ABOUT THE JOB
The Legal Department of the ACLU’s national office in New York, NY seeks applicants for the full-time position of Project Director, Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project (SPT). This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.
The ACLU’s Project on Speech, Privacy, and Technology (SPT) is dedicated to protecting and expanding the First Amendment freedoms of expression, association, and inquiry; expanding the right to privacy and increasing the control that individuals have over their personal information; and ensuring that civil liberties are enhanced rather than compromised by new advances in science and technology. The project is currently working on a variety of issues, including political protest, freedom of expression online, privacy of electronic information, journalists’ rights, scientific freedom, and openness in the courts. As one of 14 issue-based projects within the ACLU’s National Legal Department, SPT defends and advances those rights and liberties primarily through strategic litigation, as well as policy advocacy and public education in collaboration with the ACLU’s National Political Advocacy and Communications Departments.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Reporting to the Director of the Center for Democracy, the Project Director of the Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project will be responsible for leading a project staff based in New York that includes litigators, paralegals, technologists, policy analysts, and legal fellows.
YOUR DAY TO DAY
- Establishing and implementing a national strategy for the ACLU to defend and advance freedom of speech, privacy rights, and other SPT priorities
- Collaborating with the Center Director to determine the ACLU’s priorities and ensure that the Project’s resources are used effectively to advance these priorities
- Acting as a public spokesperson for the ACLU on SPT’s work and issues
- Developing and managing the Project’s litigation docket
- Working with other projects in the Legal Department and other departments including the National Political Advocacy and Communications Departments to bring a First Amendment and privacy lens to ACLU work, as appropriate
- Supervising Project staff, including deputy project directors, staff attorneys, technologists, and fellows
- Managing the Project’s budget
- Advising and supporting the ACLU’s 54 state affiliates working on SPT issues in their jurisdictions
- Working with the ACLU’s Development Department to communicate the Project’s goals and successes to foundation and individual donors and prospects
- Traveling as required for litigation, conferences, speaking engagements, and client development
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
- A J.D. degree
- Substantial management experience, specifically managing litigators.
- Commitment to the mission of the ACLU and to the ACLU’s historic role as a guardian of free speech and privacy.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Significant litigation experience, including in federal court, and familiarity with First and Fourth Amendment jurisprudence
- Excellent legal research, writing, verbal communication, and community outreach skills
- An ability to develop and implement multi-faceted campaigns that include litigation, public education, advocacy, and media outreach
- Experience managing large teams, particularly in a complex nonprofit organization, and strong commitment to team-building and to positive organizational culture
- A demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including the general public, national and local media, policy makers and others
COMPENSATION
The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. These salaries are reflective of positions based in New York, NY where are National Offices are headquartered. 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 email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.