ACLU of Tennessee
The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) seeks a creative and dynamic team player with policy advocacy experience to become ACLU-TN’s next policy director.
ACLU-TN, the state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union, is a private, non-profit, non-partisan public interest organization dedicated to defending and advancing civil liberties and civil rights through advocacy, coalition-building, litigation, legislative lobbying, community mobilization, and public education.
In the wake of daily assaults on civil liberties and civil rights, ACLU-TN is embarking on its most ambitious advocacy yet. ACLU-TN’s integrated advocacy work includes, but is not limited to, democracy and voting rights, immigrants’ rights, advancing racial justice and LGBTQ+ equality, free speech and censorship, and more.
The policy director will be responsible for leading the organization’s policy advocacy work to advance ACLU-TN’s strategic priorities. The policy director’s primary role will be developing a strategic, impactful policy agenda at the state and local level, and working to implement it across advocacy venues, including the state legislature, county and municipal governments, state and local executive offices, and state and local agencies.
The policy director will also be tasked with determining the most impactful way to engage in policy work within Tennessee.
The policy director is a member of ACLU-TN’s programmatic leadership team, reports to the Deputy Director of Integrated Advocacy, and oversees the policy team.
Responsibilities
Design a strategic, impactful legislative and policy program at the state and local levels, informed by astute political analysis, that advances ACLU-TN’s priority issue areas and campaign goals, that responds to emerging civil liberties and civil rights threats, and that seeks to maximize the impact of the program, perhaps through creative or unique approaches.
Implement ACLU-TN’s policy agenda using appropriate strategies and tactics across advocacy venues, including lobbying members of the Tennessee General Assembly and their staff, local elected officials, the governor’s office, county and city mayors, and state and local agencies, and attending legislative hearings and governmental and coalition meetings.
Develop and execute a plan to build trusted relationships with lawmakers, agency decision-makers, staff, lobbyists, and other stakeholders by providing clear, persuasive, fact-based analysis and resources, identifying opportunities for bipartisan support on ACLU issues.
Analyze and track state and some local legislation; draft legislation and amendments; and prepare and deliver, and/or coordinate, testimony.
Prepare advocacy materials in collaboration with other program teams, such as policy reports, action alerts, talking points, issue briefs, letters, op-eds, FAQs, website content, etc.
Collaborate with the community engagement department on coalition work, representing ACLU-TN in policy-based coalitions and other community meetings as needed and relevant, and engage with diverse stakeholders to advance shared policy goals, including assisting in educating the public, donors, the board, and community partners about legislation and the legislative process.
Consult with policy subject matter experts, including directly impacted people, and facilitate their voices being heard by decisionmakers at the state and local level.
Coordinate and collaborate with the Deputy Director of Integrated Advocacy and other program directors and staff at ACLU-TN to build and implement effective multi-disciplinary and integrated advocacy initiatives, involving a combination of policy, legal, communications, public education, and community engagement strategies.
Work collaboratively with the national ACLU and other ACLU affiliates to advance nationwide policy campaigns, as needed.
Oversee the affiliate’s compliance with ethics and lobbying rules at the county, state, and federal levels.
Speak to the media or the public as needed, in consultation with the communications, community engagement, and legal teams.
Supervise the policy team and any contract lobbyists (currently one staff member and one contracted lobbyist).
Set goals for the policy department, create metrics, and evaluate the policy department’s progress toward departmental and integrated advocacy campaign goals.
Manage the policy department and represent the department in organizational meetings. Oversee implementation of policy program policies, procedures, and budget. Develop the policy department budget and track spending throughout the year.
Take an active role in advancing organizational equity and support building an organizational culture of belonging that goes beyond diversity and inclusion.
Perform other related duties as assigned by the Deputy Director.
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ACLU-TN, the state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union, is a private, non-profit, non-partisan public interest organization dedicated to defending and advancing civil liberties and civil rights through advocacy, coalition-building, litigation, legislative lobbying, community mobilization, and public education.
In the wake of daily assaults on civil liberties and civil rights, ACLU-TN is embarking on its most ambitious advocacy yet. ACLU-TN’s integrated advocacy work includes, but is not limited to, democracy and voting rights, immigrants’ rights, advancing racial justice and LGBTQ+ equality, free speech and censorship, and more.
The policy director will be responsible for leading the organization’s policy advocacy work to advance ACLU-TN’s strategic priorities. The policy director’s primary role will be developing a strategic, impactful policy agenda at the state and local level, and working to implement it across advocacy venues, including the state legislature, county and municipal governments, state and local executive offices, and state and local agencies.
The policy director will also be tasked with determining the most impactful way to engage in policy work within Tennessee.
The policy director is a member of ACLU-TN’s programmatic leadership team, reports to the Deputy Director of Integrated Advocacy, and oversees the policy team.
Responsibilities
Design a strategic, impactful legislative and policy program at the state and local levels, informed by astute political analysis, that advances ACLU-TN’s priority issue areas and campaign goals, that responds to emerging civil liberties and civil rights threats, and that seeks to maximize the impact of the program, perhaps through creative or unique approaches.
Implement ACLU-TN’s policy agenda using appropriate strategies and tactics across advocacy venues, including lobbying members of the Tennessee General Assembly and their staff, local elected officials, the governor’s office, county and city mayors, and state and local agencies, and attending legislative hearings and governmental and coalition meetings.
Develop and execute a plan to build trusted relationships with lawmakers, agency decision-makers, staff, lobbyists, and other stakeholders by providing clear, persuasive, fact-based analysis and resources, identifying opportunities for bipartisan support on ACLU issues.
Analyze and track state and some local legislation; draft legislation and amendments; and prepare and deliver, and/or coordinate, testimony.
Prepare advocacy materials in collaboration with other program teams, such as policy reports, action alerts, talking points, issue briefs, letters, op-eds, FAQs, website content, etc.
Collaborate with the community engagement department on coalition work, representing ACLU-TN in policy-based coalitions and other community meetings as needed and relevant, and engage with diverse stakeholders to advance shared policy goals, including assisting in educating the public, donors, the board, and community partners about legislation and the legislative process.
Consult with policy subject matter experts, including directly impacted people, and facilitate their voices being heard by decisionmakers at the state and local level.
Coordinate and collaborate with the Deputy Director of Integrated Advocacy and other program directors and staff at ACLU-TN to build and implement effective multi-disciplinary and integrated advocacy initiatives, involving a combination of policy, legal, communications, public education, and community engagement strategies.
Work collaboratively with the national ACLU and other ACLU affiliates to advance nationwide policy campaigns, as needed.
Oversee the affiliate’s compliance with ethics and lobbying rules at the county, state, and federal levels.
Speak to the media or the public as needed, in consultation with the communications, community engagement, and legal teams.
Supervise the policy team and any contract lobbyists (currently one staff member and one contracted lobbyist).
Set goals for the policy department, create metrics, and evaluate the policy department’s progress toward departmental and integrated advocacy campaign goals.
Manage the policy department and represent the department in organizational meetings. Oversee implementation of policy program policies, procedures, and budget. Develop the policy department budget and track spending throughout the year.
Take an active role in advancing organizational equity and support building an organizational culture of belonging that goes beyond diversity and inclusion.
Perform other related duties as assigned by the Deputy Director.
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