Title: Special Assistant to the Deputy Legal Director and Director of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Center for Liberty

Office: National Offices

Location: New York, New York, United States

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks a full-time position of Special Assistant to the Deputy Legal Director and Director of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Center for Liberty in the Legal Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY.

The ACLU National Legal Department is comprised of fourteen subject matter projects, clustered in three Centers. The National Legal Director supervises the work of all the projects, and handles all of the ACLU’s Supreme Court work, whether it arises from a national project or an affiliate. In addition, the National Legal Director manages the national legal department and advises and assists on trial and appellate court litigation on an as-needed basis.

The Center for Liberty encompasses the ACLU’s work on reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights & HIV, women’s rights, freedom of religion and belief, and disability rights. Underlying all of our work is the principle that we are all entitled to determine the course of our lives based on who we are and what we believe, free from unreasonable government constraint, stereotypes, and discrimination.

Reporting to the Deputy Legal Director/ Director of the Center for Liberty, the Special Assistant will be responsible for managing a wide range of administrative, research, and operational duties for the Center. The anticipated start date for this position is June 1, 2023.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide broad logistical support and assist in managing the day-to-day operations for the Center
• Support the Center Director’s cross-functional work by coordinating within the legal department as well as with other organizational departments
• Maintain an organized system of tracking, monitoring, and prioritizing tasks and projects related to the Center Director's portfolio to ensure smooth operations
• Provide substantive and administrative support for the religious refusals team, including drafting and distributing the bimonthly religious refusals newsletter in collaboration with the Center Director and Center for Liberty attorneys
• Provide litigation support for Center for Liberty attorneys, including assisting with court filings
• Manage Center Director’s schedule, travel arrangements, and expense reports
• Assist in preparing, formatting, and proofreading reports, memos, presentations, and other documents for the Center Director
• Facilitate information gathering and tracking of deadlines, deliverables, and programs within the Center
• Provide strategic and logistical support to the Legal Operations team with department-wide trainings, implementation of new software and systems, quarterly all-staff meetings, and other initiatives as needed
• Provide organizational support for the strategic planning and budget processes
• Schedule, plan, and facilitate both on-site and off-site meetings, conferences, internal and external facing events, and presentations

In addition to:

• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
• Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes
• Commitment to the mission of the ACLU
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
• Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong administrative, organizational, and time management skills
• Self-starter and ability to take initiative
• Detail-oriented and adept at handling multiple tasks simultaneously
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
• Strong research skills
• Excellent project management skills
• Strong analytical skills and comfort with numerical reasoning
• Willing to conquer the “small tasks” with an understanding of their vital importance in the success of the Center
• Excellent writing and proofreading skills
• Ability to work independently, as well as within a team
• Demonstrated passion for advancing racial and social justice

COMPENSATION

The ACLU values equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with the ACLU’s compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for this role. The annual salary for this position is $76,469 (Level J), reflective of a position based in New York, NY, where our National offices are headquartered. This salary will be subject to a locality adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.

ABOUT THE ACLU

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

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 from government abuse and overreach.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. 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.

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, 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. 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 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 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.