DIRECTOR: ACLU OF CALIFORNIA SACRAMENTO LEGISLATIVE OFFICE

DIRECTOR: ACLU OF CALIFORNIA SACRAMENTO LEGISLATIVE OFFICE

Job Description

DIRECTOR
ACLU OF CALIFORNIA SACRAMENTO LEGISLATIVE OFFICE
Application Deadline: Open until Filled

The American Civil Liberties Union of California seeks a leader with strong policy experience to serve as the new Director of its Sacramento Legislative Office. The Director of the Sacramento office serves as a member of the ACLU of California Leadership Team, which provides overall guidance to the statewide collaboration of the three ACLU California affiliates.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE POSITION:
The ACLU is a private, nonprofit organization that defends civil liberties and civil rights through litigation, legislation, and public education. The Sacramento Office is a joint project of the three ACLU California affiliates. For several decades, it has provided a constant and principled voice on state policy matters, primarily focused on legislation. Continuing on that tradition, we envision expanding our capacity to take on greater advocacy with state agencies and the executive branch, enhancing our partnerships with other organizations, and having greater influence to shape the policy agenda in California.

The Director of Sacramento Office will have three major areas of responsibility: 1) Manage and lead the growth of the Sacramento office and its staff, 2) Enhance the ACLU’s impact on state policy by providing strategic guidance and support to key policy priorities of the organization, and 3) Develop relationships with elected and appointed officials as well as major statewide organizations.

The Director will be a senior level leader, who works under the supervision of the Executive Directors of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, ACLU of Southern California, and ACLU of Northern California. The Director will also foster principles of collaboration to ensure that the ACLU can bring the full array of legal, communications and organizing strategies to bear to impact state policy. The Sacramento Office receives its administrative services as part of the ACLU of Northern California and is funded by the three affiliates.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Management:
The Director is the primary person responsible for the effective management of the Sacramento Office, including:
• Develop a strong team for the ACLU in Sacramento that is cohesive on its own and well-integrated with the ACLU affiliate offices statewide, ensuring overall effective management and that we are applying our principles of collaboration;
• Participate in the ACLU of California statewide Leadership Team, to ensure that the Sacramento Office is aligned with the overall priorities and integrated strategies of the ACLU of California and the three affiliates;
• Supervise the Director of Legislative Affairs, who will have oversight of the complete legislative agenda of the office and work of the legislative advocates;
• Supervise the administrative support positions in the Office.

Policy Impact
• Ensure the development and successful passage of an ambitious and comprehensive state legislative and policy agenda for the ACLU each year and over the long-term, in consultation with the Sacramento staff and staff of the three ACLU affiliates;
• Engage directly in legislative analysis and lobbying on legislative and policy priorities before the legislature, constitutional officers, and state agencies;
• Engage lawmakers, opinion leaders, and key organizational partners to support major ACLU priorities;
• Serve as a spokesperson before state government on behalf of ACLU priorities;
• Raise the profile and influence of civil liberties and civil rights issues in Sacramento;
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Executive Directors of the ACLU of California.

External Relations
The Director will foster strategic relationships with major stakeholders who are in a position to shape California policy, including:
• Develop relationships with legislative leaders of both houses, on a bi-partisan basis, to build support for a civil liberties agenda for California;
• Work closely with constitutional officers and directors of state agencies to advise them and their staff on civil liberties issues and to embrace key priorities, enlisting ACLU experts and advocates in the process;
• Maintain communication with key opinion leaders who help shape the policy agenda in California;
• Monitor statewide ballot measures and recommend ACLU positions and strategic engagement in that arena;
• Develop partnerships with major statewide organizations in the civil rights, labor, faith, business, law enforcement and other sectors to advance values and priorities related to constitutional rights;
• Serve as an ACLU spokesperson in the media and in key events and venues, in consultation with communications staff;
• Develop new programs that equip lawmakers and policymakers with the information and tools to advance civil liberties in California;
• Develop programs that help the overall civil rights and civil liberties sector have a stronger statewide voice in Sacramento, whether through training, shared facilities, resources, or more.

QUALIFICATIONS:
• B.A. required, a J.D. or degree in public policy strongly preferred, and at least ten years of substantial experience in political, legislative, advocacy or law-related work, preferably in California;
• Commitment to advancing the ACLU’s values, mission, and goals, with an understanding of the range of civil liberties issues and their implications;
• Demonstrated management experience, including supervising full-time advocacy staff, showing the ability to be an effective supervisor, leader, and administrator;
• Exceptional analytical, research, writing and oral advocacy skills, as well as the ability to articulate legal concepts and complex issues and communicate them tactfully and effectively to a variety of audiences;
• Experience working with elected and appointed officials, and other people with influence, demonstrating good judgment and delivering results to advance a public interest mission;
• A strong grasp of the policy-making process in California;
• Ability to recognize and balance a range of civil liberties interests and concerns, often competing ones, and to represent the nuanced and specific positions unique to the ACLU in the legislative process;
• Ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse elected officials, staff, coalitions and community groups across the political spectrum and in stressful situations;
• Commitment to the highest ethical standards of lobbying and professionalism;
• Ability to work long hours during legislative session and frequent travel to meetings and events throughout the state, as needed.

COMPENSATION:
Salary depending on experience. Excellent benefits include four weeks paid vacation in addition 13 office holidays; medical, vision and dental insurance for staff members, their dependents and spouse/ domestic partner; life and long-term disability insurance; and 401(k) plan with employer match.

TO APPLY:
Please note: The ACLU of California is currently seeking candidates for two related positions: 1) Director of the ACLU of California Legislative Office and 2) Director of Legislative Affairs. Please indicate clearly which position you are applying for.
Send a cover letter, resume, three professional references and a professional short writing sample by mail, fax or email to:

ACLU of Northern California
Attn: Director of ACLU Sacramento Office Search
39 Drumm Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
Fax: 415-255-1478
Email: HR-Admin06@aclunc.org

Please put “Director of ACLU Sacramento Office” in the subject line of your email or cover page in your fax. Also, please indicate in your cover letter where you saw this job.

DEADLINE:
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. We expect this new hire to begin in the fall of 2014, after the end of the current legislative season. We recommend applying as early as possible; interviews will begin in early June.

The ACLU of California is proud to be an affirmative action employer.
All interested individuals, including people of color, women, persons with disabilities and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex are particularly urged to apply.