Chief Executive Officer for Civil Rights Advocacy

About
Arizona Civil Liberties Union

For over a century, the
ACLU has championed every significant civil liberties battle in the history of our nation.

The
ACLU tackles the most challenging civil liberties concerns to protect individuals from governmental misconduct and overreach.

With
ACLU affiliate offices across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, the
ACLU tirelessly advocates for our rights in the courts, influences public policy, and empowers communities to promote rights for everyone.

The
ACLU of Arizona, established in 1959, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the defense and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights in Arizona.

The
ACLU of Arizona is a dedicated, highly motivated team seeking exceptional talent to join their ranks.

The
ACLU is firmly committed to racial equity and social justice, driven to act on these fundamental values.

Applicants must recognize the intersectionality of various identities and how they manifest in the work, particularly with the communities served by the
ACLU of Arizona, and must demonstrate the cultural competency to collaborate with a diverse team and effectively engage with historically marginalized communities.

For more information on the
ACLU of Arizona (
ACLU-AZ), please visit its website.

The Opportunity

The ACLU-AZ is in search of a seasoned, strategic, and visionary Chief Executive Officer to steer the organization's statewide advocacy agenda during this crucial time when civil liberties and civil rights are at the forefront both nationally and in Arizona.

The Chief Executive Officer must possess a proven history of integrating equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) principles throughout the organization, building and sustaining partnerships with communities most affected by civil liberties and civil rights injustices, along with strong fundraising and organizational expertise, and a demonstrated ability to foster team development, leadership, and create a safe space for conflict resolution.

As the Chief Executive Officer, you will be instrumental in guiding the organization towards its mission by ensuring a collaborative and productive work environment.

This role demands a cooperative and driven leader with extensive knowledge and a deep commitment to advancing civil liberties and civil rights.

Position Overview
The Chief Executive Officer will act as the principal executive officer of the
ACLU-AZ, overseeing the organization's daily operations and activities, with primary responsibilities including:

Leadership and Vision

Build upon previous achievements by inspiring the development and execution of innovative strategies that promote civil liberties and civil rights amidst a challenging political landscape.

Serve as the lead fundraiser and spokesperson for the
ACLU-AZ's mission and initiatives.
Enhance and broaden the
ACLU-AZ's reputation and influence; provide clear vision and direction to guide programs.

Collaborate closely with the Board and staff to formulate and periodically revise the organization's priorities, strategies, and policies, and to design and implement campaigns that support the successful attainment of strategic objectives.

Continue and expand the use of integrated advocacy, addressing civil liberties and civil rights issues through a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses litigation, lobbying, and public education.

Exhibit courage and clarity when confronting highly controversial and complex issues, guiding the Board through thoughtful deliberation of conflicting positions on those matters.

Safeguard the organization's integrity, credibility, and non-partisanship by emphasizing these qualities in all aspects of the
ACLU-AZ's operations.
Inspire and maintain a cohesive staff, ensuring robust internal communication, coordination, and accountability.
Mediate and resolve conflicts among team members, departments, and other stakeholders, fostering a culture of open dialogue and understanding.

Work with staff to establish departmental goals and motivate them to focus on the organization's mission.

Ensure that staff have the necessary resources to achieve their objectives.
Promote an environment of continuous improvement, learning, and effectiveness.

Encourage a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere where independent thinking is valued, and staff are held accountable to specific metrics and goals.

Engage in honest, thoughtful discussions with a trauma-informed approach that welcomes feedback, emphasizing learning and healing while balancing accountability.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) Leadership

Champion and prioritize EDIB on the Board and staff as the organization increasingly seeks to reflect the communities it serves.

Demonstrate a high level of cultural competency to work with a diverse team and effectively partner with historically marginalized communities.

Provide a personal approach that values individuals and respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socioeconomic status.

Create a work environment that acknowledges and respects the diversity and individuality of each employee.
Regularly evaluate how the
ACLU-AZ is implementing EDIB principles and best practices both internally and externally.

Lead the staff and Board in advancing a staff-driven, robust fundraising program that ensures the financial sustainability of the
ACLU-AZ through direct solicitations and cultivating essential relationships in-person, by phone, and in writing.

Initiate funding opportunities with individual donors and foundations to ensure a steady stream of financial support that fosters long-term stability.

Anticipate funding needs and engage program staff as necessary to ensure that they have the resources required for success and to maintain continuity of vital initiatives.

Inspire, cultivate, steward, and solicit a dedicated group of major donors to the organization.

Identify, pursue, and manage grants that financially support the
ACLU-AZ's strategic priorities, including overseeing the execution of grant deliverables by key staff members.

Organizational Management
Implement best practices for effective organizational management, including practices that assess the effectiveness of projects undertaken by the
ACLU-AZ.
Oversee financial operations, including financial controls and budgetary planning, as well as human resources.
Ensure that revenue streams are diverse and replenished.

Keep the Board fully informed on the organization's condition and ensure that Board meetings and committees operate effectively and efficiently.

Public Representation

Represent the priorities of the
ACLU-AZ as the lead official representative of the organization to the media and public, articulating the organization's positions and communicating its mission to enhance visibility and public understanding of the work.

Formulate and convey to the membership, Board, staff, and media a clear and accessible understanding of the
ACLU-AZ's strategies, goals, and positions on issues.

Maintain and foster relationships with members of the press and the social media community.
Lead a communications strategy that values a diverse set of voices to represent the organization's positions on its work.
Board Partnership and Communication

Collaborate with the Board President to plan Board meetings and updates, providing ongoing reports on overall organizational performance and initiatives.

Work with key Board committees on various strategic initiatives, including identifying and orienting new Board members, fundraising, and supporting governance activities.

Inform staff of Board policies and decisions and ensure timely and consistent implementation.

Qualifications & Characteristics

The Chief Executive Officer will possess a working knowledge of civil liberties issues and policies and be a leader and manager skilled at balancing internal management with external impact and visibility.

The Chief Executive Officer will understand the history and significance of the
ACLU-AZ's programming in legal, policy, and advocacy areas; experience in at least one of these programming areas aligned with the
ACLU-AZ's priority issues is essential.

They will possess many, if not all, of the following Qualifications and Characteristics.
Qualifications

Commitment to the mission and principles of the
ACLU-AZ.

A minimum of ten years of professional experience is required, with prior nonprofit experience preferred; a legal degree is not required but is advantageous.

Demonstrated fundraising and financial management experience with a solid track record of success.

Proven experience operationalizing EDIB principles in all aspects of organizations; champion and value anti-racism with the ability or willingness to lead the
ACLU-AZ in defining and implementing these principles into the work of the organization internally with staff and Board as well as externally.

Proven experience in conflict resolution and executive leadership roles.
Strong understanding of organizational dynamics and the ability to navigate complex interpersonal relationships.
Exceptional communication and mediation skills.

A history of effective communication in writing and verbally, including excellent public speaking skills; ability to represent the
ACLU-AZ to a broad audience.

A record of success in partnership with a Board and staff of diverse personalities and talents.

Demonstrated ability to think strategically, creatively problem-solve, exercise good judgment, and lead change; ability to transparently and honestly make and communicate decisions that advance the mission of the
ACLU-AZ even when they are difficult.

Strong work ethic and the ability to interact effectively with volunteers from diverse geographical and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Characteristics

Personally committed to advancing the
ACLU-AZ's values, mission, goals, and programs, with an understanding of the range of civil liberties issues and their implications.

A dedicated leader and representative who can translate vision into action; someone who is passionate about networking and representing the organization to critical constituencies, including
ACLU-AZ members, the public, government, and the media.

A person who is inspiring, able to conceptualize and express ideas, and anticipate and act on events that may create opportunities for the
ACLU-AZ.

A leader who understands their strengths and areas for growth with a willingness and ability to rely on and take direction from staff who may have expertise in areas they do not.

An entrepreneur who is creative, strategic, resourceful, and politically astute; someone who understands the value of forming partnerships with other organizations to achieve the
ACLU-AZ's goals.

An energetic individual who can manage and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities, and who is a self-starter and finisher.

A team player who fosters collaboration and functions decisively; flexible and well-organized; with a keen understanding of their role as Chief Executive Officer in decision-making, conflict management, and communication.

A person who is straightforward, shares information readily, listens as well as gives advice, and respects the abilities of others.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of the Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented individuals with mission-driven clients.

Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the globe.

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