About ACLU of West Virginia
Established in 1920, the ACLU-WV is a non-partisan, non-profit public interest organization dedicated to protecting and expanding civil liberties for all people in West Virginia. Today, our mission remains as relevant and important as ever, given the policies being pursued in Charleston and across the nation. Confronting both traditional and new threats to civil liberties on many fronts, a major focus of our work is to extend the promise of the Bill of Rights to those groups that have traditionally been denied its protections, and expanding the reach of its guarantees to new areas. We accomplish our goals through litigation, advocacy, public education, and grassroots organizing.
Learn more about our work protecting the rights of West Virginians HERE, and watch our video on how we show up and fight back to keep Mountaineers free.
About the Opportunity
Over the last few years, as West Virginian’s civil liberties have been increasingly threatened, our organization has grown significantly to become a key presence in the state’s non-profit landscape. We are deeply proud of and inspired by our relationships and collaboration with all of our community partners and coalitions, including organizing the first annual Appalachian Queer Youth Summit and the first BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and persons of color) student convening, joining forces with other affiliates to protect the rights of fair wages for incarcerated people, our work in immigrants rights, and taking on legal battles to protect transgender youth.
We are seeking an Executive Director who brings a track record of leading organizations and managing teams, effectively builds culture and community, has working knowledge of civil liberties issues and policies, and is committed to practicing self reflection and principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their leadership. The Executive Director serves as a powerful and courageous spokesperson for our mission, communities and campaigns, and sets the vision and strategy for advancing our work throughout the state, especially in areas and communities we haven’t reached before. Through building trust and relationships with constituents with communities across the state, as well as the individuals within the organization, the Executive Director engages the board and leads a dedicated and passionate team of eighteen, to bring together, champion and expand our advocacy, legislative, and community engagement work.
Reporting and Structure
The ACLU-WV is composed of both a 501(c)(4) (the “Union”) and a 501(c)(3) (the “Foundation”). The separate non-profit entities share the same overall mission, office space, and employees. Both are governed by boards of directors. The operating budgets of the ACLU-WV and the ACLU-WV Foundation, if totaled, are in excess of $2 million. The Executive Director reports to the Boards of Directors of the two corporate entities of the ACLU-WV, and ensures that the organization is fiscally sound and that its litigation, advocacy, fundraising, and communications programs are meeting the current and emergent needs and interests of its constituents.
The ACLU-WV is a proudly unionized workplace that values the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and strives to be a workplace where team members feel safe, valued, supported, and can thrive.
Areas of Leadership
Vision Setting and Strategic Planning:
In partnership with the board and staff, set the vision and strategy for championing, advancing and integrating ACLU WV’s legislative, advocacy and community engagement agenda and priorities throughout the state, particularly in areas and communities that have been historically excluded. Serve as a key voice and spokesperson for the organization, including investing a wide variety of constituents in
the ACLU WV’s work.
● Qualifications include:
- Proven ability to lead vision setting and strategically plan for a growing organization
- Ability to communicate vision to and inspire stakeholders
- Demonstrated commitment to working on issues of equity and protections of rights
- Understanding of civil liberties issues and policies and of ACLU’s work, perspective and non-partisan approach
- Ability to integrate advocacy, organizing, community, and legal work
- Track record of relying on others’ subject matter expertise to achieve results
Organizational Leadership:
Ensure healthy and sound day-to-day internal operations of the teams and their functions (operations, finance, fundraising, etc.) across the organization, including regular reporting to the board, supporting and collaborating with directors to meet organizational goals. Continue to support the organization’s infrastructure, systems, policies, and norms in order for it to be effective, sustainable and safe at its size
and for all of its staff members.
● Qualifications include:
- Experience as an organizational leader or large team leader (for example as an Executive Director, Deputy or Assistant Director, and/or Political Director) including experience in budget management, exposure to fundraising and general personnel practices
- Experience effectively partnering with a board or managing similar working relationships
- Track record of leading and managing people across multiple projects, priorities and goals
- Exposure to contexts of organizational growth and change, including distributed and remote environments
Relationship and Partnership Building:
Actively build and maintain trust and relationships, and engage communities across the state. Engage and invest a wide variety of constituents in the ACLU-WV’s agenda and priorities. Prioritize building relationships “internally” with all team and board members.
● Qualifications:
- Track record of significant strength interpersonally and in building relationships and communicating with a wide variety of communities
- Ability to balance empathy, fairness and decisiveness in leadership
Culture and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Leadership:
Ensure the ACLU-WV is a safe, welcoming, and supportive workplace for its team members, actively leading and contributing to building the culture, norms, values, and structures that support team members to thrive.
● Qualifications:
- Track record of building strong organizational cultures through relationship building
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion/belonging
- Demonstrated practice of self reflection on own biases and blind spots
- Skill in conflict resolution and mediation; ability to address and resolve conflicts transparently and effectively
- Track record of balancing empathy and decisiveness and making tough decisions while maintaining a compassionate and supportive approach
- Understanding of or alignment of approach to trauma-informed practices in the workplace is ideal
Benefits and Compensation:
The salary range is $ 105,000 to $ 130,000 based on qualifications and experience.
The ACLU-WV employee benefits package is as follows:
● Fully covered employee health, vision and dental coverage.
● 90% dental, vision and health coverage for one partner and dependents.
● 401k plan with up to 6% match.
● Long and short term disability.
● Family and parental leave.
● 12 health care leave days.
● 4 personal days.
● 13 paid holidays.
● 15 vacation days.
● Cell phone stipend.
● 2 months self-care leave every 5 years.
Location:
Most of our team is, and our next Executive Director will be based in or near Charleston, West Virginia, with the ability to travel throughout the state. Our modern central office is located in the heart of “Wild, Wonderful West Virginia” in downtown Charleston, the state’s capital city. Charleston offers a pleasant and cosmopolitan lifestyle in a smaller, affordable metropolitan area with active civic organizations, exciting arts and performance venues, institutions of higher education, and excellent medical facilities.
West Virginia’s beautiful state parks, abundant wildlife, trails for hiking and biking, and streams and rivers for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and rafting are all within easy reach.
How to Apply:
This search is being managed by Axis Talent Partners, a talent strategy and executive search firm that partners with social impact organizations and centers equity and inclusivity in search. Interested candidates should apply here and will be asked to answer several relevant application questions in lieu of submitting a cover letter.
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The ACLU of West Virginia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and encourages women, people of color, people with disabilities, justice impacted people, and LGBTQ people to apply. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU of West Virginia strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, criminal history, and veteran status.