Special Assistant, Privacy and Counsel

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Special Assistant in the Administration and Finance Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY. This hybrid role requires in-office presence two days per week or eight days per month. The Special Assistant will support both the Privacy & Data Governance (P&DG) unit and the Office of Corporate Counsel (Counsel).

About the Units

The Privacy & Data Governance (P&DG) unit enables the ACLU to honor individual privacy and choice, protect data, and lead in non-profit privacy and data governance practices. The unit manages a cross-departmental program for organizational data policies, internal controls, and consistent practices to meet evolving regulatory and organizational expectations for data protection and privacy.

The Office of Corporate Counsel (Counsel) supports the ACLU in contracting outside vendors and protecting its tax-exempt status, fundraising, advocacy, and litigation capabilities. Counsel drafts and negotiates contracts, creates compliance programs, trains staff, and provides compliance advice to maintain high professional and business standards.

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

Responsibilities

• Complete administrative and logistical tasks to enable P&DG and Counsel units to operate effectively, including scheduling, document design, report production, and special projects.
• Plan and handle logistics for unit-wide meetings, retreats, and committees (e.g., Nationwide Privacy Strategy Group, P&DG Steering Committees), including scheduling, agenda preparation, material distribution, and meeting minutes.
• Work with consultants to schedule meetings, gather documentation, facilitate systems access, and support projects (e.g., Nationwide Privacy Strategy).
• Support drafting ACLU-wide communications from the P&DG unit.
• Conduct research on privacy regulation trends, proposed legislation, and leading practices for de-identification, data minimization, and data subject rights.
• Maintain P&DG official records and internal resource libraries, including Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and legal analyses.
• Manage and triage requests through P&DG support queues (e.g., Slack, Zendesk), direct staff to existing documentation, track requests, and identify operational gaps.
• Support vendor management for P&DG and Counsel, including procurement requests, invoice processing, and payment tracking.
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Interest in data privacy rights, including knowledge of consumer privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, CPA) and practical experience with privacy and confidentiality policies.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint; ability to design and edit graphic presentations.
• Project management skills, including experience with tools like Asana.
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment with strict deadlines and competing priorities.
• Excellent judgment, integrity, and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt quickly to changing priorities.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Willingness to handle small tasks with an understanding of their importance to team success.
• Ability to complete a high volume of tasks with minimal guidance.

Pay

The annual salary for this position is $89,020 (Level J) for roles based in New York, NY. Salaries may include a regional pay adjustment if authorized to work outside the listed location. For details, visit the ACLU Geographic Pay Structure.

Benefits

• Generous paid time-off policy.
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits, including medical, dental, vision, parental leave, gender-affirming care, and fertility treatment.
• 401k plan with employer match.
• Annual professional development funds and internal development programs.

About the ACLU

For over 100 years, the ACLU has defended individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and U.S. laws. The organization tackles civil liberties issues such as mass incarceration, LGBTQ+ equality, digital privacy, voting rights, and reproductive rights.

Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

The ACLU values accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion as core principles in advancing liberty, equality, and justice. The organization is committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism, fostering a culture of belonging for all employees. Applications are encouraged from all qualified individuals without regard to protected characteristics.

The ACLU provides reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If selected for an interview, additional information on accommodation requests will be provided.