Director of Strategic Communications

New York, New York, United States;
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full‑time, term‑limited position of Director of Strategic Communications in the Communications & Marketing Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or Washington, DC
. This is a hybrid role that has in‑office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. This is a three‑year term‑limited position.

The ACLU Communications & Marketing department creates, maintains, and expands message narratives to engage our supporters and other target audiences, to help protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights, and illustrate the value and impact of the ACLU’s transformational work. Through our messaging, engagement with news makers, our written content, creative branding, and visual identity, we encourage support for the ACLU and help to build a more perfect union.

Reporting to the Head of Strategic Communications
, the Director of Strategic Communications will advance communications initiatives in collaboration with a team of communications and marketing professionals, and other members of ACLU’s digital, legal, advocacy, fundraising, and affiliate support teams. The Director will lead the development and execution of integrated communications strategies for high priority campaigns, issues and spokespeople. They will manage communications strategists who advance key programmatic areas, including speech, national security, voting rights, privacy, tech, and abuse of power.

• Design and implement integrated communications campaigns for priority projects and initiatives, including multi‑issue campaigns, nationwide rallies and other special projects. Engage a suite of tactics to develop said plans – including earned media, creator engagement, paid advertising, social media, multimedia, email/SMS and website/blog content – in partnership with relevant communications strategists, channel owners, content creators and issue experts.
• Manage communications strategists by overseeing critical work streams, offering strategic guidance, informing priorities, directing and mobilizing communications and marketing staff, and troubleshooting as challenges arise across departments.
• Lead and oversee the development of integrated communications strategies for key legal, advocacy, policy and narrative priorities across the core issues you oversee with communications strategists.
• Help identify strategic priorities and plans to help respond to the news of the day and to proactively get ahead of opportunities to advance the organization’s communications goals.
• Write messaging and core materials for issues, campaigns, new filings and more leveraging polling, research and other insights to inform key narratives.
• Establish strong working relationships with legal, advocacy, policy, and development colleagues across the organization, as well as affiliates and partner organizations. Work in coalition within and outside of the ACLU to develop a strong understanding of issues and team dynamics to help inform workflows and communications strategy.
• Direct rapid response communications – including during off hours – in partnership with relevant communications strategists. Support the Head of Strategic Communications and other department leadership team members in crisis response.
• In partnership with the Earned Media and Strategic Engagement team, devise and execute a strategy to strengthen and maintain relationship building with key news editors, reporters and broadcast bookers including providing support for ACLU spokespersons ahead of media engagements.
• In coordination with department leaders and communication strategists, support the development of and execution of brand awareness, thought leadership and advocacy campaigns associated with key issue areas.
• Partner with the department’s operations unit and team leads to regularly evaluate and improve department‑wide workflows and help make decisions about resourcing needs.
• Oversee media and communications vendors, consultants, and freelancers within allocated budget for the department to achieve maximum…