Smart Justice Organizer

Smart Justice Organizer
Position Open until Filled
First Review of Applicants Scheduled for July 22, 2025

The ACLU of Washington (ACLU-WA) advances liberty and justice in the courts, in the legislatures, in the streets, and at the ballot box. Our work is rooted in belief in a future where everyone in Washington, particularly those who have been historically and systematically denied full enjoyment of their promised civil rights and liberties, are finally free to do so without barriers. Defending and advancing these fundamental rights and core values relies on the contributions of exceptional staff.

ACLU-WA is seeking a passionate and strategic organizer to lead its organizing efforts to champion alternatives to incarceration and promote Smart Justice, advocating for approaches that are fair, more effective, and less costly than traditional punitive measures. The Smart Justice Organizer will work within the Policy Advocacy Department (PAD), collaborating with PAD team members and other organizational leaders to develop and implement strategies that advance ACLU-WA’s short and long-term goals. The Smart Justice Organizer will build political power in communities disproportionately impacted by systemic oppression, working alongside activists and community partners to design and implement strategies that address shared goals. The Smart Justice Organizer will report to the Organizing Director.

The Policy Advocacy Department works to effectuate change through state and local legislation, rulemaking, institutional policy change, community-driven advocacy, public education, coalition building, and media work. Through our engagement with community stakeholders, we strive to center and amplify the voices, perspectives, and experiences of directly impacted communities and individuals. Within the ACLU-WA, PAD uses an integrated advocacy approach, working collaboratively with the Legal, Political Strategies, and Communications teams to further its goals.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

External Collaboration

• Cultivate trusted relationships with activists and community partners, including those representing and led by directly impacted people. Working in collaboration with the Organizing Director, Policy Advocacy, Legislative Affairs, Legal, and Communications staff, develop plans for broadening and deepening the ACLU-WA’s relationships with activists committed to criminal legal reform, with and among people with particular lived experience or expertise, and support effective execution of those plans. 
• Represent the ACLU-WA externally in coalition meetings and other organizing spaces. Share information about the ACLU-WA’s positions on issues, goals, and strategies with accuracy. Listen and learn about activists’, community partners’, and justice-involved communities’ priorities and positions and communicate that information to other staff in the ACLU-WA.
• Facilitate or participate in, as assigned, coalitions convened to advance criminal legal reforms.
• In collaboration with other advocacy staff, seek the input of organizations led by and/or centering the voices of directly impacted individuals and communities to help shape ACLU-WA’s priorities, strategies, and tactics.
• Develop and implement organizing workplans to help advance towards intermediate and long-term policy goals that may include but are not limited to passing priority legislation, ballot measure campaigns, and general public education and engagement on ACLU-WA issues.
• Recruit, educate, and mobilize coalition partners to broaden and deepen base of support for political and policy goals, facilitate coalition meetings for collective strategy development, support activists and community partners engaging in activities to influence decision makers.
• Serve as a key point of contact for coalition partners, particularly partners who represent individuals directly impacted by the criminal legal system. Work with activists and community partners to build alignment around shared goals, identify areas of disagreement, and with the support of the Organizing Director and other ACLU-WA staff, engage with coalition partners to redress conflict.
• Shepherd coalition partners’ engagement in developing and executing pivots in tactics (in response to changing circumstances and often under significant time pressure) to accomplish longer term strategy.
• Help build activists’ and community partners’ organizing skills and capacity; share ACLU-WA information and tools, model their use, and provide mentorship as appropriate and welcomed. Identify opportunities to help build activists’ and community partners’ leadership and political power.
• Provide organizing support in other areas as needed.

• Work closely with colleagues across the office to support the development, coordination, and implementation of effective strategies, tactics, and messages to advance ACLU-WA goals.
• Facilitate internal meetings as appropriate, including small-team collaborations around strategic planning. 
• Participate in ACLU-WA hiring, strategic planning and programmatic planning, and other office needs.

• Participate in ACLU-WA’s race equity work, which may include utilizing ACLU-WA race equity tools and adopting ACLU-WA race equity practices.
• Occasionally attend evening or weekend ACLU events.
• Able to travel across the state, as needed.
• Other duties as needed.

• At least 2 years’ experience organizing individuals and organizations to collaborate in advancing a shared political goal.
• Ideal candidates have lived experience navigating the criminal legal system, or deep knowledge of its impact on individuals and communities.

• Demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships with diplomacy, and to work effectively and respectfully with politically, ideologically, culturally, and geographically diverse people and communities.

• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills and a high degree of emotional intelligence. The ability to bring people from diverse perspectives together around common goals. The ability to build and maintain genuine and strong relationships with people who have been marginalized by systems of oppression.
• Experience managing and motivating individuals and coalitions to achieve specific, timebound political goals, including recruiting new activists and community partners, building and maintaining relationships, identifying and supporting leaders, serving as a consultant to community partners, shepherding pivots in strategy, engaging in generative conflict, and working with others to develop productive mechanisms to redress conflict.
• Demonstrated capacity for self-reflection, and the ability to seek, accept, and apply constructive feedback.
• Strong verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills combined with the ability to listen deeply and authentically.
• Ability to make presentations on complex issues to a variety of audiences; a "quick study" on a dynamic array of issues.
• Ability to work effectively with lawyers, policy advocates, lobbyists, other professionals, and activists, as well as groups and individuals across the demographic and political spectrum.
• Strong group facilitation skills.
• Experience in keeping organized in a fast-paced environment, managing several projects simultaneously, and adjusting to frequently changing demands.
• Experience in having courageous conversations with colleagues and community partners.
• Strong facility with Microsoft Office Suite and ability to adapt to new technologies.
• An understanding of civil liberties and civil rights issues. 
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team; a self-starter who is also able to take direction.

• The ability to engage in candid conversations about racial equity, white supremacy, and allyship to communities impacted by systemic oppression.

• Be committed to advancing the mission, vision, and values of the ACLU-WA.
• 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.

• Able to input information into a computer for long periods of time.
• Able to assess information communicated through a computer.
• Able to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Able to periodically work long and extended hours.
• Able to travel locally/regionally/across the state as needed.

TOTAL COMPENSATION: The ACLU-WA seeks to provide equitable and competitive compensation for attracting and retaining staff with the skill, judgment, and perseverance to confront challenges to civil rights and civil liberties and build a state where all people live with dignity and equity, enjoying freedoms unimpeded by racial and economic injustice and other forms of oppression. We provide a mix of compensation for staff that is intended to address today’s needs and allow planning for tomorrow and into retirement. As such, the ACLU-WA has adopted a salary scale for measuring how to best compensate its employees.

The salary range for this position is $85,912 - $102,900. A range indicates the intention to accommodate those with varying years of relevant experience, as determined by the salary scale.

BENEFITS: Generous benefits include three weeks of vacation, twenty-three sick days, twelve holidays and 2-weeks paid office closures, employer-paid professional development, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, an employer contributed retirement plan, student loan reimbursement, family care and adoption assistance, life insurance, and an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass.

ACLU-WA provides laptops, cell phones, home office supplies, certain equipment, and technology support. You will need an effective Wi-Fi connection and a way to communicate by phone. This position is eligible for a $150 stipend each month to help cover any additional costs while working from home.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: To apply, please submit a cover letter, résumé, three (3) professional references and responses to supplemental questions on our online job portal. In your cover letter, please explain the ways in which you satisfy the skills and qualifications specified above. We also invite you to include in your cover letter information about how your background and/or experience could contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and advocacy work.

REFERENCES: Please submit with your application three (3) professional references who can provide feedback about and have direct knowledge of your work experience. Note that there may be outreach to other references that fall outside of your designated list. We will extend a conditional offer of employment is extended before conducting reference checks.

HIRING TIMELINE: This position is open until filled with the first review of candidate applications scheduled for July 22, 2025. We will schedule interviews with qualified candidates after application deadline.

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, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, socio-economic circumstance, or record of arrest or conviction. We do not conduct criminal background checks on our candidates. People of color, women, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.