Special Assistant

ACLU • Columbia, WA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The ACLU seeks a full-time Special Assistant to the Deputy Legal Director / Director of the Trone Center in the Legal Department at its National office. The role is based in Washington, DC and is hybrid, with in-office requirements of two days per week or eight days per month. The position is part of a collective bargaining unit represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

The Trone Center for Justice and Equality focuses on crime, punishment, and racial justice, including racial injustice, the treatment of prisoners, the death penalty, and over-incarceration. The Center includes six projects and programs: the Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative, Capital Punishment Project, Criminal Law Reform Project, National Prison Project, Racial Justice Program, and John Adams Project.

Reporting to the Deputy Legal Director / Director of the Trone Center, the Special Assistant manages administrative, research, and operational duties for the Center, its Projects, and the Department. The role works closely with Center and Project Directors and the Associate Director of Legal Operations. Responsibilities include Center operations and logistical support, legal and policy research, drafting and communications, event and travel coordination, and support for department-wide operations and initiatives.

The ACLU salary listed for this position is $89,020 annually, reflecting the salary for a position based in New York, NY. Salaries may be subject to regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside the location listed in the posting.

The ACLU offers paid time off; comprehensive healthcare benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, parental leave, gender-affirming care, and fertility treatment; a 401(k) plan with employer match; and professional development funds, programs, and workshops.

Requirements

• Demonstrated passion for advancing civil rights and civil liberties, including racial and social justice.
• Ability to take initiative and work as a self-starter.
• Strong administrative, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Attention to detail and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience with Internet research.
• Strong project management skills in dynamic work environments.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort with numerical reasoning.
• Willingness to handle small tasks and understanding of their importance to the Center’s success.
• Excellent writing and proofreading skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Commitment to advancing the ACLU Center’s mission and to equity, inclusion, and belonging, with respect for multiple perspectives.
• Commitment to collaborative and respectful work toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.

Nice To Haves

• Paralegal or other experience in litigation.

Responsibilities

• Provide broad logistical support and assist with day-to-day operations for the Trone Center, including direct support for the Trone Center Director.
• Coordinate the Center Director’s cross-functional work within the Legal Department and with other organizational departments.
• Maintain systems for tracking, monitoring, and prioritizing tasks and projects related to the Center Director’s portfolio.
• Provide litigation and paralegal support to Center Directors and Projects as needed.
• Conduct in-depth legal and policy research on ACLU issues.
• Draft memos, presentations, talking points, and other reports for the Center Director.
• Synthesize information for projects managed by the Center Directors, communicate with internal and external parties, ensure timely delivery of work, and keep the Center Director informed.
• Draft the Center’s communications across digital and print channels.
• Schedule, plan, and help facilitate on-site and off-site meetings, conferences, events, and presentations, including participant arrangements, logistics, materials, budgets, and project plans.
• Make travel arrangements, manage the Center Director’s calendar, process invoices, and complete expense reports accurately and on time.
• Support the Centers for Liberty and Democracy and their respective Directors as needed.
• Provide strategic and logistical support for department-wide trainings and all-staff meetings.
• Manage departmental onboarding and offboarding.
• Support departmental legal compliance through projects assigned by the Associate Director of Legal Operations.
• Support implementation of new software and systems throughout the department and other initiatives as needed.
• Support strategic planning and budget processes.
• Undertake special projects as assigned.

Benefits

• Generous paid time-off policy.
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Parental leave.
• Gender-affirming care and fertility treatment.
• 401(k) plan with employer match.
• Annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs, and workshops.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed