The Organization
American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania
Since the 2016 presidential election, ACLU-PA’s membership has grown by 100% and its budget by 200%. Additionally, the staff has increased more than three-fold in a decade. This executive leader will leverage this momentum and spearhead the next chapter of leadership with a focus on sustainably advancing ACLU-PA’s mission and impact. The Executive Director must be adept at balancing internal management with external impact and visibility. In partnership with a statewide Board of Directors to whom they report, this leader will continue the local and national legacy of liberty that has defined the ACLU for more than 100 years. This is a compelling role for a leader and activist who is ready to navigate and influence key civil liberties and social justice policy and legislation at the municipal, state, and federal levels.
Position Overview
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania (ACLU-PA)—a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization serving as an enduring guardian of justice, fairness, and freedom working to protect civil liberties and advance equity for all, with a particular, but not exclusive, focus on residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania—seeks an inspiring, visionary, and mission-driven Executive Director. The next Executive Director will understand that the current issues addressed by the ACLU are not only a matter of social progress but also that they play a key role in improving the lives of affected communities. The Executive Director must possess strong organizational acumen, strategic planning, fundraising, and interpersonal skills; exhibit outstanding judgment; and be a critical thinker. While balancing many different interests of various groups and individuals, the Executive Director champions the organization’s mission and values and leads the development of strategies for the organization’s core priority areas in cooperation with the Board of Directors, the national office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and its other affiliates.
The new Executive Director will be enthusiastic about implementing and embedding people-centric workplace norms, values, and practices that embrace and nurture authentic belonging, inclusion, diversity, and equity. This leader will welcome difficult conversations, foster connections, build the community, and value collaborative decision-making. The Executive Director will be intent on creating intentional and sustainable internal culture, continually examining internal policy and working to advance beyond conversation and theory, and will be eager to put theory into daily practice.
The successful candidate must be an outstanding communicator who is able to develop and maintain relationships that ensure financial health and stability, build important partnerships that maximize the organization’s influence, and effectively convey the mission and activities of the ACLU to a variety of constituencies and the broader public. The Executive Director of ACLU-PA is expected to assume a prominent role in Pennsylvania’s public interest, good government, anti-racist, and social change communities. The position requires a collaborative and driven leader with a broad range of knowledge and a significant commitment to the furtherance of civil liberties and civil rights. This Executive Director will represent a multi-issue, dynamic, and well-resourced organization with an excellent reputation and ample tools to draw upon, including a network of 50+ other executive leaders across the national umbrella organization and a robust Affiliate Support advisory structure in the national ACLU office.
TO APPLY
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania has retained Isaacson, Miller to assist in the recruitment of the Executive Director. Candidates are encouraged to apply by May 5, 2023. Applications will be accepted and reviewed until ACLU-PA reaches a hiring decision. Inquiries, referrals, and resumes accompanied by a cover letter will be held in strict confidence and should be sent electronically to:
Tiffany Weber (she/her), Managing Associate|Search Lead
Tiara Mack (she/her), Associate
Ernest Brooks (he/him), Partner
Melanie Shiree (she/her), Senior Search Coordinator
ACLU-PA is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. ACLU- PA encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or record of arrest or conviction.