Organizing Director
ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, San Diego, CA, United States
Position Summary
The ACLU-SDIC’s organizing team seeks to center the experiences and leadership of directly impacted people, while also ensuring that non‑impacted allies take part in effective and substantive action.
The affiliate seeks an Organizing Director who is experienced in strategic planning and critical thinking, while being able to work alongside their direct reports and fulfill day‑to‑day operations as needed.
The primary duties and responsibilities of this position are to lead and manage strategic, effective organizing campaigns that are aligned with the affiliate’s mission and expand and develop ACLU SDIC’s base of supporters.
In addition, this position will oversee the development of a civic engagement program during election years.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Provide overall leadership, management, and support for base building program activities and grow base of supporters
Plan, develop and implement campaign tactics that will expand participation of the organization’s volunteer base focusing on diverse communities and impacted community members using a regional organizing approach that moves volunteer leaders through a ladder of engagement
In coordination with the CPSO and other SDIC staff and partners, develop and lead implementation of an organizational electoral strategy, including working with community partners and volunteers to support ballot initiative and legislative campaigns
Excellent problem‑solving skills and solution‑oriented approach, and highly adaptable to a shifting landscape and the need to change course or shift approach quickly.
Department Management & Strategic Leadership
Ability to build a culture of growth and learning among staff and motivate team members to continue to learn and grow in their roles;
Guide and advise organizing staff in the conception and implementation of mobilization goals, tactics, indicators of success and development of assessment tools
Demonstrated initiative, responsibility, flexibility, and good and independent judgment, and ability to maintain confidentiality around strategy, personnel issues, and other intellectual property and legal issues;
Ability to set clear goals for a department/team and hold team members accountable to achieving those goals;
Facility with planning and implementing field and organizing strategies for successful legislative, policy advocacy, and/or ballot initiative campaigns at the local and/or state level;
Knowledge of California and/or San Diego and Imperial Counties’ political landscape and major organizational players and legislative and direct democracy processes.
Work with the CPSO and Policy Director to develop and support grassroots and grass‑tops elected accountability campaigns
In collaboration with External Affairs team, identify and develop storytelling opportunities with key partners and impacted community members
Ensure collaboration and communication with allies and community partners.
Supervise and coach affiliate organizing team members to develop new organizing, base building and political power building campaign models, strategies and tactics. Ensure that each member of the organizing team has clear workplans, goals and knows what success looks like for their role.
Champion implementation and expansion of the organization’s leadership engagement ladder through periodic evaluation and ensure development and/or implementation of data management systems, voter file, volunteer engagement and mobilization tools
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team collaborate with other program directors and ACLU of California entities (ACLU Cal Action, ACLU Nor Cal and ACLU So Cal) as well as our National ACLU office to advance the affiliate’s strategic plan, department and team workplans
Administrative
Manage the organizing department including hiring, supervision, creation and oversight of budget, and professional development for the department.
Manage consultants and contractors as needed.
Other duties as assigned
Must Haves
Familiarity with and proven commitment to a broad range of civil liberties issues, such as immigrants’ rights and other border issues, education equity, racial and economic justice, discrimination, policing, housing, privacy and technology, gender and reproductive rights, and voting rights
At least seven (7) years of experience in organizing, civic engagement, ballot initiative campaigns, volunteer leadership development, and/or grassroots advocacy;
5+ years management experience, including supervising managers and professional organizers.
Strong candidates will have demonstrated experience using advocacy and community engagement as part of a creative response to civil rights violations in affected communities;
Experience managing or leading coalitions;
Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
Experience using constituent management database tools and voter file programs preferred but not required;
Fluency in Spanish or other non‑English language widely spoken in CA preferred but not required
Work evenings and weekends when necessary.
Nice to Haves
Must understand the difference between a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4).
Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about differences, and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms. A complex understanding of racial justice and the urgency of confronting institutional racism and inequity. Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture. Proven track record of working across lines of race, immigration status, ethnicity, language, class, gender and other identities and experiences including record of arrest or conviction. Courage and impeccable integrity.
Physical Requirements While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to exchange accurate information, detect/identify documents and the information contained in them, move between areas in and out of the office to complete their role. The employee may need to move various equipment including computer to their work location.
Hybrid Working The ACLUF‑SDIC is headquartered in San Diego, California, though employees have hybrid schedules that allow for remote work.
Travel Requirements Must be able to travel inside and outside CA, including throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Compensation The classification salary range for this position is $117,000 to $131,000. Salary will be determined by a variety of factors, including the knowledge, skills, and experience of the individual selected.
Benefits Four weeks paid vacation; 17 office holidays; 100% medical, vision and dental insurance for staff members and their families; life and long‑term disability insurance; gender affirming care, flexible spending accounts, EAP support, and 401(k) plan with employer match and immediate vesting of the employer match.
The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, veterans, and people with arrest records and/or convictions.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The affiliate seeks an Organizing Director who is experienced in strategic planning and critical thinking, while being able to work alongside their direct reports and fulfill day‑to‑day operations as needed.
The primary duties and responsibilities of this position are to lead and manage strategic, effective organizing campaigns that are aligned with the affiliate’s mission and expand and develop ACLU SDIC’s base of supporters.
In addition, this position will oversee the development of a civic engagement program during election years.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Provide overall leadership, management, and support for base building program activities and grow base of supporters
Plan, develop and implement campaign tactics that will expand participation of the organization’s volunteer base focusing on diverse communities and impacted community members using a regional organizing approach that moves volunteer leaders through a ladder of engagement
In coordination with the CPSO and other SDIC staff and partners, develop and lead implementation of an organizational electoral strategy, including working with community partners and volunteers to support ballot initiative and legislative campaigns
Excellent problem‑solving skills and solution‑oriented approach, and highly adaptable to a shifting landscape and the need to change course or shift approach quickly.
Department Management & Strategic Leadership
Ability to build a culture of growth and learning among staff and motivate team members to continue to learn and grow in their roles;
Guide and advise organizing staff in the conception and implementation of mobilization goals, tactics, indicators of success and development of assessment tools
Demonstrated initiative, responsibility, flexibility, and good and independent judgment, and ability to maintain confidentiality around strategy, personnel issues, and other intellectual property and legal issues;
Ability to set clear goals for a department/team and hold team members accountable to achieving those goals;
Facility with planning and implementing field and organizing strategies for successful legislative, policy advocacy, and/or ballot initiative campaigns at the local and/or state level;
Knowledge of California and/or San Diego and Imperial Counties’ political landscape and major organizational players and legislative and direct democracy processes.
Work with the CPSO and Policy Director to develop and support grassroots and grass‑tops elected accountability campaigns
In collaboration with External Affairs team, identify and develop storytelling opportunities with key partners and impacted community members
Ensure collaboration and communication with allies and community partners.
Supervise and coach affiliate organizing team members to develop new organizing, base building and political power building campaign models, strategies and tactics. Ensure that each member of the organizing team has clear workplans, goals and knows what success looks like for their role.
Champion implementation and expansion of the organization’s leadership engagement ladder through periodic evaluation and ensure development and/or implementation of data management systems, voter file, volunteer engagement and mobilization tools
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team collaborate with other program directors and ACLU of California entities (ACLU Cal Action, ACLU Nor Cal and ACLU So Cal) as well as our National ACLU office to advance the affiliate’s strategic plan, department and team workplans
Administrative
Manage the organizing department including hiring, supervision, creation and oversight of budget, and professional development for the department.
Manage consultants and contractors as needed.
Other duties as assigned
Must Haves
Familiarity with and proven commitment to a broad range of civil liberties issues, such as immigrants’ rights and other border issues, education equity, racial and economic justice, discrimination, policing, housing, privacy and technology, gender and reproductive rights, and voting rights
At least seven (7) years of experience in organizing, civic engagement, ballot initiative campaigns, volunteer leadership development, and/or grassroots advocacy;
5+ years management experience, including supervising managers and professional organizers.
Strong candidates will have demonstrated experience using advocacy and community engagement as part of a creative response to civil rights violations in affected communities;
Experience managing or leading coalitions;
Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
Experience using constituent management database tools and voter file programs preferred but not required;
Fluency in Spanish or other non‑English language widely spoken in CA preferred but not required
Work evenings and weekends when necessary.
Nice to Haves
Must understand the difference between a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4).
Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about differences, and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms. A complex understanding of racial justice and the urgency of confronting institutional racism and inequity. Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture. Proven track record of working across lines of race, immigration status, ethnicity, language, class, gender and other identities and experiences including record of arrest or conviction. Courage and impeccable integrity.
Physical Requirements While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to exchange accurate information, detect/identify documents and the information contained in them, move between areas in and out of the office to complete their role. The employee may need to move various equipment including computer to their work location.
Hybrid Working The ACLUF‑SDIC is headquartered in San Diego, California, though employees have hybrid schedules that allow for remote work.
Travel Requirements Must be able to travel inside and outside CA, including throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Compensation The classification salary range for this position is $117,000 to $131,000. Salary will be determined by a variety of factors, including the knowledge, skills, and experience of the individual selected.
Benefits Four weeks paid vacation; 17 office holidays; 100% medical, vision and dental insurance for staff members and their families; life and long‑term disability insurance; gender affirming care, flexible spending accounts, EAP support, and 401(k) plan with employer match and immediate vesting of the employer match.
The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, veterans, and people with arrest records and/or convictions.
#J-18808-Ljbffr