ACLU of Eastern Missouri
PROGRAM DIRECTOR

General Duties: The Program Director is a member of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri’s leadership team. Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Program Director plays a key role in shaping the future of the ACLU-EM and increasing the effectiveness and capacity of our organizing strategies, public education campaigns, and public policy campaigns. The Program Director recruits and supervises programs, projects, communications, lobby, and field staff. The ideal candidate will have strong managerial skills and be highly outcome focused.

Specific Duties:
The Program Director has three core areas of responsibility: (1) Build and manage strong, well-designed, well-defined programs; (2) Facilitate a collaborative, strategic, and efficient workflow among the legal, legislative, public education, and development programs; (3) Oversee and expand ACLU-EM’s Field program.

(1) Build and manage strong, well-designed, well-defined programs:
• Ensure that all programs work within context of the strategic plan has well-defined goals and that staff are providing quarterly update/outcome reports and other reports as needed.
• Develop and implement strategies to deploy ACLU-EM members and supporters as advocates for civil liberties.
• Collaborate with the ACLU National office on national and statewide issues and ballot measure campaigns.
• Collaborate with the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri on statewide issues and ballot measure campaigns.
• Handle program staff personnel issues, keeping the Executive Director apprised.
• Oversee recruitment of program job candidates with the affirmative action compliance
• Prepare reports to the staff and national office as required.

(2) Facilitate a collaborative, strategic, and efficient workflow among the legal, legislative, public education/communications, and development activities:
• Lead effective high impact campaigns for civil liberties utilizing ACLU-EM’s combination of legal, legislative, public education, communications, and organizing strategies.
• Develop and implement strategies to deploy ACLU-EM members and supporters, along with new members as advocates for civil liberties.
• Ensure the work of the ACLU is coordinated strategically across departments and fits within the strategic plan.
• Facilitate communication among the staff by scheduling regular meetings.

(3) Oversee and Expand ACLU-EM’s Field Program:
• Identify and pursue opportunities for new chapters around the state.
• Serve as the Affiliate Office liaison with all chapters to provide program and administrative support as appropriate.
• Facilitate chapters’ working relationships with all affiliate programs.
• Develop an aggressive, pro-active field program for Eastern Missouri.
• Recruit and supervise Field Organizers to provide guidance and support to ACLU-EM’s chapters, including college chapters. Work with them to build effective multi-organizational coalitions on priority issues.

Qualifications:

• Extraordinary leadership and management skills.
• Management experience (supervising staff, managing budgets and effectively juggling multiple priorities and projects). Able to manage and work effectively with other professional staff. Motivate and interact with multi-racial, multi-generational activists and ACLU-EM leaders.
• Ability to form and articulate a strategic vision for an effective field program and coordination of ACLU-EM’s multi-disciplinary strategies.
• Substantial experience in developing successful political/legislative and activist campaigns, including familiarity with media campaigns and on-line organizing and communications.
• Familiarity and/or expertise in a broad range of civil liberties issues, including those emerging from the aftermath of September 11, the death penalty, criminal justice issues, religious freedom, free speech, and equal justice on the basis of race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• A demonstrated commitment to the cause of civil liberties and civil rights and the mission of the ACLU.
• Ability to travel and work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends.
• Ability to work as part of a closely-knit team.

Apply by letter of interest and resume to:

Debbie Read
Executive Assistant
ACLU of Eastern Missouri
454 Whittier Street
St. Louis, MO 63108

Or e-mail to: application@aclu-em.org

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.