Organizing Manager
About the Company
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. We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being.
The National Political Advocacy Department builds power to achieve an accountable, representative democracy. We have ambitious goals across Reproductive Freedom, Democracy and Voting Rights, Systemic Equality, Immigration, Trans Justice, Criminal Justice and other core issues in order to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties, and advance the freedom, equality, ability to prosper, and humanity of all People.
About the Job
Our department conducts analysis, develops policy, crafts world class campaigns and situates the ACLU to have impact across legislative, administrative, and electoral levers. We are policy experts, lawyers, community organizers, lobbyists, campaign strategists, electoral specialists, program managers and more. We partner across the ACLU to drive national efforts, and support and amplify the priorities of our affiliates. We work to center principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in our approach.
The Organizing Manager will report to the Deputy National Organizing Director. This term-limited position is expected to end on September 30th, 2025.
Responsibilities
With assistance from a Deputy Organizing Director and National Organizing Director, design and lead complex, multi-tooled organizing strategies from planning to execution, on multiple campaigns at a time
Support the development of robust organizing goals, plans, strategies, tactics, and budgets to achieve concrete political/policy outcomes on specific campaigns and other programming
Demonstrate ability to skillfully and strategically deploy many, key organizing tactics and tools, including but limited to [phonebanking, text banking, bird dogging, rallies, marches, picketing, canvassing, petitioning, social media storms, online action sessions or forums ] to advance policy/political outcomes
Demonstrate ability to manage consultants/contractors, and support efforts to ensure that performance is appropriate on the basis on pricing, quality and timeliness
Work in coordination with other senior stakeholders, affiliate staff, and national staff
Work hand-in-hand with policy counsels and campaign strategists in developing organizing plans and strategies, integrating them into broader campaign plans
Develop strategic partnerships that expand the ACLU’s influence in ways the ACLU would otherwise not have operating alone
Convene and execute on-the-ground organizing meetings and events in priority jurisdictions to support campaigns and other programming
Track programs’ progress to goals, highlights, and other data through standardized reporting templates, and demonstrate the ability to identify the need to and execute upon plan adjustments, as necessary
Produce clearly written and compelling call and text scripts for priority campaigns on tight deadlines
Closely track political developments and identify strategic organizing and advocacy opportunities for the ACLU
Leverage permanent volunteer teams (including the call team and text team) and recruit, train, and manage campaign-specific volunteer teams, either in person or remotely
Propose and implement the creation of new volunteer teams and systems that address the strategic and programmatic needs of ACLU campaigns
Leverage organizing tools (e.g. click to call tools, dialers, etc.) that are fundamental to volunteer teams and organizing strategies
Exercise significant independent judgment to solve problems and determine creative solutions
Demonstrate an ability to be flexible and adjust priorities as necessary in order to adapt to changing external environment
Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
Qualifications
Experience with issue advocacy and/or electoral campaigning at the federal, state, and/or local levels, including campaign management experience
Experience designing organizing strategy and executing organizing plans and tactics
Track record of success in grassroots organizing, volunteer training, issue advocacy and/or political program planning
Ability to work largely independently as well as within a team
Excellent research, writing, analytical, and communication skills
Familiarity building, leading, and working within coalitions
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, simultaneously handle many tasks; work efficiently, meeting multiple deadlines, while remaining composed under pressure
Familiarity with earned media strategies
Ability to assess the needs and propose recommendations for resources to support campaign initiatives
Ability to communicate complex concepts, research and analysis in a clear and concise manner
Fluency, expertise and experience in multiple ACLU issue areas, a plus
Comfort with policy, including an ability to efficiently and effectively weave policy objectives into campaign execution
Willingness to travel
