Careers

The Opportunity

ACLU California Action advocates for the defense and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights in the State Capitol in collaboration with ACLU’s three California Affiliates: ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, and ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. We work to secure greater equality, equity, justice, and freedom for all Californians, working in coalition with communities that have been impacted by the denial of justice. Our policy priorities are aimed at dismantling systems rooted in oppression and discrimination through an integrated advocacy approach that employs rigorous policy analysis, lobbying, communications, coalition-building, and grassroots organizing. ACLU California Action is a 501(c)(4)* organization federated with ACLU’s three California affiliates for the purpose of statewide advocacy.

We are seeking a Director of Finance and Administration to lead and influence the organization towards favorable growth and implement strategies and processes to maximize organizational effectiveness and operations. Duties include collaborating with Board, Executive Director, and Management Team on mission and strategy, ensuring high functioning organizational governance with Executive Director and Board, optimizing financial operations, maintaining tax and legal compliance, managing human resources, stewarding organizational culture, and executing special projects. The Director of Finance and Administration’s work will result in achievement of organizational goals; maintenance of sound financial practices; strong human resources practices and staff morale; and growth of positive relationships among staff, Board, and ACLU colleagues across the state and nation.

Supervision

Reports to: Executive Director

Supervises: Two team members

Job Functions

• Contributes to long-range institutional strategy in partnership with Board of Directors and Executive Director; articulates associated financial plans.
• Engages positively and regularly with Board of Directors, other California finance personnel and Leadership Team members within California ACLU entities (funders to Cal Action), and colleagues within ACLU national network; build strong, virtuous, and lasting relationships for the organization.
• Leads, coaches, develops, and retains a high performing team; cultivates a workplace culture reflective of organizational values that centers Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in all organizational decisions and actions.
• Develops, maintains, and supports a strong Board of Directors; manages Board and Committee meeting calendar, agendas, minutes, and actions; seeks and builds board involvement with strategic direction for both ongoing operations as well as new initiatives and growth areas.
• Facilitates risk evaluation in partnership with Board of Directors and Executive Director, actively manages and mitigates risk across all facets of the organization, with special care to lobbying, legal and political activities, through tools such as memorandums of understanding, contracts, spending tracking, and other legal documents, procedures, and agreements.
• Provides leadership, guidance, and execution on management, financial, legal, and administrative matters.
• Manages the fiscal operations of the organization, including planning and overseeing the development of the annual budget in excess of $4M; establishing and adhering to financial controls and processes; overseeing in-house AP and cash management functions; managing accounting and compliance vendors; and providing accurate and timely reporting.
• Reviews, evaluates, and maintains insurance policies, within framework of collaboration-wide Insurance & Indemnification Agreement.
• Secures and administers office lease and landlord requirements; oversees all office-related equipment and projects like renovation and relocation.
• Manages human resources for staff of 15 current and any additional employees that may come on board including recruitment, policies and procedures, development and retention strategies, payroll and personnel actions, staffing requirements, and compensation and benefit programs in coordination with HRIS vendor.
• Evaluates, selects, and manages all vendors necessary to carry out high quality operations including accounting, HRIS, legal, bill tracking, and IT.
• Oversees program support and data collection practices to ensure high levels of transparency, integrity, and accuracy (statistical significance) of information within ACLU networks and for public releases.
• Reviews and negotiates all organizational contracts.
• Facilitates annual audit and corporate filings (990, 199 and RRF-1) in partnership with outside vendor and Audit Committee.
• Oversees all registrations and filings with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• 10+ years professional experience in non-profit management with significant leadership, management, governance, budget, finance/accounting, human resources, legal, and/or compliance responsibilities.
• Leadership and management skills to lead organizational development and other projects with high levels of confidential, complex, nuanced information; accurately communicate and enumerate key concepts and organizational options; bring stakeholders to consensus on the most appropriate path forward.
• Knowledge of equity, inclusion, diversity, and belonging principles; proactively prioritizes these principles in one’s work and approach to relationship building.
• Demonstrated commitment to dismantling systems rooted in oppression and discrimination; demonstrated social justice and human rights knowledgebase.
• Strong knowledge of the California non-profit regulations and requirements; especially around 501(c)4 organizations and expressed advocacy and political activity.
• Working knowledge of California employment law and employer requirements.
• Experience as a team supervisor with ability to manage workflows across direct reports and colleagues.
• Superior written and oral communication skills when conveying complex management, legal, or compliance matters in simple terms and preparing documents and presentations.
• Resourceful, diplomatic, team-oriented, accountable, and sensitive to the needs our partners and staff.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a team environment and independently, with Board members, diverse staff, vendors, professional service providers, and other organizational contributors and stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills, enthusiasm, optimism, and a sense of humor.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, at times work long hours, and balance a large portfolio of work; ability to manage one’s time independently and respect agreements, especially around due dates, timeliness, communications, and compliance requirements.
• Proficient in office communication, financial, and presentation software, such as Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Teams.
• Ability to read a balance sheet, cash flow statements and present financials to the board of directors.
• Passion for our mission and advocacy work which include criminal justice and law enforcement accountability, reproductive justice, LGBTQ equality, voting rights, immigrant rights, racial and economic justice, technology and privacy, and education equity.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• Experience with union represented workforces, union contract development and management.  
• Familiarity with lobbying compliance requirements for IRS and FPPC compliance.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive compensation and benefits package includes employer sponsored medical, dental and vision coverage for you and your family, a retirement plan with a 2% employer contribution with additional employer match, 22 paid vacation days, 10 days of sick time, and 20 paid holidays a year. Salary ranges from $150,000-165,000.

Selection Process

Please submit your resume no later than May 31, 2023 to jobs@acluca.org for consideration. If you have any questions about the position or our process, please reach out to Liz Garcia Bynum at egarciabynum@acluca.org or (213) 977-5283.

ACLU California Action is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please contact Liz Garcia Bynum at egarciabynum@acluca.org or (213) 977-5283. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodation during the interview process.

ACLU Cal Action advances equity and inclusion in the workplace by providing equal employment opportunity to all as part of a work environment free from discrimination. We encourage and welcome applicants who will work to further this commitment and add to the diversity of our organization on multiple dimensions including race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, exercising the right to family care and medical leave, genetic information, marital status, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, political affiliation, or arrest or conviction record. 

*Please note that as a 501(c)(4) organization our team members are not eligible to participate in most student loan forgiveness programs.

Work Location

ACLU Cal Action supports its employees achieving organizational goals and individual workplans in the manner that best suits the work at hand and provides for work-life balance. Regardless of working location, staff are expected to be responsive, engaged, and available to advance our work and fulfill assignments.  Approved work options for this position include: Sacramento Based Location, Fully Remote Location, or Hybrid Remote Location in California

About ACLU California Action

ACLU California Action is a 501(c)(4) organization jointly formed by the ACLU affiliates in California. Our mission is to protect civil liberties and civil rights, advance equity, justice, and freedom, and dismantle systems rooted in oppression and discrimination. The organization uses rigorous policy analysis, advocacy, and strategic communications to achieve policy change on a statewide level. We advance this work through collaboration with organizations that have members directly impacted by policy decisions in Sacramento. Beyond legislation, ACLU California Action aims to build enhanced political power and influence for the ACLU and our collective movements statewide.

Connections working at ACLU California Action