The ACLU of New Jersey seeks a full-time Field Organizer based out of its Newark office. This organizer will engage immigrant communities and allies in campaigns to expand legal and policy protections for immigrants and their families. These community-driven campaigns will help New Jersey become a national leader in adopting laws and policies that welcome immigrants, treat all residents fairly regardless of immigration status, and ensure that state and local governments serve local communities rather than participating in abusive federal immigration enforcement. The Field Organizer will also have opportunities to work on other ACLU-NJ policy campaigns.

This position requires a demonstrated ability to mobilize people to take action in support of a public policy or electoral goal, or comparable objective. The ideal candidate will be creative, self-motivated, and prepared to collaborate strategically with highly diverse groups of community members and coalition partners across the state. The Field Organizer will be part of the ACLU-NJ Policy Department and will also work closely with ACLU-NJ communications and legal staff, as well as with National ACLU counterparts. This is an opportunity to make a lasting contribution to immigrants’ rights in New Jersey.

ABOUT ACLU OF NEW JERSEY

The ACLU-NJ, headquartered in Newark with a full-time staff of about 20, works in every corner of our state to defend the principles of civil rights and individual liberties. The ACLU-NJ values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages applications from all qualified applicants, including immigrants, women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, people with disabilities, people who have experienced poverty or homelessness, people who have had prior contact with the juvenile, criminal justice, child welfare, or immigration systems, and people who have personal experience with other issues we work on.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Mobilize and organize immigrant communities, ACLU membership, and allies in New Jersey to take action and advance the goals of ACLU-NJ immigrants’ rights campaigns;
• Enhance organizing and leadership capacity within directly impacted communities; and help recruit, train, and manage ACLU-NJ members and volunteers to support campaign goals;
• Develop and conduct trainings and educational outreach to support and prepare activists, volunteers, and ACLU NJ members to advance campaign goals and engage in actions;
• Organize and staff public events to mobilize immigrant communities, ACLU members, and the public at large;
• Represent the ACLU-NJ at meetings, tabling events, and public education engagements; participate in meetings and activities of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice and other relevant coalitions;
• Provide logistical support for advocacy strategies initiatives across departments.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Commitment to racial equity, dismantling white supremacy, and structural power analysis, with knowledge and understanding of how power is manifested in matters of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ability, language, immigration status, national origin, and socio-economic circumstances;
• Demonstrated experience executing effective public policy or electoral campaigns, or comparable organizing experience;
• Strong working knowledge of immigrants’ rights issues and immigrant communities;
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including an ability to navigate and resolve conflict in a manner that values and respects relationships with colleagues inside and outside the ACLU of New Jersey;
• Strong organizational and time management skills, and attention to detail;
• Self-motivation, with a demonstrated ability to manage projects and follow-through with minimal direct supervision;
• A positive attitude and the ability to maintain balance and perspective even when encountering interpersonal or strategic challenges;
• Experience working collaboratively and coordinating responsibilities with colleagues on projects and campaigns;
• Commitment to the mission of the ACLU;
• Ability to manage a demanding schedule, working beyond 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends when needed;
• Willingness to travel frequently throughout the state and a current driver’s license is preferred.
• Bilingualism (fluency in English and another language spoken by large numbers of New Jersey residents) is strongly preferred.

Details at a glance

• On-site Location
• Full Time Schedule

Benefits

The ACLU-NJ offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and in line with the ACLU-NJ compensation scale. Benefits currently include 16 days paid time off in addition to 11 office holidays and 12 health care leave days; medical, vision, and dental insurance; life and long-term disability insurance; pre-tax transit benefits; and 401(k) plan with employer match.

How To Apply

To apply, visit www.aclu-nj.org/careers to complete the application and upload a resume and detailed letter of interest. Your letter should explain ways in which you satisfy the skills and qualifications specified above. We also invite applicants to include in their letter information about how their background and/or experiences could contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and advocacy work.

Application materials will also be accepted via postal mail (P.O. Box 32159, Newark, NJ 07102), but electronic filing is strongly preferred. Applications will be reviewed beginning immediately. The position will remain open until filled.

The ACLU-NJ is an equal opportunity employer and embraces diversity, including those characteristics protected by law and beyond. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and we value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The more inclusive we are, the better we are.

Location

Newark, NJ