About the Organization:
At the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina (ACLU-SC), we envision a just South Carolina where We the People means all of us. To bring this vision to life, we advocate, litigate, educate, and mobilize to defend and advance the civil rights and civil liberties of all South Carolinians. Whether we’re defending free speech, enhancing voting rights, reforming the criminal legal system, advocating for immigrant rights, or protecting transgender kids—our employees engage in meaningful work.
The ACLU-SC is an affiliate of the ACLU, a federated organization. When people refer to the ACLU, that generally includes the national office as well as a nationwide network of autonomous and independent ACLU Affiliates, of which the ACLU of South Carolina is one.
The ACLU-SC is headquartered in Columbia and has a distributed team with staff working in communities across South Carolina. The Advocacy Strategist can be based anywhere in South Carolina; applicants based in Upstate, South Carolina are encouraged to apply. All team members spend significant time traveling throughout South Carolina, including frequent trips to Columbia.
The ACLU-SC is a highly rewarding place to work for those interested in protecting our fundamental civil rights and civil liberties. To learn more about the work of the ACLU-SC and the ACLU, please visit www.aclusc.org and www.aclu.org.
About the Position:
The Advocacy Strategist is a member of the advocacy team, focusing on the civil rights of South Carolinians and their families. The Advocacy Strategist works in coalitions, mobilizes advocates, and builds support across the state for policies that protect civil liberties.
The Advocacy Strategist may work on a variety of civil rights issues such as juvenile justice, students’ rights, voting rights, and beyond. The focus of the Advocacy team shifts based on the policy and political environment, the organization’s strategic plan, and funding. The Advocacy Strategist should have a skill set applicable to any of these issues; lived experience within these issue areas is appreciated but not required.
Responsibilities:
Strategy & Planning
- Help design and conduct sustained campaigns to advance civil liberties and civil rights at the state and local levels.
- Balance outreach, list building, coalition engagement, public events, and mobilization.
- Track expenses and be a good steward of the department’s budget.
Community Outreach
- Mobilize South Carolinians to engage in state and local policymaking as well as state and local elections.
- Develop and execute training modules for advocates and community members.
- Create, lead, and/or participate in coalitions comprised of business partners, nonprofit leaders, faith leaders, and community activists.
- Organize public events (rallies, town hall meetings, trainings, panel discussions, etc.) to mobilize impacted communities and influence decision makers on legislative priorities.
- Seek out opportunities to expand outreach in impacted communities.
Legislative Outreach
- Register as a lobbyist and adhere to all legal and ethical standards of that designation.
- Build relationships with and lobby elected officials at the state and local levels.
- Build the capacity of elected and appointed officials to understand ACLU-SC priorities.
- Identify, analyze, and track civil rights policy at the Statehouse, in administrative offices, and in local policymaking venues.
- Compile qualitative and quantitative evidence to support policy goals.
- Draft clear and concise talking points, educational materials, and fact sheets for policymakers and grassroots lobbyists.
- Prepare, provide guidance on, and/or deliver testimony on pending legislation before legislative committees or regulatory bodies at the state and local/municipal levels.
Teamwork
- Advance the organization’s goals through an integrated advocacy approach through collaboration with other internal departments.
- Partner with communications team members to tell the story of South Carolinians.
- Serve as a spokesperson for the organization.
- Engage in collaborative work through active listening and providing constructive feedback.
Cultural Responsibility
- Bring a complex understanding of racial justice and the urgency of confronting institutional racism and inequity into our approach to the work.
- Commit to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture.
- Engage in relationship building with program staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
Qualifications:
- A commitment to and enthusiasm for civil rights and civil liberties.
- At least three years of experience in relational organizing, electoral, or grassroots organizing, and leading policy campaigns at the local, state, or national levels. A mix of experiences in these areas is ideal.
- Understanding of the ways organizing and advocacy work together to pull at various levers of power to achieve policy goals.
- Strong public speaker and meeting facilitator with the ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences.
- Ability to build trusted relationships authentically.
- Strong public speaker with the ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences.
- Experience developing and overseeing campaign plans to move targets through organizing.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to conceive and execute a workplan based on established strategic initiatives.
- Advanced degrees are not required. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to understand high-level policy concepts and adapt them for audiences of varying educational levels.
- Strong commitment to racial, gender, economic justice, and social change.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity and to valuing differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, national origin, and socio-economic circumstance.
- Relational capacity; ability to work democratically and effectively with diverse groups and people.
- Experience in direct and grassroots lobbying is a plus but not required.
- Top candidates will work ethically and creatively to accomplish goals set by the organization.
Travel Requirements:
The ACLU of South Carolina is a statewide organization. The Advocacy Strategist should expect at least 30% of their work to be travel outside of their home county. As such, applicants should have access to a vehicle and a valid driver’s license. The ACLU of South Carolina will reimburse for mileage.
Compensation:
The ACLU of South Carolina offers a competitive compensation package. Consistent with the ACLU-SC's compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for this role. The annual salary for this position is $64,000. In addition to an annual salary, full-time staff receive health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance as well as access to a 401k plan with employer matching. Time off benefits include 22 days of vacation time and 12 days of sick time.
Application:
To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. The resume and cover letter should be in one PDF titled with your name, and the email subject line should read: “Advocacy Strategist: Your Name.”
Resumes or applications sent via other avenues will not be considered.
Deadline:
August 29, 2025. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.
