Career Opportunity
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER [SC-04]
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
Charleston, South Carolina

The American Civil Liberties Union welcomes applications for the position of Community Organizer of the South Carolina National Office. This position is available immediately.

OVERVIEW:
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded in 1920 to preserve the fundamental liberties written in the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.

The ACLU is composed of two separately incorporated nonprofit organizations. The ACLU, a 501(c)(4) membership organization, is the primary lobbying arm. The ACLU Foundation, a 501(c)(3), conducts litigation and public education programs in support of civil liberties. The majority of support for the ACLU and ACLU Foundation comes from individuals, who believe in the guarantees of freedom, justice, equality, and fair treatment under the law. The ACLU receives no government funding and never charges clients for legal representation.

Every ACLU office builds a menu of programs and services to meet the unique characteristics of the communities that are served. Through communications, lobbying and litigation, the ACLU endeavors to preserve and enhance liberties grounded in the United States and state constitutions and civil rights laws. Among these liberties are separation of church and state, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, the right to privacy, reproductive rights, due process of law, and the right to equal treatment under the law. To learn more about the work of the national ACLU, please visit www.aclu.org.

The South Carolina National Office:
The ACLU South Carolina is a national office of the ACLU and is the state’s guardian of freedom. Working to promote and defend civil liberties throughout the state, its mission includes a variety of legal, legislative and public education programs encompassing a broad range of constitutional issues.

Until recently, the ACLU of South Carolina was a separately governed and operated statewide affiliate organization located in Columbia, South Carolina. In June, 2008, the national ACLU reorganized to create an office of the national ACLU to strengthen its statewide operations and program capacity. The new office, to be opened in July, 2008, will be located in Charleston, South Carolina, with easy proximity to South Carolina’s state capitol, Columbia.

The newly formed ACLU South Carolina National Office will be focused on expanding the ACLU’s capacity to meet the increasing civil liberties challenges in the state. The incoming Executive Director will be reporting to the national organization and working collaboratively with a leadership team of dedicated professionals to (1) Establish and maintain positive, proactive statewide communications with existing members, supporters, and donors; (2) Implement a statewide community engagement strategy designed to attract new supporters, members and donors statewide; (3) Partner with the national leadership team to launch targeted programs and services; and (4) Foster the creation and collaborative efforts of a core team of staff and volunteers to provide high quality service with measurable outcomes.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Community Organizer will be responsible for implementing membership education programs, engaging in coalition building, and mobilizing volunteers in order to spearhead local issue campaigns in conjunction with our National ACLU office. The Community Organizer will also play a role in implementing multi-disciplinary, high-impact campaigns for civil liberties involving a combination of legal, legislative, public education, and organizing strategies to enhance the overall political capacity and effectiveness of the organization. The Community Organizer reports to the Executive Director and works in concert with other departments, as well as supporting and inspiring existing networks of activists and volunteers.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with other departments to develop strategic initiatives related to local, statewide and national political and legislative action
• Deploy existing ACLU members, along with new members, as advocates for civil liberties
• Provide guidance and support for local activist groups and ACLU members across the state
• Develop relationships with schools, colleges and universities to engage, motivate, and advance the ACLU’s policy campaigns with the younger population
• Plan and execute major public events, public forums, conferences, and training opportunities
• Collaborate with ACLU affiliates, and the ACLU National office on national and statewide issues
• Develop and nurture effective multi-organizational coalitions on priority issues and statewide campaigns
• Integrate technology as a tool for activists to advance program goals
• Prepare the necessary status and data collection reports as required

REQUIREMENTS:

The ideal candidate will have these qualifications:

• B.A. degree or equivalent relevant work experience. A minimum of 5 year’s experience in community organizing or coordinating successful political, legislative, or activist campaigns
• familiarity and/or expertise in a broad range of civil liberties issues including the death penalty, criminal justice, reproductive freedom, and equal justice on the basis of race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation
• strong project management skills including the ability to multitask, prioritize and manage a budget
• excellent communication skills with the ability to act as an advocate and a public spokesperson
• ability to analyze and articulate legal concepts and other complex issues, and communicate them to a variety of audiences
• a passionate advocate with a reputation for creating innovative programs, building coalitions, and fueling change at the grassroots level
• an enthusiastic “friendraiser” with the marketing skills necessary to build community awareness and to catalyze new and existing ACLU members throughout the state
• a demonstrated ability to work effectively with and quickly gain the respect and support of various constituencies including local members, local staff, national staff, consultants, volunteers, and other community leaders
• experience with on-line organizing
• ability to coach and lead members, interns and volunteers in an environment that fosters creativity, teamwork, a commitment to excellence, and mutual respect
• experience in growing and leading a successful start-up program
• must be willing to travel frequently throughout the week and on weekends, both locally and regionally and to devote as many hours as necessary to get the job done
• a commitment to diversity; a personal approach that values the individual and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance
• fluency in both English and Spanish preferred
• proficiency with Windows and Microsoft Office; familiarity with design software preferred
• firm commitment to the mission and principles of the ACLU

COMPENSATION:
The ACLU offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within parameters of the ACLU compensation scale.

HOW TO APPLY:
Please send a cover letter and resume that describes your interest in this position, your relevant qualifications and experience, and your availability. Applications should be sent by email to jobs@aclusouthcarolina.org – reference [SC-04/WACLU] in the subject line – or by mail to:

American Civil Liberties Union
RE: [SC-04/WACLU]
PO Box 20998
Charleston, SC 29403-6322

Applications will be accepted until position is filled, which will not be before August 25, 2008. Please indicate where you learned of this job posting.

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.