Assistant Director of Field Organizing (NYC)

New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation•New York, NY

35d•$90,000 - $125,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is one of the nation's leading advocates on behalf of constitutional rights and liberties. Founded in 1951, as the New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, the NYCLU is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization with more than 90,000 members and supporters, and eight offices statewide. We work in the courts, in the legislatures and on the streets to advocate for racial and economic justice, free speech, freedom of religion, privacy and equality before the law for all New Yorkers. For more information, please visit our website: www.nyclu.org. The Assistant Director of Field Organizing supports the Director of Field Organizing to lead, direct, and manage the Field Organizing Department, which consists of organizers in eight regions across the state who undertake various activities – including campaign development and implementation, volunteer engagement and mobilization, and community education – to advance the NYCLU’s mission and strategic priorities. The Assistant Director also serves as a member of the NYCLU’s Middle Management Team, which guides the work and operation of the organization. This is a three-year contract position with the high potential for a permanent role. The organization is committed to facilitating an evaluation process annually which will engage staff across several departments at the NYCLU.

Requirements

A combined minimum of 6 years of experience in political, community or issue advocacy organizing, including substantial demonstrated experience leading organizing campaigns at the local, state or national levels and 2-3 years managing a team. This includes experience working with organizational membership, volunteers, directly impacted communities, and/or community organizers.
Track record of training, developing and supporting new organizers.
Demonstrated success in building organizational infrastructure.
An understanding of and commitment to the nonpartisan mission and goals of the NYCLU and ACLU.
Excellent communication, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
Strong analytical ability, intellectual curiosity, and critical thinking skills.
Demonstrated leadership skills and collaborative work style.
Demonstrated experience in applying principles of racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.
Experience with digital organizing tools including e-mail-, call-, and text-to-action tools.
Experience with Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) software (i.e., NPG VAN, salesforce).
Availability and willingness to travel within the state, as necessary, and participate in occasional evening and weekend activities.
Bachelor's degree in public policy or other related areas preferred.

Nice To Haves

A love for the challenges and rewards of managing a diverse team.
Existing relationships with a diverse set of policy makers and/or constituencies.
Familiarity with the political landscapes of Albany and New York City.
Familiarity with the cultural and/or political landscapes of NYS regions outside of the NYC Metro area.
Familiarity with media strategy, including social media.
Ability to balance self-care in a professional environment that often demands urgency.
A great sense of humor, a collaborative disposition, patience, and flexibility.
Experience supervising Union employees.

Responsibilities

Supervise and manage the New York City-based Field staff and contractors, as needed:
Provide clear expectations and feedback that helps further the employees’ individual skills.
Foster the professional development of Field Department staff through the use of, among other tools, performance evaluations and professional development plans.
Support the Director of Field Organizing to plan, monitor, track, and approve Field Department’s budgeting and spending.
Provide reports to the Director of Field Organizing on a regular basis and as requested, and perform other duties as assigned.
Serve as a member of the Middle Management Team to support program operations and organizational decision making including, but not limited to:
The Policy Department to develop and execute strategies in support of legislative and policy advocacy.
The Development and Communications Departments to coordinate communications to our audiences.
Manage the NYCLU’s community education initiative, which includes (but is not limited to) “Know Your Rights” workshops, skill-based trainings, and other presentations.
Collaborate with the Communications Department to develop educational and organizing materials.
Work in coalition with key community members, groups, and grassroots organizations to achieve shared goals.
Expand the NYCLU’s network of support and alliances by identifying strategic allies and building new partnerships that will strengthen and broaden our impact.
Support engagement with a diverse set of policymakers, stakeholders, and thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum.
Closely coordinate with the Policy Departments and other departments to develop and implement NYCLU’s campaigns on ongoing priorities and rapid response to urgent, unanticipated threats to civil rights and civil liberties.
Work with Director of Field Organizing to oversee the development and implementation of organizing campaign plans.
Work closely with the Director of Regions on local and statewide campaigns.
Plan and execute lobby days and community engagement events.
Support the Director in close coordination with the Development and Communications Departments, with the management and development of NYCLU’s volunteer network of over 11,000 New Yorkers
Actively support the NYCLU’s internal and external commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.