Deputy ED & Chief Programs Architect

National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Overland Park (KS); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

ACLU of Kansas seeks a dynamic Deputy Executive Director and Chief Program Officer to lead the strategic direction, planning, and day‑to‑day management of its program work. The CPO collaborates with the Executive Director, staff, volunteers, and the board to achieve civil liberties impact.

Based in Overland Park or Wichita, the role oversees five programmatic departments, supervises five directors, and helps foster an inclusive culture that centers people affected by ACLU work.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the ACLU of Kansas executive team, adopting enterprise leadership principles to help shape organizational strategy, support the growth and culture of the organization, set a bold vision for programmatic work, and execute successful integrated advocacy campaigns.
• Serve as the acting Executive Director and senior-most organizational leader in the Executive Director’s absence.
• Provide strategic direction, leadership, and management of the ACLU of Kansas’s five programmatic departments (Communications, Field, Legal, Policy & Research, and Political) to achieve mission impact, especially the attainment of goals in the organization’s two integrated advocacy campaigns and strategic plan.
• Directly supervise the Communications Director, Field Director, Legal Director, Policy & Research Director, and Political Director.
• Provide support, guidance, mentorship, and coaching to programmatic staff.
• Work collaboratively with the Chief Development Officer and programmatic staff to maintain working relationships with funders, pursue funding opportunities, and report on programmatic impact.
• Provide structure and support for internal collaboration, project management, progress, and outcome tracking in the programmatic departments, especially for the organization’s three priority integrated advocacy campaigns.
• Provide oversight to programmatic department directors in developing and monitoring annual budgets.
• Manage compliance by programmatic departments with legal, regulatory, and internal policy requirements as well as consistency with ACLU values.
• Develop and steward strong, effective strategic relationships and partnerships to achieve programmatic impact.
• Provide programmatic expertise in both substantive civil liberties/civil rights issues and strategic/tactical approaches to achieving meaningful victories in these issues.
• Identify priorities, gaps, and trends in program areas and make recommendations accordingly.
• In collaboration with the Chief Operating Officer, lead learning and evaluation processes to enhance programmatic impact and ensure continuous improvement in organizational effectiveness.
• Create and support a high-performing work culture that centers people directly impacted by ACLU work and that is characterized by equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Although serving primarily in an internal facing role, act as a spokesperson and public face for the ACLU of Kansas, as appropriate.

Job description

ACLU of Kansas seeks a dynamic Deputy Executive Director and Chief Program Officer to lead the strategic direction, planning, and day‑to‑day management of its program work. The CPO collaborates with the Executive Director, staff, volunteers, and the board to achieve civil liberties impact.

Based in Overland Park or Wichita, the role oversees five programmatic departments, supervises five directors, and helps foster an inclusive culture that centers people affected by ACLU work.