Special Assistant to the Deputy Legal Director / Director of the Trone Center

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Special Assistant to the Deputy Legal Director / Director of the Trone Center in the Legal Department of the ACLU’s National office in Washington, DC. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.

The ACLU’s Trone Center for Justice and Equality, one of three component centers in the ACLU’s National Legal Department, focuses on issues of crime, punishment, and racial justice, including efforts to eradicate racial injustice, the treatment of prisoners, the death penalty and the policies of over-incarceration that have led the United States to imprison more people than any other country in the world. The Center contains six Projects/Programs working toward these goals: the ACLU’s Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative (centered in Washington, DC), Capital Punishment Project (centered in Durham, North Carolina), the Criminal Law Reform Project (centered in New York City), the National Prison Project (centered in Washington, DC), the Racial Justice Program (centered in New York City), and the John Adams Project (centered in Washington, DC).

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

Reporting to the Deputy Legal Director / Director of the Trone Center , the Special Assistant will be responsible for managing a wide range of administrative, research and operational duties for the Center, its Projects, and the Department, working closely with relevant parties, including Center Directors, Project Directors, and the Associate Director of Legal Operations.

Provide broad logistical support and assist in managing the day-to-day operations for the Trone Center, including direct support for the Trone Center Director

Support the Center Director ’ s cross-functional work by coordinating within the L egal D epartment 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 litigation/paralegal support to the Center Director s and Projects as needed

Conduct in-depth legal and policy research on ACLU issues

Draft memos, presentations, talking points, and other various reports for the Center Director

Assist with information synthesizing for projects managed by the Center Director s , communicating with different parties internally and externally, ensuring timely execution of deliverables, and keeping the Center Director appraised

Draft the Center's communications across digital and print channels

Schedule, plan and help facilitate on-site as well as off-site meetings, conferences, internal and external facing events, and presentations, which may include coordinating arrangements for participants, handling logistics, preparing and disseminating materials, managing budgets and project plans

Make travel arrangements, manage the Center Director’s calendar, process invoices, and complete expense reports with accuracy and timeliness

Support the Centers for Liberty and Democracy and their respective Directors, as needed

Provide strategic and logistical support for department-wide trainings and all-staff meetings

Manage departmental onboarding and offboarding

Ensure departmental legal compliance through various projects assigned by the Associate Director of Legal Operations

Support implementation of new software and systems throughout the department, and other initiatives as needed

Provide support for strategic planning and budget processes

Engage in special projects as assigned

Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU

Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives

Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

Demonstrated passion for advancing civil rights and civil liberties, including racial and social justice

Self-starter and ability to take initiative

Strong administrative, organizational, and time management skills

Detail-oriented and adept at handling multiple tasks simultaneously

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Strong problem-solving skills

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience with Internet research

Excellent project management skills executed in dynamic work environments

Strong analytical skills and comfort with numerical reasoning

Willing to conquer the “small tasks” with an understanding of their vital importance to the success of the Center

Excellent writing and proofreading skills

Ability to work independently as well as within a team

Paralegal or other experience in litigation a plus

The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with our compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for each role based on geographic work location. The annual salary for this position is $89,020 ( Level J ), reflecting the salary of a position based in New York, NY. Salaries are subject to a regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.

For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf

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.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being.

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy

Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)

Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match

We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  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, anti-ableism, 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.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage 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.

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 complete the Accommodation Request Form

If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.