Organizing Director

Job Description

The ACLU of Arizona—a leader in the fight against mass incarceration, voter suppression, discrimination in public education, and threats to LGBTQ equality and immigrants’ rights—is seeking a full-time Organizing Director to plan and implement the field and organizing components of two pro-active multi-year advocacy campaigns to reduce the Arizona prison population and keep kids in school by limiting school suspensions and expulsions. Both campaigns – along with the ACLU-AZ’s work in general – are guided by strategic imperatives to eliminate racial disparities in both the criminal justice and education systems, and we are looking for someone with strong experience and understanding of how to analyze and address bias and structural barriers through a combination of tactics such as litigation, campaign building, policy advocacy, organizing and strategic communications. In addition to leading both of those pro-active campaigns, the Organizing Director will be responsible for developing organizing strategies around other ACLU-AZ priority issues such as immigrants’ rights and LGBTQ equality.

The ideal candidate is a skilled campaigner and manager who has recruited, supervised, and trained field /organizing staff on electoral, legislative or issue-based campaigns, where regular data-driven debriefs and assessments are an integral part of decision making and team building. The ideal candidate is a creative, strategic thinker with a proven track record of solving problems and managing organizers who develop and inspire volunteers to meet specific objectives.

The Organizing Director will be directly responsible for managing an organizing team in Phoenix where this full-time, exempt position is based. Please note that the position will be temporarily remote while our ACLU of Arizona offices remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

The Organizing Director reports to the Advocacy and Legal Director. Job responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Engaging in campaign work including developing organizing/ field goals, strategies, tactics, plans and budgets to advance ACLU of Arizona priority issues.
• Recruiting, hiring, managing, training, and retaining organizing staff.
• Demonstrating inclusive leadership by establishing a positive, collaborative culture within the organizing team that is driven by values of accountability, teamwork, and creativity.
• Lead strategic thinking and development of organizing tactics to advance other ACLU of Arizona priorities.
• Advancing shared campaign goals by collaborating with ACLU-AZ and national ACLU staff, local organizations and individuals.
• Identifying and cultivating strategic partnerships with community-based organizations including new partnerships with community leaders and organizations.
• Planning and executing campaign events, actions, and trainings for various audiences.
• Developing and overseeing an effective volunteer engagement and training program that takes them from prospect to active volunteer to team leader.
• Creating organizing materials for campaign activities such as call scripts, canvass scripts, organizer talking points, educational materials, and meeting agendas.
• Monitoring organizing metrics and making management and coaching adjustments as necessary to meet and exceed daily, weekly, and monthly organizing goals.
• Creating regular reports that are both qualitative and quantitative that senior staff and stakeholders can use to monitor progress.
• Developing innovative approaches to recruit, engage and empower priority and underrepresented constituencies to play leadership roles within ACLU campaigns.
• Developing a plan to utilize online tools to recruit and activate volunteers.
• Targeting organizer recruitment and advocacy efforts with tools such as a voter file and volunteer database.

EXPERINECE & QUALIFICATIONS

• At least three years of direct issue-based or electoral campaign experience including managing field/organizing staff.
• Strong understanding of various organizing models and philosophies and a willingness to innovate and try new tactics.
• A demonstrated commitment to centering the voices and leadership of directly impacted people. Persons who have been formerly incarcerated or otherwise impacted by the criminal legal system are encouraged to apply.
• Experience designing campaign strategy and tactics and developing and executing campaign plans.
• Successful track record in community organizing and movement building.
• A collaborative mindset and ability to work effectively with legal, policy, and communications staff to achieve shared goals.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; experience as a public spokesperson and advocate. Ability to analyze and articulate complex issues and concisely communicate them to a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrated successful collaboration with people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and perspectives.
• Ability to keep organized in a fast-paced environment, to manage several projects simultaneously, and to adjust to frequently changing demands.
• Experience utilizing a voter file and/or an online volunteer management system.
• Proficient in using and Microsoft Office software.
• Ability to adapt to new technologies and teach others to utilize them.
• Ability to work irregular hours, attend evening and weekend meetings, and travel in- and out-of-state.
• Knowledge of current political alignments and opportunities for collaboration in Arizona and familiarity with the advocacy and community organizing landscape around the state is a strong plus.
• Knowledge of criminal justice and/or education policy issues is a plus but not a requirement.
• Fluency is Spanish is a plus but not required.
• Commitment to diversity using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance, and record of arrest or conviction.
• Commitment to non-partisanship per ACLU policy that stipulates the ACLU will not endorse or oppose a candidate or political party in the process of voter education or mobilization work.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The ACLU-AZ offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience, and competitive with public interest salaries. Benefits include three weeks paid vacation; 100%-employer paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and long-term disability insurance; 401(k); and 16 paid holidays plus 1 personal day. This position is full-time, salaried, and exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references including their email, phone and relationship to you. Send electronic materials to the Office Coordinator at: [email protected] and please add “Organizing Director” in the email subject line. You can submit hard copies to ACLU of Arizona, Re: Organizing Director, P.O. Box 17148, Phoenix, AZ 85011. Please also indicate in your cover letter where you heard of this career opportunity . No phone calls or walk-ins, please.

Please submit your application materials by April 28, 2021.

The ACLU undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions. We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact: [email protected]. Correspondence sent to this email address that is not related to requests for accommodations will not be reviewed. Applicants should follow the instructions above regarding how to apply.

ABOUT THE ACLU
With ACLU affiliate offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, the ACLU fights tirelessly in the courts, legislatures, and through community engagement to ensure that all individuals’ rights are protected. We are a passionate, highly motivated group of lawyers, public policy experts, lobbyists, community organizers, and fundraisers, and we’re looking for exceptional talent to join our team.
This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU reserves the right to change the description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.
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.
The ACLU of Arizona comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona and the ACLU Foundation of Arizona. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation of Arizona are statewide organizations with the same overall mission; they share office space and employees. The ACLU of Arizona has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU-AZ.”
To learn more about the work of the ACLU, please visit www.acluaz.org and www.aclu.org .

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