ACLU - Deputy Director

07/24/2021 12:41 PM | WWL Admin (Administrator)

Deputy Director

Application Deadline: August 6, 2021

 
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington (ACLU-WA) is seeking a Deputy Director (DD).

The Deputy Director plays a key role in shaping the vision of the organization’s work and increasing the effectiveness of ACLU-WA operations. As a trusted advisor to the Executive Director, the Deputy Director will be focused on creating and supervising an outstanding HR, IT and Operations team that supports the entire organization through collaborative leadership and strategic and efficient workflow. The DD will ensure that resources — both financial and human — are deployed in ways that help further cross-team collaboration and achieve organization-wide goals. The DD will report to the Executive Director, assisting the ED with the internal, day-to-day management of the organization and will serve on the Leadership Team. 
 
*Please note: the ACLU-WA is closely following the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). Currently we are all working remotely and will begin transitioning back to the office in the fall with a goal of opening fully in early 2022. We will continue to carefully monitor public health pronouncements and recommendations.
 
As an organization, we value working together and look forward to when we can return to our office. Candidates outside of Seattle and/or Washington State will be considered for this position with the understanding that relocation to the Puget Sound region will be required possibly before we fully open.
 
To aid remote work, we provide laptops, home office supplies, certain equipment, and technology support. 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 while working from home.
 
 

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.
 
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.
 
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

Our Deputy Director will work closely with the Executive Director including:
  • Participate in and help lead 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.
  • Work with the Leadership and Race Equity Teams to create, promote, and protect a respectful, equitable workplace of belonging, including staying apprised of and implementing best practices in equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB).
  • Serve as leadership backup to the Executive Director and participate in internal meetings with the ED. 
  • Manage Human Resource initiatives. Identify key Human Resource trends, challenges, and opportunities.
  • Work with Leadership Team to sustain and continually evolve an intentional culture that: centers race and other forms of equity; encourages respect, compassion, and courageous engagement; and acknowledges and values the humanity of all.
  • Supervise Staff: provide leadership and supervision to HR, IT and Operations staff.
    • HR – Manage and guide the priorities and workflow of HR Director and the recruitment work.
    • IT – Manage IT team, ensure IT projects stay within budgetary, time, and effort scopes.  Oversee plans for the organization’s use of technology and data with strict compliance with our privacy and security policies.
    • Operations – Manage operations staff, ensuring that facilities, front desk, and all critical administrative infrastructure issues are effectively supported.
  • Work closely with the Integrated Advocacy Director to ensure the work of the ACLU-WA is well supported, coordinated across departments, and aligned with the strategic plan.
  • Work with HR Director and address staff personnel issues as necessary keeping the Executive Director apprised as appropriate.
  • Lead ongoing strategic planning processes.
  • Work with the HR and Finance Directors on compensation strategies for new hires, promotions, transfers.
  • Develop existing managers, ensuring they are operating at their best and continually improving in management skills.
  • Ensure regular management training for staff and ensure our tools are in consistent and effective use with regular refresh sessions. Follow trends in management best practices, particularly about race equity; bring this knowledge back to office.
  • Facilitate effective implementation of the performance review process through training, support, and accountability.
  • Collaborate with the ACLU National office on nationwide and statewide issues and policies relating to office operations, HR, IT and related topics.
  • Other duties 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.
  • Demonstrated commitment to civil liberties, social justice, and race equity.
  • 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.
  • A law degree is preferred with experience in employment law.
  • Knowledge of employment law critical to oversee compliance with organizational policies and relevant laws is required.
  • At least ten years of increasingly responsible relevant experience working in a senior management position that required significant judgment, emotional intelligence and management finesse. Demonstrated ability to resourcefully solve problems.
  • An awareness of the impacts of secondary trauma in the workplace.
  • Excellent organizational skills including exceptional attention to detail, ability to meet deadlines and accomplish work in order of priority while driving strategies to completion.
  • Accessible, flexible, decisive, and supportive management style that inspires trust and confidence while creating space for collaboration and shared decision making when possible. Inspires staff to work together in pursuit of a common mission and holds them accountable for accomplishment of objectives.  Ability to provide clear direction, delegate well and assume ultimate responsibility. Ability to develop and nurture highly talented and diverse staff.
  • A diplomatic advocate with active listening skills who can connect with people from different backgrounds, build relationships across differences, and navigate and resolve conflict in a manner that values and respects relationships with people at all levels, both within and outside of the organization. 
  • Self-confidence, high energy level, grace under pressure and rapid responses to crises.
  • Competence in the use of office computer applications, electronic databases, and electronic legal research. 
 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIY

This position will head a department of 6 staff, directly supervising 4 staff. The number of direct reports and department size is subject to change.
 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The ACLU-WA’s staff of 40+ employees and numerous 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 travel locally/regionally/across the state a minimum of 5 days a month/as needed
  • Ability to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays
  • 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.
 

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 $169,317 - $183,814. A range indicates the intention to accommodate those with varying years of relevant experience, as determined by the salary scale.
 
The position is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and requires a willingness to work beyond our standard 7-hour workday, including evening and weekend meetings and events. 
 
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 Jobs@aclu-wa.org and include in the subject line of the email: your name and Deputy Director. In your cover letter, please indicate where you learned of the posting. Applications will be accepted until August 6, 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”.


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