New York, NY

Senior Writer, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

The Organization

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.

Position Overview
The ACLU seeks a full-time position of Senior Writer in the Development Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY.

Our passionate community of donors and activists is stronger than ever. The mission of the ACLU’s Development Department is to unlock the full potential of donors and the ACLU as partners in the creation of a more perfect union. We pursue our mission by building long-term donor relationships and organizational partnerships, by demonstrating impact in response to threats, by engaging donors how they wish to engage, by taking interest in our donors and facilitating personal action, by being accountable stewards of their funds, and by asking donors to consider giving the ACLU their full support.

Reporting to the Director of Foundation Relations and Donor Communications, the Senior Writer is responsible for providing leadership in the conceptualization and framing of messaging and content strategies for leading foundation funders and individual donors. The Senior Writer will draft proposals, reports, and stewardship materials on an array of civil liberties issues, and help to support donor relationships for a high-volume institutional fundraising program.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Synthesize complex information into clear and compelling grant proposals and reports, letters of inquiry, and stewardship materials for both foundation and individuals in assigned subject areas
  • Develop and maintain knowledge of ACLU past, current, and future work in assigned program areas
  • Meet all writing deadlines for assigned portfolio
  • Assist ACLU program staff with stewardship of current funders in portfolio, including by proactively drafting substantive updates on the ACLU’s work
  • Conduct research for new potential funders and develop cultivation strategies
  • 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
  • Demonstrate a 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
  • Demonstrate a commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

  • Significant experience applying excellent writing skills in foundation relations or a related field, including ability to synthesize and communicate complex issues clearly and concisely, maintain high level of accuracy and detail, adapt writing styles for varied audiences, and positively influence and persuade
  • Ability to create persuasive and compelling organizational-level messaging and cases for support in changing political environments
  • Ability to manage several complex projects simultaneously and independently, often under deadline pressure
  • Ability to edit and/or rewrite the work of others
  • Ability to develop and maintain productive relationships within the team, department, and across the nationwide organization
  • Familiarity with fundraising databases is preferred
  • Experience working at complex national or international organizations is preferred

COMPENSATION
The annual salary for this position is $115,638 (Level F). This salary is reflective of a position based in New York, NY. 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. Note that most of the salaries listed on our job postings reflect New York, NY salaries, where our National offices are headquartered.

How To Apply

Please apply directly on our website.

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