American Civil Liberties Union

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Mississippi
ADVOCACY COORDINATOR

The mission of the ACLU/MS, an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, is to protect and advance the civil rights and civil liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. Under the motto “cultivating freedom on Southern soil”, the Mississippi ACLU fulfills its mission through public education, legislative activity, and litigation. An 18-person Board of Directors oversees the program.

Position Overview and Functions:

The Advocacy Coordinator reports to the Program Director and is a part of a team of field organizers responsible for advancing ACLU priorities at the state and local level and strategically involving ACLU supporters, clients and allies in that effort. The majority of the Advocacy Coordinator's time will be spent working with the program director, the public education coordinator, the staff attorney and community groups to develop and implement strategies to dismantle the school to prison pipeline in MS. Additionally, this position will coordinate events and campaigns to support other civil liberties issues such as reproductive justice and human rights. The ACLU of MS has two years of funding committed to this position.

Responsibilities:

Field: Work with grassroots community groups who are experiencing high levels of suspensions, arrests and alternative school referrals from schools around the state. The Coordinator will work with these groups to develop strategies to dismantle the school to prison pipeline at the local school district level. The coordinator will work to establish agreements between communities, schools and law enforcement that reduce the number of arrests within schools.

Public Policy: Assist in the monitoring of ballot initiatives, referendums, local and state government policy proposals that pose a threat to civil liberties and recommend actions when appropriate. Write brief educational materials, flyers and action alerts. Assist with coordination of public hearings. Conduct research, analysis and provide recommendations on legislative issues.

Events/Trainings: Organize public education and organizing events—such as rallies, community forums, panel discussions and trainings on a quarterly basis.

Coalition Building : Help to coordinate the work of two statewide coalitions: the reproductive freedom coalition and the MS Prevention of Schoolhouse To Jailhouse Coalition. Build coalitions on specific issue areas as assigned. Coordinate statewide youth programs/meetings such as the annual hip hop festival. Maintain relationships with key allies on priority issues. Provide strategic guidance for coalition work to public education coordinator, project director and staff attorney.

Other: Handle the word processing and production of letters, reports, packets and other materials. Maintain orderly files. Draft communications as assigned. Prepare materials with an attention to accuracy and professionalism. Complete special projects as assigned or required. Help maintain a positive, respectful, welcoming and professional work environment for employees and volunteers. Assist in other activities as assigned.

*This position will require extensive travel, evening and weekend hours.

Qualifications:

• B.A. and at least two years of relevant work experience. Experience in nonprofit, advocacy or other community-based groups is valuable. Development experience is a plus. Legal experience is helpful.
• Firm commitment to the mission and principles of the ACLU.
• Excellent writing skills. Strength in proofreading and an ardent attention to detail.
• Excellent organization skills: a strong, consistent attention to detail, ability to meet tight deadlines, and the ability to follow through on work assignments with a minimum of direct supervision.
• The ability to work on several significant projects at various stages of completion. Good problem solving skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and comfort working with diverse populations, with donors, and with staff and volunteers.
• Excellent computer skills. A strong familiarity with online communication tools. Strong skills in database management and word-processing. Design experience is a plus. Basic HTML experience is a plus.

Compensation: Salary dependent on experience. Excellent benefits, including health, vacation and comp time.

To apply:

Applicants should submit a resume and a cover letter describing their interest in working for the ACLU and qualifications for this position. The deadline for applications is December 18, 2009 but the position will be kept open until filled. Contact office@aclu-ms.org with questions.

ACLU of Mississippi
Attn: Sophia Hale-Harmon
P.O. Box 2242
Jackson , MS 39225

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.