American Civil Liberties Union

Career Opportunity
Office Assistant [SD-02]
American Civil Liberties Union
South Dakota Chapter

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a national not-for-profit public interest organization devoted to the defense of the Bill of Rights. The ACLU opened a local chapter office in South Dakota in October 2008 and is currently seeking an Office Assistant to support the expansion of the civil rights work in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

OVERVIEW:
The ACLU of South Dakota is entering into an exciting period of time, as we [begin to] advance civil liberties in this state through lobbying, litigation, public education and outreach. The opportunity to work for a national civil rights organization comes at a time where civil liberties and civil rights are at the very forefront of public debate in the state.

The ACLU of South Dakota has been leading the charge on Racial Justice, Voting Rights, the School-to-Prison Pipeline, Reproductive Freedom, and LGBT issues in South Dakota. As the newest office to be opened by the ACLU, this is a great opportunity for a dedicated individual to support the cause of civil liberties under the dynamic leadership of the Chapter’s Director and Advisory Board.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Office Assistant will work closely with the Director of the South Dakota chapter and members of the national staff in providing support for the chapter office. The Office Assistant will assist in conducting outreach to individuals and communities, which are served by ACLU programs in South Dakota. This position will require public speaking and appearances at events on behalf of the Chapter.

Some of the key responsibilities are:

• Attend in-state ACLU functions, including membership conferences, award receptions, Board meetings, and staff conferences
• Act as the liaison for potential or current clients of the ACLU chapter
• Manage media information and maintain the intake database
• Work in collaboration with the Director to prepare documents for board meetings, community outreach and education initiatives and other internal documents
• Responsible for the day-to-day functions/operations of the chapter
• Develop systems to process invoices and track expenses for South Dakota Chapter
• Process expense reports for the national office and for the South Dakota Chapter
• Manage the office calendar for the South Dakota Chapter and handle logistics for travel and meetings
• Other duties as assigned by the Director.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook; proficiency with other MS software such as Publisher and Access and with Quickbooks or other financial software preferred
• Ability to set priorities and handle multiple tasks
• Must be attentive to detail, ability to take direction, and work well with others
• Good typing and grammar skills, as well as professional telephone manner
• Commitment to the mission of the ACLU or the advancement of civil liberties under the U. S. and South Dakota Constitutions; understanding of basic civil liberties issues and current affairs a plus
• Knowledge and understanding of the legislative process
• Experience and familiarity in working with various groups of people particularly with Indigenous and Native American populations
• Some travel within South Dakota may be required.

COMPENSATION:
Compensation is commensurate with experience within parameters of the American Civil Liberties Union.

HOW TO APPLY:
Please send letter of interest, resume, and contact information of three references to: hrjobs@aclu.org
RE: Office Assistant (SD-02/ACLU-W) in subject line of email or by regular mail to:

Human Resources
RE: [Office Assistant, SD-02/ACLU-W]
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18^th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Applications accepted until position is filled, which will not be before June 17, 2009. Please indicate in your cover letter where you found this job listing.

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.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”