POLICY ADVOCACY ASSOCIATE

Application Deadline: July 7, 2021
 
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington (ACLU-WA) is seeking a Policy Advocacy Associate. The Policy Advocacy Associate supports the Policy Advocacy Group staff. The Policy Advocacy Group includes Directors and Counsels of the following issues areas: Criminal Justice, Health Care & Liberty, Police Practices & Immigration, Technology & Liberty, and Youth Policy.
 

OVERVIEW

The ACLU of Washington is a leader among state affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union, the country's premier guardian of liberty. We work in courts, legislatures, and communities to protect and extend American rights to freedom, fairness, and equality. The ACLU is both nonprofit and nonpartisan. We are supported by more than 135,000 members, activists, and donors.
 
Whether it’s ending mass incarceration and police brutality, achieving full equality for LGBT people, protecting privacy in the digital age, preserving the right to vote, or ensuring reproductive freedom, the ACLU is willing to take on tough civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. And we’re successful. In the past few years in Washington State, we’ve won lawsuits for protestors seeking protection from police abuse and for people who cannot pay traffic fines yet have had their driver’s license suspended, legislation to end harmful police tactics and create new standards for use of force and requiring police to allow juveniles to speak to a lawyer before being questioned, and much more. The ACLU stands for the principle that every individual’s rights must be protected equally under the law.
 
The ACLU of Washington is committed to ending racism in Washington State and throughout the country. This includes how we work with each other, and with our partners and allies in the communities we serve. We are committed to bringing anti-racism to all aspects of ACLU-WA's internal and external functions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring and human resources, strategic planning, ally, donor, and volunteer relations, Board and committee processes, and deciding what cases to litigate. We are looking for candidates who share this commitment to advancing racial justice, both internally in our organization and externally in the communities that we serve.
 
*Please note: the ACLU-WA is closely following the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and continues to carefully monitor public health pronouncements and recommendations. Currently, our office is closed and staff are working remotely until further notice.
 
As an organization, we value working together and look forward to when we return to our office. Until then, we provide laptops and technology support to do our best work even from our homes. You will need an effective WiFi connection and a way to reach you by phone. This position is eligible for either a work phone or phone stipend, as well as an additional $100 stipend each month to help cover any additional costs of working from home.
 
The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture.  The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, socio-economic circumstance, or record of arrest or conviction. We do not conduct criminal background checks on our candidates.
 
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Participation in ACLU-WA’s race equity work. This may include utilizing ACLU-WA race equity tools, adopting ACLU-WA race equity practices, serving on the Race Equity Team or subcommittees, etc.
  • Provide administrative and research support to the Policy Advocacy Group team members; manage their calendars, electronic and paper files; make travel arrangements.
  • Draft, produce, and proofread e-mails, letters, and other materials with attention to detail.
  • Arrange meetings, generate notes, prepare background materials, and handle follow-up actions.
  • Manage recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of Policy Advocacy Group interns.
  • Create and track public records requests (RCW 42.56) on behalf of the Policy Advocacy        Group.
  • Communicate appropriately with external staffers, ACLU leaders, and allies.
  • Use online databases to track and monitor relevant legislation and ballot initiatives.
  • Coordinate logistics of Policy Advocacy events and assist staff with other events. Assignments may sometimes involve working with staff in other departments including assisting the Communications Department with outreach efforts.
  • Occasionally attend other ACLU events. Help facilitate the smooth running of the office.
  • Other tasks as assigned.
 
QUALIFICATIONS
  • Ideal candidates will have an awareness of, and willingness to engage in, the difficult and transformative work of challenging systems of oppression, institutional and structural racism, and implicit bias.
  • At least two years of administrative experience, preferably related to non-profits or advocacy.
  • Excellent word processing skills. Computer proficiency, including mastery of MS Office Suite, including Excel, and the Internet; strong writing and online research skills.
  • Strong organizational skills to maintain record systems and to initiate improvements in consultation with supervisors.
  • Demonstrated ability to handle stress well, to produce work reflecting consistent attention to accuracy, and to coordinate numerous concurrent projects, often under tight deadlines.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage details, resourcefully solve problems and follow through with a minimum of direct supervision.
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in teams as well as independently.
  • Excellent communications skills, over the phone, by email and in person, with staff, volunteers, allies and other outside callers.
  • A personal approach that values the individual and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance.
  • An understanding of and enthusiasm for civil liberties and civil rights.
  • Proficiency in a language other than English spoken by the communities we serve is a plus. (Examples are Arabic, Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and others.)
 
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The ACLU-WA’s staff of 40+ employees and volunteers generally work in a standard office setting in downtown Seattle between the hours of 9am and 5pm. The physical demands and work environment described below represent those required and encountered by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Ability to type on a keyboard for long periods of time.
  • Ability to sit or stand for extended periods.
  • Ability to periodically work long and extended hours.
  • Ability to view a computer screen for long periods of time.
This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU reserves the right to change the description and/or posting at any time without advance notice. This position is “non-exempt” under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The ACLU of WA is dedicated to centering equity in all aspects of the organization and, as such, has adopted a salary scale for measuring how to best compensate its employees. The salary for this position is $50,420. For purposes of calculating overtime, the hourly rate of pay is $27.70. Non-exempt employees observe a 35-hour work week with a 1-hour lunch break.
 
Benefits include three weeks of vacation, thirteen sick days, fifteen holidays, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, a generous retirement plan, and an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass.
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
To apply, email a cover letter and resume to [email protected] and include in the subject line of the email: your name and Policy Advocacy Associate. In your cover letter, please indicate where you learned of the posting. Applications will be accepted until July 7, 2021, at which time the job announcement will be removed from our website at www.aclu-wa.org/careers
 
 
The ACLU of Washington comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, Inc. and the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington Foundation. The two corporations share the same overall mission, office space, and employees. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU of Washington”.