Organizing Director

ACLU of Washington • Seattle, WA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The ACLU of Washington (ACLU-WA) advances liberty and justice in the courts, in the legislatures, in the streets, and at the ballot box. Our work is rooted in the belief of a future where everyone in Washington, particularly those who have been historically and systematically denied full enjoyment of their promised civil rights and liberties, are finally free to do so without barriers. Defending and advancing these fundamental rights and core values requires exceptional staff. Learn more about the ACLU-WA . ACLU-WA is seeking a full-time Organizing Director that leads ACLU-WA’s organizing program to build political power with communities disproportionately impacted by systemic oppression and with ACLU-WA activists. This role develops and supports the execution of organizing strategies to cultivate and sustain trusted relationships with allied organizations led by impacted communities; assess community support for and opposition to potential priorities to inform legislative agenda setting; build and facilitate strategic coalitions for legislative and electoral campaigns; and deepen grassroots engagement on priority issues. Working within the Policy Advocacy Department and reporting to the Policy Advocacy Department Director, the Organizing Director supervises a team that includes Campaign Organizers and an Organizing Manager responsible for grassroots activist cultivation and mobilization.

Requirements

• At least 4 years of experience developing and coordinating successful coalition and grassroots organizing efforts to advance public interest, legislative, political, or similar campaigns through state and local legislative bodies or ballot measures.
• Demonstrated experience developing, integrating, and executing coalition and grassroots organizing strategies, including building and refining organizing programs to advance legislative and advocacy goals.
• Knowledge of the Washington state policy environment, legislative and electoral processes, and experience navigating partisan political dynamics in Olympia.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with communities impacted by structural oppression, allies, legal professionals, organizers, and individuals with political influence to build power and advance civil liberties and civil rights.
• Strong interpersonal, relationship-building, and facilitation skills, with experience working diplomatically across politically, ideologically, culturally, and geographically diverse communities and bringing people together around shared goals.
• Excellent verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to listen deeply, present complex issues to diverse audiences, and quickly learn and adapt to new issue areas.
• At least 2 years of experience supervising direct reports, including training, motivating, and supporting staff and community partners.
• Experience managing multiple projects in fast-paced environments, adjusting to changing demands, and seeing work through to completion.
• Demonstrated capacity for self-reflection and the ability to seek, receive, and apply constructive feedback.
• Experience engaging in courageous, respectful conversations with staff, colleagues, and community partners.
• Demonstrated sound judgment in handling sensitive information and the ability to build trust while stewarding the ACLU-WA’s resources, reputation, and relationships.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, demonstrating initiative while also taking direction.
• Demonstrated commitment to civil liberties and civil rights.
• Deep commitment to racial justice and equity, including dismantling white supremacy and applying structural power analysis, with an understanding of how power operates across race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, language, immigration status, national origin, and socio-economic circumstances.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to adapt to new technologies; experience working with voter file data and volunteer management software.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in a language spoken by a community the ACLU-WA works alongside is a plus.
• FUTURE WA ACLU'ers WILL Be committed to advancing the mission, vision, and values of the ACLU-WA.
• 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; and
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Vision and Leadership Develop and implement ACLU-WA’s organizing theory of change to provide a clear, structured framework for the organizing program.
• Lead the ACLU-WA’s organizing program, including strategies to build political power among communities disproportionately impacted by systemic oppression and to cultivate, deepen, and sustain relationships with community leaders, supporters, activists, political influencers, and allies.
• In partnership with Policy Program Directors, develop and support execution of strategies to assess community support for and opposition to potential campaign priorities, informing the selection of legislative priorities.
• Develop and help lead strategic coalitions to advance shared political goals in legislative and issue-based electoral campaigns, including establishing clear coalition processes, goals, and work plans.
• Supervise Campaign Organizer(s) and the Organizing Manager, ensuring effective use of resources and alignment with the ACLU-WA’s mission, values, organizing theory of change, and campaign goals.
• Oversee the development and implementation of organizing workplans to advance legislative priorities during the legislative session, interim periods, and other priority campaigns.
• In partnership with the Policy Advocacy Department Director, develop and maintain systems, structures, and processes that support organizers’ work, and evaluate the effectiveness of organizing strategies and tactics.
• Foster a collaborative, team-oriented culture consistent with the ACLU-WA’s leadership values and race equity principles.
• Ensure organizers cultivate trusted relationships with community partners, directly impacted people, and ACLU-WA activists, with emphasis on communities identified in or impacted by the ACLU-WA’s strategic and programmatic priorities.
• Develop and support execution of strategies to deepen the ACLU-WA’s relationships with priority communities identified in the program plan.
• In collaboration with other advocacy staff, seek and integrate input from organizations led by and centering directly impacted individuals to help shape the ACLU-WA’s priorities, strategies, and tactics.
• Represent the ACLU-WA in coalition and organizing spaces by accurately communicating organizational positions, listening to coalition priorities, and sharing insights with internal staff.
• Facilitate or participate in coalitions convened by the ACLU-WA to advance priority issues during the state legislative session.
• Build organizing skills and capacity among community partners and ACLU-WA activists by sharing tools, information, and identifying opportunities for additional support.
• Serve as a resource to colleagues across departments in building relationships with coalition partners and navigating coalition dynamics.
• Work with Policy Program Directors to evaluate support for and opposition to policy proposals and assess readiness for inclusion in the ACLU-WA’s proactive legislative agenda.
• Maintain a working understanding of the organization’s legal and policy work and the communities impacted.
• Collaborate across the organization to develop, coordinate, and implement effective messaging, strategies, and tactics that advance the ACLU-WA’s goals.
• Facilitate internal meetings as appropriate.
• Actively participate in advancing the ACLU-WA’s race equity goals, community agreements, and color-brave space agreements.
• Center race equity in organizing work by building community partner capacity and political power, with particular focus on communities marginalized by systemic oppression.

Benefits

• Generous benefits include three weeks of vacation, twenty-three sick days, twelve paid holidays and two weeks of paid office closure.
• Employer-paid professional development, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, an employer contributed retirement plan, student loan reimbursement, family care and adoption assistance, life insurance, and an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass.
• ACLU-WA provides laptops, home office supplies, certain equipment, and technology support.
• You will need an effective Wi-Fi connection and a way to communicate by phone.
• This position is eligible for either a work phone or phone stipend, as well as an additional $150 stipend each month to help cover any additional costs while working from home.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees