Confidential Assistant to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Financial Officer

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Confidential Assistant to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in the Administration and Finance Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. 

Responsible for safeguarding the financial resources of the organization, the Finance department manages the financial activities of the National ACLU. From paying vendors to forecasting budgets, and everything in-between, we take pride in providing the resources and the platform for informed financial decision-making. 

The Business Operations and Support Services (BOSS) department, in the office of the Chief Operating Officer, works to enable organizational and operational effectiveness by partnering with ACLU staff across the enterprise to provide business solutions, training, physical space planning, facilities operations, capital projects, records management and archives services.  The department continually evaluates operations to maximize resources, mitigate risk, ensure accessibility and inclusion, and achieve the organization’s strategic goals.  

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the Confidential Assistant will be responsible for administrative, logistical, and operational support and help facilitate the progression of projects and initiatives requiring the DCOO’s and CFO’s time, attention and work product. The Confidential Assistant will also serve as a liaison to their counterparts in senior leadership teams across the organization to enhance coordination, collaboration, and cross-departmental communication, and work to advance the mission and strategic goals of the ACLU. This position will handle information that is highly sensitive and confidential, including ensuring the CFO’s accountabilities to the National Board and participation in labor negotiations are met. Our ideal candidate is a problem solver with a high level of integrity and discretion, excellent judgement, and a service-oriented, can-do attitude, who takes pride in anticipating the needs of others.  

YOUR DAY TO DAY

Administrative and Logistical Support for the DCOO and CFO 

• Complete a broad variety of administrative and logistical tasks that facilitate effective leadership, including: calendar management, assisting with special projects; designing and producing documents, reports, and presentations; collecting and preparing information for meetings with staff and outside parties; composing and preparing correspondence; maintaining contact and attendee lists; arranging travel; and completing expense reports  
• Serve as "gatekeeper" and "gateway" for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the DCOO and CFO, including those of a highly confidential and critical nature; prioritize and determine appropriate course of action, referral, or response, exercising judgement to reflect DCOO’s and CFO’s styles and organization policy  
• Provide sophisticated calendar and task management assistance: prioritize inquiries and requests while troubleshooting conflicts; maintain an organized system of tracking, monitoring, and prioritizing tasks and projects related to the DCOO’s and CFO’s portfolios; make judgements and recommendations to ensure smooth day-to-day engagements 
• Receive and screen communications to the DCOO and CFO, including office visitors, telephone calls, email messages, and mail; provide assistance using independent judgment to determine those requiring priority attention 
• Work closely with the DCOO and CFO to keep them well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up as appropriate; act as a "barometer," having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the DCOO and CFO updated and anticipating needs in advance of engagements  
• Support departmental projects to improve internal operations including designing, documenting, and implementing effective processes for sharing information about work and priorities both within the department and to external stakeholders. 
• Prepare ad hoc reports and perform special projects that may require researching, gathering, and organizing information from a variety of sources; assist assigned staff with special projects as assigned 
• Support project managers working under the DCOO and CFO with project administration, including scheduling, updating project plans, taking meeting notes, creating documentation and communications for project stakeholders. 
• Manage and update intranet pages for Finance and Business Operations and Support Services (BOSS) departments. 

Department, National Board Committee & Labor-Management Coordination 

• Act as a liaison and provide support to finance-related committees of the National Board of Directors, regularly involving confidential and highly sensitive information. Arrange and handle all logistics for committee meetings: scheduling; arranging travel and accommodation, preparing draft agendas and talking points; developing, compiling, and distributing presentation materials; and drafting meeting minutes  
• Work seamlessly with the Finance Operations team to drive efficiencies for the larger Finance department, including meeting regularly with the Associate Director of Finance Operations and other administrative staff to coordinate scheduling for on- and off-site meetings, managing meeting logistics, project workflow, impending deadlines and deliverables, and internal and external team communications 
• Work with the CFO and Associate Director of Finance Operations to coordinate all Finance Leadership and Finance department meetings and retreats 
• Participate in management’s preparation for labor-management negotiations; provide analysis and information for use by management in bargaining; on occasion attend bargaining preparation sessions of management and bargaining sessions 

General 

• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned 

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

• Significant executive support experience, including supporting C-level executives and board members  
• Excellent judgement with ability to maintain a high level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential information  
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels;  
• Strong verbal and written communication skills  
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and switch gears at a moment’s notice 
• Highly organized with above-average attention to detail  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; ability to design and edit basic graphic presentations and materials using Microsoft Office applications 
• Willingness to conquer the “small tasks” with an understanding of their vital importance in the success of the team  
• Ability to complete a high volume of tasks and projects with little or no guidance.  

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.