Organizing Manager

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Organizing Manager in the National Political Advocacy Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or Washington, DC. 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.

The Organizing Manager will report to the Deputy National Organizing Director. This term-limited position is part of a collective bargaining unit and is expected to end on September 30th, 2025. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• With assistance from a Deputy Organizing Director and National Organizing Director, design and lead complex, multi-tooled organizing strategies from planning to execution, on multiple campaigns at a time.
• Support the development of robust organizing goals, plans, strategies, tactics, and budgets to achieve concrete political/policy outcomes on specific campaigns and other programming.
• Demonstrate ability to skillfully and strategically deploy many, key organizing tactics and tools, including but limited to [phonebanking, text banking, bird dogging, rallies, marches, picketing, canvassing, petitioning, social media storms, online action sessions or forums ] to advance policy/political outcomes.
• Demonstrate ability to manage consultants/contractors, and support efforts to ensure that performance is appropriate on the basis on pricing, quality and timeliness.
• Work in coordination with other senior stakeholders, affiliate staff, and national staff.
• Work hand-in-hand with policy counsels and campaign strategists in developing organizing plans and strategies, integrating them into broader campaign plans.
• Develop strategic partnerships that expand the ACLU’s influence in ways the ACLU would otherwise not have operating alone.
• Convene and execute on-the-ground organizing meetings and events in priority jurisdictions to support campaigns and other programming.
• Track programs’ progress to goals, highlights, and other data through standardized reporting templates, and demonstrate the ability to identify the need to and execute upon plan adjustments, as necessary.
• Produce clearly written and compelling call and text scripts for priority campaigns on tight deadlines.
• Closely track political developments and identify strategic organizing and advocacy opportunities for the ACLU.
• Leverage permanent volunteer teams (including the call team and text team) and recruit, train, and manage campaign-specific volunteer teams, either in person or remotely.
• Propose and implement the creation of new volunteer teams and systems that address the strategic and programmatic needs of ACLU campaigns.
• Leverage organizing tools (e.g. click to call tools, dialers, etc.) that are fundamental to volunteer teams and organizing strategies.
• Exercise significant independent judgment to solve problems and determine creative solutions.
• Demonstrate an ability to be flexible and adjust priorities as necessary in order to adapt to changing external environment.
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned.

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

• Experience with issue advocacy and/or electoral campaigning at the federal, state, and/or local levels, including campaign management experience.
• Experience designing organizing strategy and executing organizing plans and tactics.
• Track record of success in grassroots organizing, volunteer training, issue advocacy and/or political program planning.
• Ability to work largely independently as well as within a team.
• Excellent research, writing, analytical, and communication skills.
• Familiarity building, leading, and working within coalitions.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, simultaneously handle many tasks; work efficiently, meeting multiple deadlines, while remaining composed under pressure.
• Familiarity with earned media strategies.
• Ability to assess the needs and propose recommendations for resources to support campaign initiatives.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts, research and analysis in a clear and concise manner.
• Fluency, expertise and experience in multiple ACLU issue areas, a plus.
• Comfort with policy, including an ability to efficiently and effectively weave policy objectives into campaign execution.
• Willingness to travel.

COMPENSATION

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 email [email protected]. 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.