Political Director-ACLU-NJ

Political Director-ACLU-NJ

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey seeks a seasoned Political Director to lead its newly formed Political Advocacy Department. This role is a meaningful opportunity in an organization making profound differences in the lives of people across New Jersey. We take pride in our decades' long reputation of fighting for people whose civil rights are challenged.

We are sharpening our organization's strategic priorities by focusing our policy, political, organizing, legal, and strategic communications firepower to pursue specific advocacy campaigns, working to achieve measurable goals that will expand civil liberties and civil rights while building the long-term power of the ACLU-NJ and the civil liberties landscape.

The Political Director will play a vital role in shaping a bold vision to protect and promote civil liberties. This position sits at the intersection of policy, law, organizing, and politics, utilizing many tools to achieve our transformative agenda. Building on a history of exciting successes and at a pivotal point in the future of New Jersey's political and policy landscape, the right candidate will lead the ACLU-NJ in maximizing our political influence, and expanding the reach and capacity of the ACLU-NJ to make a positive difference in policy at all levels of government. The Political Director will lead our efforts in shaping public policy to protect the civil rights of New Jerseyans, building coalitions to support and advocate for those policies, and mobilizing communities to take action to protect rights and liberties. They will also further develop and oversee our issue-based, non-partisan voter and electoral engagement program.

We need a strategic thinker and strong communicator with a passion for our mission, a vision for applying policy, political, and organizing strategies and tactics to reach organizational goals, and a meticulous approach to conceiving and executing plans of action. The Political Director will also be a leader who will develop and achieve short and long-term goals across issue areas while spearheading policy, political, and community engagement initiatives in close coordination with our communications and legal teams.

The position is hybrid, based in Newark.

Reporting to the Executive Director and joining the leadership team, the Political Director will oversee a talented and dedicated team of organizing and policy professionals in our newly comprised Political Advocacy Department in continuing to grow the affiliate as a formidable political force in the state. The Political Director will look ahead to opportunities to build a transformative future, while understanding current political reality and guiding the team in pursuit of its political goals.

The Political Director will lead the team in implementing and supporting multi-disciplinary, high-impact campaigns and programs that use a combination of legal, legislative, strategic communications, public education, and organizing tactics to achieve ACLU policy priorities in all levels of government and through issue-based electoral engagement. The Director will supervise the strategy, organization, and mobilization of the field and policy staff and guide the team using honed policy and political analyses, strategic partnerships, persuasive lobbying, and thoughtful coalition management to enhance the ACLU of New Jersey's political influence and impact on the state's political landscape.

Specifically, the Political Director can expect to lead in the following areas :

• Lead political strategy for the ACLU of New Jersey
• Manage a talented and committed legislative and field team.
• Build relationships with external partners and represent the ACLU of New Jersey publicly to various audiences, including legislators and their staff, coalition partners, Board members and press.
• Contribute to our ongoing efforts to be a values-driven and effective organization.

While we expect any candidate to have learning curves in the role, we are excited to consider candidates who bring strengths, abilities, and alignment with the ACLU of New Jersey's values in the following areas :

This position starts at $160,000 for someone with the requisite experience. The ACLU-NJ supports and plans for staff member professional growth and skill development through internal and external opportunities. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package which currently includes 30 days paid time off, 12 office holidays and 16 health care leave days; medical, vision, and dental insurance; 20 weeks (100 days) paid family leave; life and long-term disability insurance; pre-tax transit benefits; and a 401(k) plan with employer match. This position is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

We are a diverse workforce and take pride in our ability to attract and retain employees with a huge array of backgrounds and experiences. We work hard but also like to celebrate our successes. We strive to bring humility, empathy, kindness, and generosity to our work, internally within the organization and externally with our partners and those whom we are serving. We seek to build a work culture with a sense of respect and collegiality, and a willingness to be generous with our expertise and resources.

Please complete the application by uploading a cover letter and resume. We invite applicants to include in their cover letter information about how their background and / or experiences could contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and advocacy work. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who submit their materials before October 31, 2025.

The ACLU-NJ is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture of belonging. It is our policy to employ qualified people without regard to race; color; gender, gender identity or expression; religion; sex; national origin or ancestry; age; disability; sexual orientation; veteran's status; marital status; civil union status; arrest or court record; citizenship; credit history; genetic information; status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking; or any other characteristic protected under federal or state law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people, women, people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.

The ACLU-NJ makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions. The ACLU-NJ is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email careers@aclu-nj.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.