies on key civil liberties and civil rights projects
Managing staff resources to ensure that priority issues, rapid response moments and institutional needs have appropriate strategic communications support
Directing and monitoring media/communications vendors, consultants, and freelancers within allocated budget for the department
Being available during off hours to direct rapid response and crisis communications
Defining measurable objectives and monitoring performance of efforts to proactively drive consistent messaging and themes which garner high visibility for emerging and ongoing civil liberties and rights issues; and positioning the ACLU to influence thought leaders, policymakers, newsmakers and the general public in issues
Maintaining relationships with key reporters, producers, editorial writers, bloggers and influencers on key civil liberties and rights topics to ensure ACLU messages and messengers are present across news platforms
Contributing to department-wide measurement and evaluation efforts regarding the influence and impact achieved by the communications strategies of the ACLU

In addition to:

Engaging in special projects and other duties as assigned
Centering principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes
A commitment to the mission of the ACLU
A commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regard to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
A commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Significant experience with integrated communications strategies, with demonstrated experience in advocacy communications, along with a working knowledge of paid, earned, shared and owned media relations tactics, platforms and strategies
Prior management experience with the ability to establish priorities that will effectively utilize the staff’s time and the department’s resources
The ability to implement integrated communications strategies for a large, complex organization
Broad experience with public policy issues, as well as a solid understanding of how communications may be used to promote a legislative agenda
Exceptional writing and editing skills
Demonstrated ability to communicate complex and controversial issues and to convey information about the issues to both narrow and broad audiences
Excellent interpersonal skills necessary to operate effectively in a large, multi-office national organization and with state-based affiliates and active volunteers
Management and team-building skills that inspire staff to work collaboratively in pursuit of a common mission and the ability to manage staff on the successful execution of objectives
A management style that is accessible, flexible, decisive, and supportive with the ability to provide clear direction and delegate where appropriate
Strong personal diplomacy, including a highly professional temperament and the ability to work in a collaborative team environment

COMPENSATION

The annual salary for this position is $196,797 (Level C2). This salary is reflective of a position based in New York, NY. This salary will be subject to a locality adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting. Note that most of the salaries listed on our job postings reflect New York, NY salaries, where our national offices are headquartered.

ABOUT THE ACLU

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

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 from government abuse and overreach.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. 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 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.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages 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 makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions.

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 email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.