Executive Director

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks a strategic and visionary full-time Executive Director, for ACLU Wyoming and the Dakotas to lead it’s work in the ACLU’s National Chapter office. Candidates may be based in any of the three states within the chapter. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements.  The candidate is expected to routinely report to our National Chapter Offices in either Sioux Falls, SD or preferably in Jackson Hole, WY. 

The American Civil liberties Union Foundation (ACLU), founded in 1920, is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with more than 1,200,000 members and is dedicated to the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the Constitution. The ACLU of Wyoming and Dakotas Chapter is a project of the National ACLU.

WHAT YOU’LL DO 

The Executive Director balances many different interests of various constituent groups and individuals while grounded in a strong knowledge of the area’s history and culture and political landscape. The position requires a collaborative and driven leader with a broad range of knowledge and contacts.

The ideal candidate will possess strong organizational and leadership acumen, fundraising, communications, critical thinking and interpersonal skills, and outstanding judgment.

The Executive Director is responsible for providing direction and leadership toward achieving the organization’s philosophy, mission, strategies and annual goals and objectives. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that the organization is fiscally sound and harnessing its resources to best meet the current and emergent needs and interests of its constituents in programming, development, advocacy, and internal and external communications. As a Chapter of the ACLU, the Chapter is funded by the National Office and the Executive Director reports to the Director, Affiliate Support and Nationwide Initiatives.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

The Executive Director will be adept at balancing internal management with external impact and visibility. The individual must be an outstanding communicator who is able to advance the ACLU’s mission and goals through adept leadership that builds programs, the chapter’s financial health and stability, important partnerships that maximize the organization’s influence, and effectively conveys the mission and activities of the ACLU to a variety of constituencies and broader public. The Executive Director is adept at creating high-performing teams and operates from a collaborative mindset.

Executive Leadership and Vision

• Lead the organization’s staff to a shared vision, goals, and strategies that advance and align with the ACLU’s mission and program goals
• Operate strategically in a political and social environment where success depends on the ability to work effectively with individuals and organizations across the political spectrum
• Serve as the chief marketer, fundraiser, communicator, and spokesperson
• Grow and expand the ACLU’s reputation, developing and maintaining key relationships of influence
• Exhibit courage and clarity when addressing highly controversial and complex issues
• Collaborate with National Office staff and programs to advance opportunities for collaboration and aligned efforts
• Motivate and maintain a cohesive staff, ensuring strong internal communication and collaboration and where independent and innovative thinking is encouraged, and staff act with clarity of mission, purpose, and kindness; Promote an environment of continuous improvement, learning, and effectiveness
• Guard the organization’s integrity, credibility, and non-partisanship
• Champion and value diversity, equity, and inclusion at every level of the organization; strive towards a culture of belonging
• Ensure the smooth functioning of the office and operations

Program Management

• Set and drive, in collaboration with staff and advisors, the organization’s issue priorities with clear vision and strategies that build organizational power and influence, leveraging past successes and adapting effectively to the external environment
• Ensure disciplined prioritization of the work within a respectful culture of accountability, with clear program goals, strategies to accomplish goals, and regular feedback
• Ensure strong relationships with national program staff that leverage the full weight of the organization

Strategic Financial Management

• Lead and oversee long-term financial planning activities that balance a future vision with financial and legal risk considerations, ensuring use of best practices that meet the highest standards
• Anticipate funding needs and seek out opportunities to meet those needs
• Lead strategies to expand financial resources available to the organization in coordination with the National Office, pursuing opportunities to seek new sources of funds including grants, individual donations, and in-kind support
• Collaborate with national staff to implement the national fundraising model, participate in nationwide convenings, and ensure that fundraising platforms are used well in the affiliate
• Produce transparent financial reports, audits, and budgets as required by the National Office

External Relations and Public Representation

• Increase the organization’s visibility and public’s understanding by clearly articulating and communicating to diverse audiences in Spanish and in English, as required, the organization’s positions, rationale, and work on a broad array of complex issues
• Maintain strong relationships with the local and national media, guiding organizational strategy, and working effectively with the national communications staff to maximize nationwide messaging and amplify local priorities
• Convey an inspiring vision and communicate with intention and clarity about decisions and rationale
• Communicate with a wide range of stakeholders with empathy, emotional intelligence, transparency, and respect; work effectively in cross-cultural settings
• Value a diverse set of voices to represent the organization’s positions on its work
• Initiate and strengthen relationships and collaborations with organizations and leaders who are connected to ACLU’s mission and purpose

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

While no one person will embody them all, strong candidates will have many of the following professional qualifications and personal characteristics:

• Significant professional experience in ACLU priority areas; an advanced degree and 10+ years prior nonprofit experience are strongly preferred
• Firm commitment to the mission and principles of the ACLU, with an understanding of the range of civil liberties issues and their implications
• Unquestionable professional integrity and commitment to advancing civil rights and liberties universally
• Professional and personal connections to the geographies
• Capacity to inspire and conceptualize, express ideas, and anticipate and act on events which may create opportunities for the ACLU
• An entrepreneur who is creative, strategic, resourceful, and politically astute; someone who understands the value of creating partnerships with other organizations as a way of accomplishing the ACLU’s goals
• Proven fundraising and financial management experience with a solid track-record of success
• Proven managerial, problem-solving, strategic thinking, and human resource experience in the private, not-for-profit, or public sectors
• Ability to see opportunity ahead and lead the organization to a shared vision of its future and be able to translate vision into action
• Ability to advance equity and inclusiveness when analyzing issues and making decisions
• Use of data to make decisions
• Ability to build and nurture a positive working environment, even in high intensity situations
• Proven and successful track record in creating and implementing programs
• Demonstrated experience creating partnerships and collaborations with diverse personalities and talents
• Experience working with volunteers
• Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills, and ability to work independently and as a member of a team. A team player that inspires collaboration and functions decisively
• Creative, result-oriented, self-starting, willing to learn, and able to manage an aggressive schedule, working beyond 9-5 as needed
• A highly effective networker
• An energetic person who can work in a high-pressure environment, handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities
• Outgoing and straightforward; one who shares information easily, listens as well as gives advice, and respects and enhances the abilities of others
• Emotionally mature and self-confident, with a sense of humor to maintain balance and perspective
• Proficiency with computers: Windows and Microsoft Office in particular

COMPENSATION

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 EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

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 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 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 [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.