Training Director, Organizing Team

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Training Director in the National Political Advocacy Department of the ACLU’s National office in 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 position may be eligible for remote work in the United States.

The National Political Advocacy Department builds power to achieve an accountable, representative democracy. We have ambitious goals across Reproductive Freedom, Democracy and Voting Rights, Systemic Equality, Immigration, Trans Justice, Criminal Justice and other core issues in order to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties, and advance the freedom, equality, ability to prosper, and humanity of all People.

Our department conducts analysis, develops policy, crafts world class campaigns and situates the ACLU to have impact across legislative, administrative, and electoral levers. We are policy experts, lawyers, community organizers, lobbyists, campaign strategists, electoral specialists, program managers and more. We partner across the ACLU to drive national efforts, and support and amplify the priorities of our affiliates. We work to center principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in our approach.

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to the Director of National Organizing, the Training Director will help to manage a team charged with charting the course for the ACLU’s nationwide organizing training program for organizing staff and volunteers. This position requires flexibility in schedule and location. You must be willing to travel to training sites nationally as programming demands, and work nontraditional hours including evenings, weekends, and occasionally early mornings to accommodate training schedules and participant availability.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

Training Program Leadership:

• Design, develop, and implement comprehensive training curriculum for organizers, volunteers, and staff across multiple ACLU programs including campus organizing, veteran organizing, volunteer engagement, and issue campaigns
• Create scalable training models that can be delivered nationally and adapted locally by affiliates
• Develop both foundational organizing skills trainings (power-mapping, coalition-building, campaign strategy) and issue-specific trainings
• Build and maintain a digital library of training materials, toolkits, videos, and resources accessible to the ACLU network

Train-the-Trainer Model:

• Establish and lead train-the-trainer programs that equip affiliate organizers, volunteer leaders, and staff to deliver trainings independently
• Provide ongoing coaching and support to trainers across the network
• Create standardized facilitator guides and training protocols to ensure quality and consistency
• Evaluate trainer effectiveness and provide feedback for continuous improvement

Curriculum Development:

• Collaborate with subject matter experts, legal staff, policy teams, and campaign leads to develop training content that advances organizational priorities
• Ensure all training materials are legally accurate, politically strategic, and organizationally aligned
• Design training experiences that center equity, accessibility, and cultural competency
• Continuously update curriculum based on evolving political landscape, legal developments, and participant feedback

Training Delivery & Facilitation:

• Deliver engaging, interactive trainings virtually and in-person to diverse audiences including staff, volunteers, students, veterans, and community leaders
• Facilitate large group sessions, breakout discussions, and skills practice
• Adapt training style and content for different learning styles, experience levels, and contexts
• Model excellent facilitation practices that others can replicate

Program Strategy & Coordination:

• Develop annual training strategy aligned with NPAD organizing goals and organizational priorities
• Partner with organizing staff to identify training needs and design responsive programs
• Coordinate training calendar across multiple programs to maximize reach and efficiency
• Integrate training programs with broader organizing campaigns and electoral work

Evaluation & Impact:

• Design and implement evaluation frameworks to measure training effectiveness and impact
• Track training metrics including participants trained, knowledge gain, skill development, and behavioral change
• Collect and analyze participant feedback to continuously improve training quality
• Report on training outcomes to leadership and demonstrate return on investment

Partnership & Collaboration:

• Work closely with ACLU affiliates to support their training needs and build local capacity
• Partner with internal teams (Communications, Legal, Policy, Campaigns) to ensure training content is aligned and accurate
• Collaborate with external training organizations and movement partners to share best practices
• Build relationships with coalition partners to co-develop and co-deliver trainings

Innovation & Growth:

• Stay current on adult learning theory, popular education methodologies, and training best practices
• Pilot new training formats, technologies, and delivery methods
• Identify opportunities to scale high-impact trainings
• Build institutional training capacity that outlasts individual staff tenure

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL 

• 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

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

Required:

• Significant experience in training, adult education, popular education, or organizing with significant training responsibilities
• Proven track record designing and delivering effective training programs for diverse audiences
• Deep understanding of organizing principles, grassroots power-building, and campaign strategy
• Excellent facilitation skills with ability to engage and inspire participants
• Strong curriculum development experience with ability to translate complex concepts into accessible learning experiences
• Experience implementing train-the-trainer models and building training capacity in others
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, accessibility, and inclusive facilitation practices
• Superior written and verbal communication skills
• Strong project management abilities with attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Comfort with virtual training platforms (Zoom, webinar tools, learning management systems)
• Access to a major airport

Preferred:

• Experience training in social justice, civil rights, or political organizing contexts
• Knowledge of ACLU issue areas (voting rights, immigrant rights, criminal justice, reproductive freedom, etc.)
• Experience working with volunteer leaders and building volunteer capacity
• Familiarity with popular education and movement training methodologies
• Experience managing training budgets and resources
• Multilingual abilities (Spanish particularly valued)
• Experience training across diverse geographic and cultural contexts

COMPENSATION

WHY THE ACLU

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

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

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 benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. 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.