The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida is an affiliate of the national ACLU, a national public interest organization devoted to the defense of the Bill of Rights. For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has served as the nation’s primary protector of the liberties that define our democracy. The organization implements its vital civil liberties mission in all 50 states in large part through affiliate entities such as the ACLU of Florida. Operating on a $5.4 million budget out of four offices—Miami (main), Tampa, Pensacola, and Jacksonville—the Florida affiliate has 36 staff members, making it among the larger ACLU affiliates in the nation.
The ACLU of Florida is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-political organization that employs litigation, public policy advocacy, communications, and organizing to protect and promote a broad range of individual rights and freedoms, including the freedom of speech, voting rights, racial justice, privacy, religious liberty, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and immigrants’ rights.
The ACLU of Florida has adopted a “campaign” approach for its work. Work is focused on pursuing specific integrated advocacy campaigns to achieve measurable goals that will expand civil liberties and civil rights, while building the long-term power of the ACLU and the civil liberties movement. For the foreseeable future, the ACLU of Florida will focus on three campaigns: voting rights, criminal justice reform, and immigrants’ rights
Position overview:
The ACLU of Florida seeks a dynamic, innovative, and seasoned management professional to serve as Deputy Director for Operations. The Deputy Director for Operations reports directly to the Executive Director and assists the Executive Director with the internal, day-to-day management of the organization. The Deputy Director for Operations is a full-time, senior staff position. This position is based out of the organization’s Miami office, but will require travel to other ACLU of Florida offices.
This position is internally focused, and advances the affiliate’s mission by achieving these key objectives:
• Ensuring that the organization’s aggressive growth and projected growth are successfully and
sustainably managed through systems, structures, policies, and practices.
• Implementing and maintaining systems and structures for administration, governance, human resources, equity and inclusion, program planning, program assessment, performance management, and accountability.
• Fostering cross-departmental collaboration and multi-disciplinary strategies that enhance the work of the ACLU of Florida and are consistent with continuing the organization’s evolution into a campaign organization.
Primary Responsibilities:
• As part of the senior staff team, participate in setting program priorities and overall direction for the
ACLU-FL.
• Directly supervise the work of staff within the Executive Department.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and management of operations in a manner that furthers the mission and core values of the ACLU-FL.
• With the Executive Director and the CFO, provide leadership in the annual budget process.
• In collaboration and consultation with the CFO and Finance Department, continuously assess the programmatic information technology needs of the affiliate and identify solutions to meet those needs.
• In collaboration and consultation with the CFO and Finance Department, continuously assess the programmatic office space needs of the affiliate and identify potential solutions to meet those needs.
• In collaboration and consultation with the senior staff, continuously assess internal systemic and structural challenges facing the organization and identify solutions to address those challenges.
• Manage the annual, all-staff workplan development process.
• Develop, implement, and monitor affiliate-wide systems of project management, performance management, and accountability.
• Monitor progress towards goal on implementation of campaign plans, identify obstacles to implementation, and recommend strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
• Manage the completion of annual employee performance reviews and interim workplan accountability reviews.
• Under the direction of the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, develop policies to govern the internal functions and management of the organization.
• Maintain the affiliate Policy Manual and monitor all affiliate activities for compliance with the manual, as well as any relevant local, state, or federal requirements.
• Directly lead all human resources functions of the organization, including providing support to hiring managers for hiring new staff and working with the Affiliate Equity Officer.
• Lead efforts to retain affiliate staff, including by convening a staff satisfaction working group, regularly assessing staff satisfaction, proposing improvements that will enhance satisfaction and retention, and evaluating whether the total work environment provided by the affiliate is competitive with similar organizations.
• Continuously review the training needs of all affiliate staff and seek out or create training opportunities to meet those needs.
• Conduct exit interviews with all staff who voluntarily separate from the organization.
• Develop and implement systems for robust internal communication, planning, and feedback.
• Working with the Affiliate Equity Officer to lead efforts to cultivate and sustain an affiliate that is equitable and inclusive in all aspects, including human resources, programmatic priorities, presence in the community, and messaging.
• Lead the planning and execution of affiliate-wide or affiliate-hosted, inter-departmental special events and conferences.
• Supervise special projects, as assigned by the executive director.
• Ensure that the decisions and vision of the Executive Director, senior staff, Board of Directors, and
Executive Committee are executed in a timely fashion.
• Serving as the primary staff support to the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and board committees.
• Develop and implement systems for reporting to the Board of Directors, ACLU National, affiliate staff, and other stakeholders.
• In the absence of the Executive Director, function as the Executive Director.
Qualifications:
• At least six (6) years of senior level experience in non-profit/advocacy/political management, with an emphasis on operations.
• At least two (2) years of experience with human resources management.
• At least two (2) years of experience supervising staff.
• Bachelor’s degree. This requirement can be substituted for an additional two (2) years of experience.
• A history of working collaboratively and successfully with people and organizations from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and a broad range of ideological positions and religious views.
• Strong written and oral communications skills.
• Exceptional organization skills; highly detail-oriented with strong follow-through and the ability to unfailingly meet tight deadlines.
• Experience with and a high degree of comfort working with technology.
• Ability to work independently when necessary and keep organized in a fast-paced environment, manage several projects simultaneously and adjust to frequently changing demands.
• Background in financial management preferred.
• Creative, results-oriented, self-starting, and willing to learn.
• Strong task and time management skills.
• Ability to travel across Florida, as necessary, and participate in regular evening and weekend meetings.
• Fluency in Spanish or Kreyol preferred, but not required.
• Unwavering commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU, including a demonstrated commitment to equity and racial justice.
Salary is based on the ACLU of Florida’s comprehensive compensation scale. Compensation will be commensurate with experience, within a salary range of $93,000-$125,000. The ACLU of Florida offers excellent benefits, including medical and disability insurance (fully paid by employer), a defined contribution pension plan, and generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave.
To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and professional writing sample of 2-4 pages via email to [email protected] including in the subject line: “Deputy Director for Operations.” In your cover letter, please indicate where you learned of this posting. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. No phone calls or in-person applications, please.
The ACLU of Florida strongly encourages formerly incarcerated individuals to apply.
The ACLU of Florida is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU of Florida 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, or veteran status. The ACLU of Florida undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions.
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 of Florida reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.