The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Senior Content Strategist in the Communications and Marketing Department 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 2-year term-limited role.
The ACLU Communications & Marketing department creates, maintains, and expands message narratives to engage our supporters and other target audiences, to help protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights and illustrate the value and impact of the ACLU’s transformational work. Through our messaging, engagement with newsmakers, our written content, creative branding, and visual identity, we encourage support for the ACLU and help to build a more perfect union.
This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).
Reporting to the Director of Social Media, the Senior Content Strategist will be responsible for leading development and execution of the ACLU's YouTube strategy, with SEO-informed editorial strategies and content promotion plans that leverage all channels in the ACLU’s social media program. In partnership with the Social Media Manager, communications strategists, and multimedia producers, the Senior Content Strategist will lead creation of compelling, platform-specific content to meet the ACLU’s communications, legal, advocacy, and development goals on YouTube, integrating YouTube thoughtfully into the department’s strategic communications plans. The Senior Content Strategist will support external partnerships and collaborations, identify high-impact partnership opportunities, and partner with other teams within Communications & Marketing or Development departments, to livestream key engagements or produce YouTube-first events.
- Set the long-term vision, goal, strategies and tactics to scale the ACLU’s YouTube channel, supporting a daily social video program that thoughtfully accounts for organizational priorities, the ACLU’s unique brand identity, the daily news cycle, and emerging trends.
- Project manage the end-to-end production of YouTube content, including talent booking, editorial calendaring, digital strategy, and content planning, in close partnership with the ACLU’s social media, multimedia, program communications, earned media, storytelling, and artists and influencer teams.
- Develop content plans that position the ACLU as a thought leader on YouTube, accounting for an ideologically diverse nationwide audience
- Craft and implement creative, multi-faceted strategies for advocacy, public education, live events, and paid media campaigns on YouTube, collaborating with other teams to support content plans as needed
- Align YouTube content planning and editorial calendar with broader social media and communications strategy, including cross-channel adaptations and multi-platform partnerships
- Work with the Social Media and Multimedia teams to develop formats and optimize videos, headlines, metadata, and thumbnails for YouTube
- Monitor and report on strategic insights and video analytics, to inform decision-making and ensure content is optimized for audience growth
- Initiate and maintain strong relationships with YouTube; gather and prioritize technical platform requirements
- Create and maintain internal documentation for workflows across teams
- Cultivate relationships with YouTube influencers in partnership with the Artist and Influencer Engagement team and Media and Strategic Engagement team
- Develop and lead trainings for staff who will have on-camera appearances
- Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
- 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
- Significant experience managing the channel strategies and production process for YouTube, preferably for a nonprofit, advocacy, or media organization
- Strong editorial judgment and familiarity with emerging social-video trends
- Expertise in YouTube analytics and SEO best practices, analytics tools, and content management platforms
- Experience developing formats that optimize videos, headlines, metadata, and thumbnails for YouTube
- Proven ability to navigate competing organizational priorities and complex approvals processes
- Excellent verbal, writing and interpersonal communication skills; strong attention to detail; ability to write and deliver work product under deadlines; and commitment to high-quality standards
- A creative, hyper-organized approach to project management
- Proven track record of working collaboratively with colleagues across departments and functions
- A passion for online advocacy and commitment to the mission of the ACLU
The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with our compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for each role based on geographic work location. The annual salary for this position is $142,694.00 (Level F), reflecting the salary of a position based in New York, NY. Salaries are subject to a regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.
For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf
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.
