Racial Justice Community Advocate

Summary

The ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) seeks a full-time Community Advocate for its Racial Justice Program (RJP), to help safeguard and promote civil rights and civil liberties in the Commonwealth and advance the organization’s public advocacy objectives. The focus of this role is to expand ACLUM’s presence and support in communities of color; develop and maintain relationships with community partners, elected leaders, and other stakeholders; educate the public about ACLUM priority issue areas and racial justice implications; organize and mobilize different populations to take action; work in coalition with partners to pass policy reforms at the state and local levels; and serve as an ACLUM ambassador in coalitions and at public events. This position reports to the Racial Justice Program Director and collaborates closely with other ACLUM colleagues on a variety of advocacy campaigns and projects. The RJP advocate’s work will have a particular focus on the intersection of racial justice and other ACLUM priority issue areas including democracy, reproductive rights, policing, LGBTQ+ and gender equity, and environmental justice—all with a lens towards pursuing racial equity.

Essential Duties

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with community members and advocates, local organizations, and elected leaders to strengthen ACLUM’s network of civil rights and racial justice advocates.
• Contribute to campaigns to promote civil liberties, racial justice, and racial equity.
• Help build coalitions with issue-aligned organizations and manage relationships with coalition partners.
• Develop public education materials and present to a variety of audiences to build awareness about civil liberties and racial justice issues, and support for ACLUM’s advocacy initiatives.
• Actively engage and mobilize stakeholders to share input about targeted issue areas and take action on ACLUM-sponsored campaigns.
• Partner with the Field team to engage ACLUM volunteers in advocacy campaigns and other field-based efforts. Maintain regular communication with ACLUM supporters through various means, including regular email and online communications and in-person events.
• Represent ACLUM at public engagements, in coordination with the Field and Communications departments, as assigned.
• Capture and maintain supporter contact data in the relationship management database.

Other Responsibilities

• Special projects and other tasks as assigned by the Racial Justice Program Director.

Qualifications, Experience and Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in political science, government relations, community organizing, or related field.
• Minimum of five years’ experience in grassroots organizing or mobilization for issue-based campaigns. Experience in public advocacy for racial and social justice a plus.
• Ability to flex and achieve proficiency in new issue areas, as assigned.
• Proven leadership skills necessary to help build and lead coalitions, and ability to navigate complex relationships between coalition members.
• Experience and comfort in public speaking, and ability to convey complex concepts in simple terms to various audiences.
• Self-starter, comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, and capable of working in partnership and independently to get things done.
• Ability to effectively prioritize tasks, work well under pressure, and deliver against tight deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint; Google applications, including Docs, Sheets and Slides; and common social media platforms.
• Experience working with a volunteer management database a plus.
• A valid driver’s license.
• Strong belief in the ACLU’s work and mission to defend and strengthen civil rights and civil liberties.
• Commitment to diversity, and respect for differences in race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance.

Key Performance Indicators

• Proactivity and effectiveness in cultivating/ expanding collaborative relationships with elected leaders, community organizations, and other external partners
• Effectiveness in executing public education activities
• Effectiveness in coordination, communication, and collaboration with ACLUM colleagues and other stakeholders
• Flexibility in pivoting between priority issue areas when needed

Other Requirements

• Frequent written and verbal communication
• Frequent and extended periods of being in a stationary position, in an office environment and outdoor venues
• Extensive reading, preparing, and analyzing information, in hard copy and electronic format
• Flexibility to accommodate work outside of regular business hours when warranted
• Frequent travel to various locations across Massachusetts

Compensation

Salary commensurate with experience and consistent with ACLUM’s collective bargaining agreement. Estimated minimum salary of $70,000. Benefits include 401(k) plan, medical and dental insurance, and paid vacation and holidays.

About the ACLU of Massachusetts

The ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) was founded in 1920 and is an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nationwide, non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that works to preserve and expand the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Through strategies of litigation, advocacy, public education, and grassroots activism, we strengthen and expand public understanding of racial justice, juvenile justice, LGBTQ rights (including equal marriage), women's rights, criminal justice issues, equal opportunity, free speech and assembly, privacy rights, religious liberty, students' rights, voting rights, and reproductive rights. ACLUM staff are unionized and this position is within the bargaining unit.

The ACLU of Massachusetts launched the Racial Justice Program (RJP) in 2015, seeking to preserve and extend the constitutionally guaranteed rights of people of color in Massachusetts, and to rectify the state’s history of systemic racism. The ACLU of Massachusetts has long pursued racial justice in the Commonwealth, but the formalization of this program allowed the organization to bring a renewed focus to bear in this demanding work.

ACLUM is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women, people of color, persons with disabilities, queer people, and formerly incarcerated people to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position is based in Boston, MA and eligible for a hybrid work schedule, being in-person an average of three days per week, with the ability to be in the office on any given day as needed and assigned. ACLUM has a Covid-19 vaccine mandate, and candidates receiving a job offer will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to commencing employment. Exemptions to this requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law. Applicants should be aware that fully remote work will not be deemed a reasonable accommodation.

TO APPLY: Applicants should submit a resume, list of references, and a cover letter describing their interest in this position via email to rjpadvocate@aclum.org. Type the position title in the subject header. No phone calls or faxes please.