Strategy & Innovation Advisor

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Strategy & Innovation Advisor in the Strategy Office of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or Washington, DC. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. This is a one-year term-limited position.

The ACLU works on some of the most pressing civil rights and civil liberties issues facing American society today. The Strategy Office supports the ACLU to advance civil rights and civil liberties for all through the development and delivery of a bold strategy with shared goals that maximizes our impact today and in the long-term. The office resides within the Executive Department, which drives the organization’s strategic direction, governance, and values-driven and inclusive culture. 

This position is limited to candidates who have received a graduate-level degree within the past 2 years. Recent graduates from the following programs are likely to be a good match for the role: MBA, MPP, JD, and MPA.

We will review applications on a rolling basis, but priority consideration will be given to those who submit applications by July 12, 2026. 

Reporting to the Director of Strategy and Innovation and taking direction from other members of the Strategy Office based on assigned projects, the Strategy & Innovation Advisor will drive special projects for the Strategy Office, support the implementation of 2030 strategic plan, and ensure the Strategy office team and organizational leadership remain focused on the long term. The role is a fit for people with a passion for big picture thinking, interest in scoping large, cross-departmental projects, and resolve to coordinate projects across multiple stakeholders.   

This position will participate in meetings and discussions of a highly strategic and confidential nature, handle highly sensitive confidential information, will liaise with staff regarding organizational initiatives, and will create and manage projects to their successful completion. 

• Incubate innovative organizational ideas in partnership with the Chief Strategy Officer, managing from ideation to pilot or beyond to project completion, as feasible  
• Work seamlessly across departments to advance special projects, integrating input from various stakeholders, including senior leadership 
• Produce high-quality PowerPoint or written internal or external deliverables with immense attention to detail  

• Analyze global and national trends with implications for civil rights and civil liberties semi-annually for Chief Strategy Officer, Senior Leadership, and Board  
• Manage quarterly “Leadership Insights” speaker series identifying nationally renowned speakers to share insights with senior leadership, facilitate discussion, and hone key takeaways 

• Support the implementation of 2030 organizational, departmental, and issue strategic plans 
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis to advance implementation of the strategic plan. This may include analyzing internal data, conducting landscape analyses, or coding qualitative survey findings
• Support preparation of senior leadership materials for decision making 
• Support evaluation of 2030 strategic plan from quarterly organizational reporting to annual review of the plan 

• Lead strategy office quarterly team retreat, reflecting on lessons learned from past work and forecasting the work ahead  
• Support annual senior leadership and board retreats, including: developing agenda, creating meeting materials, facilitating sessions, and identifying and bringing in outside speakers   

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

• Ability to work proactively in an ambiguous, dynamic, fast-paced, high-stakes environment 
• Exceptional organizational, planning and project management skills with demonstrated ability to manage large, complex projects and prioritize effectively against simultaneous demands   
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Ability to synthesize complex information clearly and professionally; strong proficiency in use of Microsoft Word and Powerpoint to communicate complex concepts 
• Strong data management and analytical skills, including extensive experience working with Microsoft Excel (e.g., creating pivot charts, using multi-step formulas, building simple financial models) and maintaining complex data sets 
• Strong interpersonal skills and sound judgement that contribute to a collaborative working environment 
• An outstanding attention to detail  

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.    

The ACLU 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 email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

The Department of Education has determined that employment in this position at the ACLU does not qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.