The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky

Position Announcement
Reproductive Freedom Project Director
April 2008

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to the defense of the Bill of Rights and is an affiliate of the national ACLU. The ACLU is the nation’s foremost organization defending and advancing civil rights and civil liberties principles and the RFP Director is specifically responsible for defending and advancing reproductive rights and liberties through advocacy, litigation, legislative activities, public educational programming, and fundraising.

Since its founding in the 1920’s, the ACLU has fought to ensure that the decision whether or not to have a child be informed, meaningful, and protected from government interference. The ACLU is particularly committed to ensuring that individuals’ reproductive rights are not compromised because of their race, youth, or economic status, and believes that reproductive rights work must be informed by broader racial and social justice considerations.

The ACLU of Kentucky Reproductive Freedom Project was founded in 1989 after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Webster decision, signaling that states would have greater ability to impose restrictions on access to abortion services. Suzy Post, then ACLU executive director, saw that no other organizations in Kentucky were putting full-time staff resources into pro-choice advocacy work and brought together a group of dedicated individuals to launch the Project.

The RFP Director will work with the RFP Committee and is responsible for creating the conditions for broad and meaningful membership participation and control. S/he will work to recruit and develop RFP leaders and provide them with the training and guidance necessary to build effective and strategic programs. This requires the ability to ask critical questions, think strategically, and establish trusting, challenging relationships with diverse groups of people.

The RFP Director will continually work with leaders to question their own assumptions and develop a deeper analysis of issues such as power, equality, poverty, race, class, and other aspects of their worldview. They need to be able to break down large issues into manageable pieces with a logical order. And they need qualities that inspire others to care deeply, think broadly, and advocate boldly.

S/he reports to the Executive Director. For more information about the work of the ACLU and the civil liberties principles we uphold, please visit www.aclu-ky.org and www.aclu.org.

Program Development and Implementation:

The Reproductive Freedom Project Director:

• Organizes educational and outreach activities throughout Kentucky.
• Organizes a state legislative initiative for reproductive issues, including direct lobbying, supervising and directing volunteer lobbyists, developing lobby strategy and plans, identifying experts to address proposals, preparing written materials, and dealing with media.
• Provides support and organizing for litigation involving reproductive health issues, and helps monitor and maintain the judicial by-pass network for young women seeking abortion services.
• Organizes and directs a Reproductive Freedom Project Committee of volunteers, which aids in educational events, lobbying and fundraising.
• Provides information and action alerts on pending state and national reproductive issues to network of individuals and organizations working on reproductive rights issues.
• Develops and implements media and public relations plan for the Reproductive Freedom Project and reproductive health issues in general.
• Serves as principal spokesperson for the ACLU of Kentucky position on reproductive rights issues in all forms of media statewide.
• In coordination with the RFP Committee, directs an annual RFP Development Campaign which includes major gift solicitation, grant writing, and event planning.
• Identifies and develops relationships with individuals, organizations, and reproductive health providers across lines of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religious affiliation and socio-economic circumstances to establish potential coalitions within these communities.
• Initiates new programs and projects and works to create a network of Kentuckians who are committed to privacy, choice, and reproductive freedom.
• Works as part of the ACLU staff team, understanding the connections and overlaps between reproductive rights and other civil liberties issues.
• Attend ACLU functions, such as the annual membership meeting and Bill of Rights Dinner, occasional Board meetings, and other ACLU events. Assist the Executive Director in maintaining a strong team spirit within the office.

Preferred Qualifications and Experiences:

• Demonstrated commitment to reproductive rights and civil liberties issues
• Experience managing and leading volunteers
• Organizing experience
• Lobbying experience preferred
• Demonstrated interest in, enthusiasm for, and commitment to the mission and principles of the ACLU
• Fundraising experience preferred; must be able to develop and lead a yearly RFP Development program
• Excellent oral and written communications skills and demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-media communications (education, media, and outreach campaigns)
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills as evidenced by the ability to work with people across barriers of race, age, gender, sexual identity, disability, religious affiliation and socio-economic circumstances.
• Demonstrated ability to be self-motivated and independent in addition to working as part of an effective staff team
• Basic office and computer skills
• Must be able to travel throughout the state and accommodate a work schedule that will include evening and weekend commitments
• College degree preferred; Masters in Social Work degree is a plus

Personal Attributes:

• Leader
• Energetic
• Courageous
• Ability to cope with changing and uncertain circumstances
• Respectful of others
• Collaborative
• Strong Facilitator
• Strong Communicator
• Creative
• Dedicated

Compensation:
The ACLU of Kentucky offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience.

To Apply:
Please send letters of interest, resume, and 3 references to:

Reproductive Freedom Project Director Search Committee
c/o Michael Aldridge
ACLU of Kentucky
315 Guthrie Street, Suite 300
Louisville, KY 40202
or
by email to michael@aclu-ky.org

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, which will not be before April 25, 2008. Please indicate where you learned of this job posting.

The ACLU of Kentucky 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.