ACLU-NC Community Engagement Organizer

ABOUT THE ACLU OF NORTH CAROLINA

The ACLU of North Carolina (ACLU-NC) is an affiliate of the National ACLU. For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s achieving full equality for LGBTQ+ people, working to transform our broken and racist criminal legal system, defending freedom of speech, religion, and the right to protest, 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 from government abuse and overreach.

A critical component of our work is applying an anti-racist lens to all aspects of our internal and external functions including but not limited to our issue campaigns, recruitment and human resources, strategic planning, donor and volunteer relations, Board and committee processes, and deciding what cases to litigate.

We are currently a team of more than 25 that cares deeply about the work we do. Our team is predominantly white, and we are actively striving to diversify our staff with individuals from underrepresented and marginalized groups who have experience in and share our passion for civil rights and civil liberties.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The ACLU of North Carolina (ACLU-NC) seeks an Organizer to join our Community Engagement department in developing a robust and non-partisan organizing infrastructure to defend and strengthen the civil liberties and civil rights of all North Carolinians. The Community Engagement Organizer will report directly to the Director of Organizing and will work in close partnership with the Policy & Advocacy, Communications, Legal, and Development departments to execute the ACLU-NC’s mission on priority issues including voting rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, immigrant rights, and criminal legal system transformation.

The ACLU of North Carolina has adopted a “campaign” approach for its work, focusing on pursuing specific integrated advocacy campaigns to achieve measurable goals while building the long-term political and community power of the ACLU to defend, protect, and strengthen civil liberties and civil rights across the state. Under the direction of the Organizing Director, the Community Engagement Organizer will be responsible for implementing comprehensive organizing strategies and tactics as part of these campaigns. This includes recruiting and developing volunteer leaders, working alongside impacted communities to develop and align strategies and tactics, mobilizing grassroots support to influence decision-makers, planning and executing campaign events, and conducting outreach to North Carolina residents through community engagement opportunities and person-to-person field contact to involve them in the work of the ACLU.

This position will require the person to travel throughout North Carolina, but the candidate should be based in or around the Charlotte metro area.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Campaign planning and execution

• Under the direction of the Organizing Director and in collaboration with the Policy & Advocacy, Communications, and Legal Departments, help inform and implement clear organizing strategies that achieve the organization’s integrated campaign objectives.

• Help create detailed campaign plans that turn goals into tactics, timelines, and metrics.

• Facilitate the ACLU-NC’s presence at community events to mobilize and expand support for state-based civil liberties issues among ACLU-NC members, non-member supporters, and others and to recruit volunteers to engage with our work.

• Work alongside members from directly impacted communities, including building and maintaining strong working relationships with community partners and grassroots coalition members to find opportunities for collaboration and learning.

• Draft “call to actions” to mobilize volunteer leaders and community members to take action to support advocacy goals.

• In collaboration with the Legal Department, help develop and conduct Know Your Rights and other training specific to ACLU-NC issue areas for community members.

• In collaboration with the Communications and Policy & Advocacy Departments, help develop persuasive and informative outreach materials to be used for organizing purposes.

Capacity Building and Management

• Use organizing technology tools, including the CRM EveryAction, peer-to-peer text messaging, e-mail, and phone calls to mobilize engagement with ACLU-NC campaigns by supporters and volunteers

• Conduct training for ACLU-NC members, supporters, and activists to develop them into strong leaders, advocates, and messengers for the civil liberties and civil rights movement.

• Recruit and develop volunteers through communication tools, one-to-one meetings, trainings, recognition, leadership development, and ongoing engagement.

• Develop relationships with partners throughout North Carolina to build collective power

• Help maintain and consistently update information in volunteer database to keep records current.

• Consistently track goal progress, produce and help assess reports, and adjust plans as necessary.

• Perform other duties as assigned

TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ROLE, THE CANDIDATE WILL HAVE

• At least two (2) years' experience working in coalition, on grassroots campaigns, and recruiting and developing volunteers

• Experience with creative and effective problem solving

• Ability to work well independently and in a collaborative team environment

• Skills to effectively manage competing priorities, time, and capacity

• Issue-based and/or electoral campaign experience including phone banking, door-to-door canvassing, text banking, tabling and leading volunteers through these tactics.

• Excellent attention to detail and superior organizational and planning skills.

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including an ability to navigate and resolve conflict in a manner that values and respects difference.

• Strong time management skills and the ability to work under pressure and effectively prioritize multiple responsibilities.

• A willingness and ability to speak in public and to facilitate meetings and training across a broad range of audiences.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and experience addressing a wide range of audiences.

• A commitment to diversity and a personal approach that values the individual and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance.

• Demonstrate a personal commitment to advancing the ACLU’s values, mission, goals, and programs, with an understanding of the range of civil rights and civil liberties issues and their implications.

• Proficiency in MS products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and EveryAction or a similar CRM

• Must be willing and available to work irregular hours, including some evenings and weekends.

• Valid drivers’ license and willingness to travel as needed

TO STAND OUT FROM THE OTHERS, YOU WILL

• Experience with one or more of the ACLU of North Carolina’s priority issue areas: racial justice, immigrants’ rights, criminal law reform, gender equity, reproductive freedom, LGBTQIA+ equality.

• Demonstrate a personal commitment to uplifting the voices and leadership of people who have been directly impacted by the issues the ACLU-NC champions.

• Possess knowledge and understanding of how power is manifested in matters of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance.

• Have experience and familiarity with a range of organizing styles and models, including campaign organizing and digital organizing strategies.

• Experience and interest in litigation as a tactic in a larger struggle for social justice.

• Demonstrated experience in volunteer development and management.

• Bilingual or multilingual

WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU KNOW?

You are welcome here! The ACLU-NC is committed to an inclusive work environment that reflects the population that we serve. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building an organization where all employees and North Carolinians can be proud.

We eagerly anticipate 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, parental status, veteran status, or record of arrest or conviction.

COMPENSATION

The annual salary for this position is $55,500. Excellent benefits include but are not limited to:

• Three weeks paid vacation at time of hire (increasing to four weeks after two years)

• 10 paid office holidays, 1 floating holiday, and winter recess (December 25-January 1)

• 10 paid sick days

• Hybrid work environment

• Generous medical, dental and vision insurance options for staff members, their dependents and spouse/domestic partner

• Flexible spending and dependent care accounts

• Up to twelve weeks of paid medical leave

• Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance

• Short-term disability and long-term disability insurance

• 401(k) defined contribution retirement plan with employer match

• Annual professional development allotment

• Free on-site parking

This position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The ACLU-NC/LF is a unionized employer, and the Community Engagement Organizer position is part of the union bargaining unit. Salary and benefits are subject to a collective bargaining agreement.

TO APPLY

Applications should include a cover letter explaining your specific interest in working for the ACLU of North Carolina and a resume. Applications may be submitted via this link ACLU-NC Community Engagement Organizer - American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina - Career Page and should include all previously mentioned materials. Please note that we will only be able to follow up with those candidates under consideration. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

The ACLU-NC is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Recognizing that strict minimum requirements tend to disproportionately discourage women and people of color from applying for jobs

for which they would otherwise be competitive, we encourage all qualified individuals to apply -- especially people of color; women; people from low-income backgrounds; people with disabilities; people who identify as LGBTQIA+; and people who are formerly incarcerated or otherwise directly impacted by the criminal legal system.

The ACLU-NC and the ACLU-NCLF is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Recognizing that strict minimum requirements tend to disproportionately discourage women and people of color from applying for jobs for which they would otherwise be competitive, we encourage all qualified individuals to apply -- especially people of color; women; people from low-income backgrounds; people with disabilities; people who identify as LGBTQIA+; and people who are formerly incarcerated or otherwise directly impacted by the criminal legal system.