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Director, Policy Advocacy Department

ACLU of Washington

Seattle, WA

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JOB DETAILS
JOB TYPE
Full-time
SKILLS
Analysis Skills, Background Investigation, Best Practices, Board Meeting, Budget Management, Budgeting, Campaigns, Capacity Strategy, Communication Skills, Community Support, Conflict Resolution, Diversity, File Maintenance, Government, Leadership, Legal, Legal Research, Lobbying, Onboarding, Organizational Skills, People Management, Philosophy, Physical Demands, Policy Development, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Program Evaluation, Program Planning, Project Planning, Project Tracking, Public Policy, Regulations, Set Goals, Staff Policies, Strategic Planning, Team Building, Team Lead/Manager, Team Player, Time Management, User Documentation, Volunteer Management, Wi-Fi, Word Processing, Writing Skills
LOCATION
Seattle, WA
POSTED
20 days ago
Policy Advocacy Department Director
Position Open Until Filled
First Review of Applicants Scheduled for May 13, 2026

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 the belief of 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 free to do so without barriers. Defending and advancing these fundamental rights and core values requires exceptional staff. Learn more about the ACLU-WA.

ACLU-WA is seeking a Director of the Policy Advocacy Department (PAD). Reporting to the Integrated Advocacy Director, the Director of the Policy Advocacy Department provides leadership for PAD team members and is a member of the Integrated Advocacy Department (IAD). This role supports and supervises Policy Advocacy and Organizing staff in the development of long and short-term work plans and goals, consistent with the ACLU-WA's programmatic strategic plan.

The Director of PAD ensures progress towards established goals and that the policy and organizing work of the ACLU-WA is strategic, collaborative, consistent with ACLU policy, and aligns with ACLU-WA values and practices.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Actively collaborate, facilitate, and develop structures for cross departmental work and strategies. 
  • Support and assist in the development of integrated advocacy policies, tools, and best practices.  
  • Work with the IAD leadership team to help shepherd cross-team development of multiyear strategies to advance advocacy goals.  Help ensure strategic sequencing and sufficient capacity to execute strategies.
  • In collaboration with Integrated Advocacy Director, regularly evaluate alignment between program needs and resources to support effective advancement of ACLU-WA’s mission, vision, values, and programmatic goals.
  • Develop and support staff in developing novel and innovative policy solutions that are responsive to impacted community needs and priorities, sound policy, consistent with the ACLU-WA’s mission, vision, values and programmatic plan, and politically feasible. 
  • Facilitate development of integrated advocacy strategies and campaigns to advance goals, working in collaboration with other ACLU-WA staff and external partners. 
  • Identify urgent and emerging issues and guide development of ACLU-WA response.
  • Ensure that PAD centers equity as an overarching value in advocacy work, develops and implements plans in a manner that increases the power and voice of impacted communities to effectuate sustained change, and centers the ACLU-WA’s community agreements in internal operations.
  • Support and assist PAD leads in the development and implementation of long-term priorities.
  • Ensure consistent application of program planning tools and decision-making tools and structures across PAD. 
  • Guide development and implementation of consistent approaches to PAD project planning, implementation, and debriefing.
  • In partnership with IAD Leadership Team, guides development and implementation of consistent approaches to project planning, implementation, and debriefing.
  • Develop and maintain general familiarity with the work of each PAD team member, and policy knowledge in assigned policy areas that are not staffed by a specific PAD lead. 
  • Work with PAD leads to promote cohesion among various ACLU-WA issue areas and mitigate or resolve potential conflicts in the work.
  • Maintain knowledge of ACLU-WA’s organizing theory of change and philosophy.
  • Support organizing and policy program staff in defining roles and responsibilities for engagement with impacted communities, allies, ACLU-WA supporters, and other community partners, and in developing workplans that effectively use team resources to develop and advance policy priorities.
  • Track, review, and compare annual expenses against budget; develop annual proposed budgets for PAD program work; review and approve budgeted expenditures. 
  • In collaboration with the Legislative Affairs Department, lobbies elected officials and other public officials.
  • Prepare and deliver testimony; draft and review legal and policy advocacy letters and regulatory comments.
  • Sit on government task forces as assigned.
  • Analyze proposed and prospective legislation and regulations; provide policy and legal feedback to internal and external stakeholders. 
  • Collaborate with the Communications Department to identify and advance opportunities to increase support for ACLU-WA policy proposals through public education.
  • Provide legal and policy expertise to support effective message development and ensures ACLU-WA communications about policy are accurate, comprehensive, and consistent with ACLU-WA goals.
  • Hold PAD accountable for their plans and assists in the oversight for the success of cross-departmental campaigns/projects.
  • Supervise or delegate supervision of hiring, onboarding, and offboarding processes for staff in PAD.
  • Supervise and support staff including Policy Program Directors, an Organizing Director, Organizers, Policy Analysts, and the Policy Advocacy Department Associate.
  • Collaborate with the Integrated Advocacy Director and IAD Leadership Team to build a culture of leadership and management that promotes teamwork, professional growth, accountability, and the ACLU-WA’s equity and justice goals.
  • Present at ACLU-WA board meetings and donor cultivation events.
  • Ensure that the PAD Department is a collaborator in the ACLU-WA’s integrated advocacy efforts and facilitate PAG staff collaborations with other departments as appropriate.
  • Collaborate as appropriate with the ACLU National and other affiliates on nationwide and state-specific issues.
  • Engage in community and coalition outreach, education, and events.
  • Build accountable and trusted relationships with leadership at allied organizations and partners.
  • Serve as an external spokesperson on policy issues.
  • Participate in organizational hiring processes, strategic and program planning, and other activities to advance the ACLU-WA’s organizational mission, vision, and values.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned that are consistent and within the scope of the position.                              
EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
  • Minimum three (3) years of experience managing others; experience with managing budgets, supervising direct reports, and coordinating volunteers (both students and professionals). 
  • Ten (10) years of policy advocacy experience.
  • Experience working in a senior policy position that required significant political acumen and management.
  • J.D. or other advanced degree in law, civil rights, or government is a plus.
  • Demonstrated ability to plan and implement effective strategies based on realistic objectives, maintain momentum, and evaluate progress. 
  • Strong judgement, emotional intelligence, analytic and problem-solving skills.
  • A diplomatic advocate with active listening skills who can connect with people from different backgrounds, build relationships across differences, and navigate and resolve conflict.
  • Accessible, flexible, decisive, and collaborative management style that inspires trust and confidence, inspires staff to work together in pursuit of a common mission, and holds them accountable for accomplishment of objectives.
  • Ability to provide clear direction, delegate well and assume responsibility.
  • A compelling public speaker and strong writer and editor; the ability to communicate complex information to a wide variety of audiences and communicate strategically on controversial issues.
  • Excellent organization and time management skills to manage one’s own work as well as the work of others, and to assure completion of assignments and projects. 
  • Competence in the use of office computer applications, electronic databases, and electronic legal research.
FUTURE WA ACLU'ers WILL
  • 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.
LOCATION: Seattle, Washington

CLASSIFICATION: This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. The ACLU-WA reserves the right to change the content of this posting at any time without advance notice. This position is “exempt” under the Fair Labor Standards Act and approved at (1) fulltime equivalent (FTE).

MENTAL DEMAND: Decision-making, high emotional intelligence, giving and receiving feedback and building trusting relationships. The nature of this work can be emotionally demanding and requires thoughtful and clear communication and resilience.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & CONDITIONS: The ACLU-WA observes a hybrid workstyle, with some staff working primarily remotely while others work in the office several days a week. The position requires maintaining some physical file records and word processing and is expected to observe an in-person hybrid workstyle. This position is required to work in the office a minimum of two (2) days per week.

Our office is generally open between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and is located in downtown Seattle. The physical demands and work environment described below represent those required and encountered by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Input information into a computer for long periods of time.
  • Access information communicated through a computer.
  • Work some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
  • Periodically work long and extended hours.
  • Travel locally or regionally, for work-related meetings and events.
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. As such, the ACLU-WA has adopted a salary scale for measuring how to best compensate its employees.

The salary for this position is $176,000.00 – $216,000.00. 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 given in 2026, twelve paid holidays and two weeks of paid office closure. Employer-paid professional development, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, a retirement plan with employer contributions, student loan reimbursement, family care and adoption assistance, life insurance, and an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass.

ACLU-WA provides laptops, 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 work phone, as well as an additional $150 stipend each month to help cover any additional costs while working from home.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: To apply, please submit a cover letter, résumé and three references on our online job portal.

In your cover letter, please explain how you meet the skills and qualifications outlined above, including how your background and/or experience may contribute to the diversity and perspective of our work. Please also submit a writing sample (e.g., an advocacy or public education piece) that reflects your policy analysis and advocacy skills.

REFERENCES: Please submit with your application three 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 before conducting reference checks.

HIRING TIMELINE: This position is open until filled with the first review of candidates scheduled for May 13, 2026. We will schedule interviews with qualified candidates after the first review of candidates.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) are core values of the ACLU-WA and are foundational to our work to advance liberty, equality and justice for all. When we secure liberty, freedom and justice for those most marginalized, we ensure everyone experiences dignity and equity, enjoying freedoms unimpeded by racial, economic injustice and other forms of oppression. This work requires our collective commitment.

With this in mind, we value a diverse workforce and an inclusive work culture. The ACLU-WA is an equal opportunity employer and 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, record of arrest or conviction and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We do not conduct criminal background checks on our candidates.

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
ACLU-WA is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email

hiring@aclu-wa.org

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

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ACLU of Washington

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