Position Announcement
Public Policy Strategist
(Focus on Prisons, Jails, and Police Practices)
The ACLU of Texas

The ACLU of Texas is a non-profit, public interest organization devoted to protecting individual liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Texas acts in spirited defense of the Bill of Rights and our nation’s civil rights laws. A staff of over 15 employees and numerous volunteers work in a fast-paced, friendly environment. We now seek a full-time Public Policy Strategist, to be based out of our Austin office. The organization is headquartered in Austin, with a regional office in Houston.

Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the Policy Development Director, the Public Policy Strategist shall:

• Develop campaign strategies to educate key decision-makers, affiliate members, impacted communities and the general public, in order to improve conditions in Texas prisons and jails, reduce the use of prisons and jails, and eliminate ineffective and abusive police practices.
• Research, coordinate information gathering, and write publicly-available reports, briefing papers and public education materials on priority issues in the areas of prisons, jails and police practices consistent with the overall priorities of the affiliate;
• Monitor and seek ways to participate (such as identifying and preparing witnesses and drafting testimony) in ongoing national and state commissions and state legislative committee activities;
• Manage and refine prison and jail mail intake system/database to identify potential litigation and advocacy opportunities and provide public education to detainees;
• Work collaboratively with the Legal Department and Field Director to ensure full integration with litigation and field strategies.
• Work collaboratively with the Communications Director to develop messaging and communications strategies to support campaigns and fully integrate the Strategist’s work into the communications plan.
• Coordinate with the Prison and Jail Advisory Board, Texas-based prison and jail conditions and police accountability groups and ACLU National Projects to ensure the coordination of affiliate strategies with changing prison and jail conditions and police practices, and national ACLU priorities in the areas of prison and jail conditions and police practices;
• Help recruit and supervise volunteers throughout the state; and
• Work with the Development Department to pursue fundraising opportunities consistent with priorities in coordination with overall fundraising plan.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Optimal candidate will have public policy experience or legislative advocacy experience and a substantial background and/or working knowledge of criminal justice issues, particularly prison and jail issues and/or police practices.
• Bachelor’s Degree required. Advanced degree in related field (public policy, social work, journalism, sociology, law) helpful but not required.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• The ability to work well with a wide range of people including colleagues and advocates, decision-makers and government staff, members of impacted communities and the general public.
• Excellent organizational skills and the capacity to take initiative, think strategically and respond analytically.
• The ability to work independently and also take direction well.
• Some experience developing and/or conducting state or local legislative and/or issue campaigns that involved coalition building, drafting statutory language and public communications preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated interest in and commitment to racial justice, civil liberties and human rights.
• Capacity to supervise volunteers.
• Capacity to speak and write a second language that is used by a substantial population in Texas helpful but not required.
• Ability to work irregular hours, attend evening and weekend meetings and travel often to other Texas cities and for occasional brief out-of-state meetings.

Compensation and Benefits:
Salary commensurate with experience. Paid time off in accordance with ACLU of Texas policies and procedures. Additionally, the ACLU of Texas currently offers excellent medical and dental insurance, disability insurance and a pension plan.

Application:
Please submit your application by 5:00 p.m. on December 19, 2007. Do not call or have calls made on your behalf. Electronic applications in MS Word preferred. Submit a letter of interest, current résumé, a writing sample (less than five pages), a 3-5 year salary history and the names and telephone numbers of three references to:

e-mail: jobs@aclutx.org
or fax: (512) 478-7303
or mail: Glenna Bargsley
ACLU of Texas
P. O. Box 12905
Austin, TX 78711

The ACLU of Texas is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages people of color, women, persons with disabilities, and lesbians and gays to apply.