Senior Advisor to the Chief Political and Advocacy Officer

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Senior Advisor to Chief Political Officer in the National Political Advocacy Department of the ACLU’s National office in Washington, D.C. or New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. 

The National Political Advocacy Department (NPAD) builds power to achieve an accountable, representative democracy. We have ambitious goals across Reproductive Freedom, Voting Rights, Systemic Equality, Immigration, Trans Justice, and Criminal Justice in order to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties, and advance the freedom, equality, ability to prosper, and humanity of all People.  

Our department conducts analysis, develops policy, crafts world class campaigns, and situates the ACLU to have impact across legislative and executive levers. We are policy experts, lawyers, community organizers, lobbyists, campaign strategists, 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, inclusion, and belonging in our approach.

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

The Senior Advisor to the Chief Political and Advocacy Officer will report to the Chief Political and Advocacy Officer (CPAO). The Senior Advisor serves as a strategic partner to the CPAO and works closely with NPAD leaders to help advance NPAD priorities through effective coordination and execution. This role acts as a trusted advisor and thought partner, supporting decision-making and ensuring alignment between leadership priorities and execution on key initiatives. The Senior Advisor will work collaboratively with the CPAO to manage time, prepare materials, and brainstorm strategic objectives. 

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• The Senior Advisor is responsible for ensuring the departments activities align with the CPAO’s vision; serving as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the CPAO on department priorities, strategic initiatives, and emerging issues
• In close partnership with NPAD Executive Leadership, the Senior Advisor will be responsible for identifying areas of work that should be prioritized by the team, as well as campaigns and initiatives in response to unexpected, significant developments
• Strategically manage the CPAO’s time, helping to prioritize opportunities, and identify areas where the CPAO should direct their focus
• Keep track of CPAO’s to do list and next steps, and ensure the CPAO’s involvement in project or decision-making processes takes place at key times, where their input and authority are most needed
• Prepare the CPAO for upcoming external and internal meetings by ensuring they have all the information necessary to be productive and engaged; attend meetings with CPAO as needed
• Step in to manage the team for the CPAO and members of NPAD Leadership when needed, and represent the CPAO in key meetings both internally and externally
• Support CPAO in maintaining strong relationships with key external stakeholders
• Oversee the execution of key strategic initiatives for successful implementation
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration across the NPAD leadership team and staff, and facilitate/lead NPAD Exec and NPAD Leadership meetings
• Plan and execute leadership development of NPAD’s leadership team
• Provide support for implementation of people management principles development and skills training program
• Work with the CPAO and other departmental leaders to develop a model for senior leadership transitions, focusing on team preparations, and new leader onboarding plans
• Manage sensitive information and communication with discretion
• Maintain big-picture awareness of emerging opportunities, challenges, and trends across all issue areas.
• Maintain awareness of the work to facilitate representation of the Department internally and externally
• Drive efforts to fundraise on behalf of the Department and the broader ACLU.
• Develop staff capacity to work together collaboratively and grow expertise and skills; and further strengthen the Department.
• 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 and internal environment
• Engage in other leadership and management duties as assigned
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned by the CPAO
• This position requires flexibility in work schedule and location, including the ability to travel nationally as programming demands and work non-traditional hours

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• 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
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

The ACLU is seeking a highly skilled and experienced individual who brings outstanding leadership, partnership, and strategic capabilities. This individual naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.

This individual is a valuable and reliable thought partner who can connect dots, strengthen strategies, and establish comprehensive plans. The successful candidate is someone who gets energy from enabling others and by serving as a partner. They will provide strong problem solving and creative skills, and a deep commitment to collaboration.

This individual will bring a track record of inspiring confidence by enabling decisions and setting priorities. Further, they will have experience strengthening the culture of an organization. The successful candidate will excel at operating in a fast-paced, demanding environment, and serving as a source of clarity and calm to colleagues. They will bring an exceptional capacity for leading people through influence. The successful candidate will have superb listening and communication skills, and a passion for developing staff.

In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:

Setting Strategy & Executing for Results

• Demonstrated experience successfully managing large, complex projects from inception and design to implementation and maintenance
• Excellent facilitation and diplomacy skills with a demonstrated ability to manage up, down, and laterally to keep stakeholders aligned and moving forward
• Ability to manage and oversee multiple, complex workstreams ranging from technical, programmatic, and operational simultaneously
• The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results.
• Proven problem solver, with the ability to handle difficult situations and unexpected challenges
• Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; capacity to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations
• A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in their approach to making decisions; acts in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization
• A leader who can serve as an effective and credible spokesperson for the organization

Leading Teams

• Demonstrated experience supporting people and teams in an organization of similar size, scale, and scope
• The ability to motivate the team, attract and recruit top talent, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team; widely viewed as a strong developer of others.
• Able to persevere in the face of challenges and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards.
• Self-reflective and aware of their own limitations; leads by example and drives the organization's performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement
• The willingness to make mistakes in pursuit of ambitious, game-changing goals, while possessing the ability to accept responsibility and learn from those mistakes with a sense of humor and humility
• Proven track record of working with diverse teams

Relationships and Influence

• Outstanding relationship builder who uses influence effectively in a variety of settings, both within the organization and with external constituencies, including allied organizations, and other relevant parties
• Ability to work in a matrixed and federated environment; strong conflict management skills; ability to bring consensus around a common purpose and deliver collaborative solutions
• Demonstrated commitment to working respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts
• Skilled at advocacy, influence, and persuasion; able to convince others to act on information or recommendations based on compelling logic or common best interests.
• Deep commitment to actively promoting the values and practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and further fostering an environment of belonging and trust

COMPENSATION

The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with our compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for each role based on geographic work location. The annual salary for this position is $229,096 (Level C2), reflecting the salary of a position based in Washington D.C. or New York, NY.  Salaries are subject to a regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.     For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf  

WHY THE ACLU

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. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.    

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please complete the Accommodation Request Form

If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

The Department of Education has determined that employment in this position at the ACLU does not qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.