Special Assistant to the Chief Communications Officer & Deputy Chief Communications Officer

Job Description

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks a full-time position of Special Assistant to the Chief Communications Officer & Deputy Chief Communications Officer in the Communications Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY.

The ACLU Communications Department creates, maintains, and expands message 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, our written content, creative branding, and visual identity, we encourage support for the ACLU and help to build a more perfect union.

Reporting directly to the Chief Communications Officer & Deputy Chief Communications Officer , the Special Assistant is responsible for supporting the operational leadership and logistical management of a dynamic team of strategic communications experts, content creators, and brand and talent engagement professionals. The Special Assistant helps ensure that the execution of the fundamental operations of the department are efficient and responsive. The Special Assistant will be responsible for helping manage internal and external projects and workflow, coordinating certain intradepartmental initiatives, managing operations, and providing logistical and administrative support to the Chief Communications Officer & Deputy Chief Communications Officer and department.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the day-to-day work and short and long-term priorities of the Chief Communications Officer, a member of the Senior Staff, and their departmental vision
• Provide support to the Deputy Chief Communications Officer who leads the strategic communications and rapid response teams and provides general management and oversight over the department in partnership with the Chief Communications Officer
• Provide workflow management support, coordinate key logistics for departmental meetings, convenings, and organizational priorities
• Drive efficiencies for internal operations through internal department meeting coordination and deliverables follow-through
• Coordinate Chief Communications Officer’s cross-functional work and serve as a conduit for the Chief Communications Officer, as appropriate
• Provide logistical and administrative support to the Chief Communications Officer and Deputy Chief Communications Officer, including but not limited to scheduling and maintaining a confidential calendar with competing priorities; arranging travel, submitting expense reports; and coordinating logistical materials and preparations for annual budget cycles
• Process payment vouchers and other routine requirements associated with the Communications Department budget; help maintain departmental budget in close coordination with the Director of Strategic Communications Operations, including the tracking of expenditures
• Provide administrative support for department-led events including room reservations, preparation of relevant materials, and handling catering needs; manage department supplies inventory
• Provide broad logistical support for department, at the direction of the Chief Communications Officer
• Draft correspondence and other materials as requested; respond to written and verbal inquiries, as directed
• Help coordinate departmental hiring processes, in an effort to maintain consistency and uniformity across the department
• Coordinate intern postings, reviews, and provide management, as relevant

In addition to:

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

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels
• Demonstrated track record of success in complex, fast paced work environments with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and ability to exercise a high level of discretion, confidentiality, and professional integrity
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; fluency with web and digital platforms, a plus
• Creative, critical, strategic thinker who is self-motivated, possessing the ability to operate as well independently as part of a team
• Strong analytical and reasoning skills, comfortability and skill with Excel and PowerPoint
• Willing to conquer the “small tasks” with an understanding of their vital importance to the success of the broader mission

COMPENSATION

The annual salary for this position is $76,469 (Level J). 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. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.

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 [email protected] . If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.