Activism Director

The Activism Director leads EFF’s advocacy team in researching and writing on digital rights issues, running change-making campaigns, and producing educational resources and projects. This is a senior leadership role within EFF and will help make decisions about organization-wide use of resources and guide the organization’s overall advocacy and activism strategy.

Essential Functions

Management

• Works with the Managing Director for Advocacy to prioritize team resources and match tactics and strategies to goals;
• Assists direct reports in time and workload management, helping them complete day-to-day tasks while building skills to take on additional ambitious and valuable work, and monitors workload to ensure that direct reports aren’t overwhelmed;
• Assigns projects, priorities, and work to direct reports and ensures work meets quality and quantity expectations and hits deadlines, working with other team managers as necessary;
• Offers candid and constructive feedback to direct reports about where they need to grow as well as where they are excelling, including thorough weekly one-on-ones and annual performance reviews;
• Supports long-term career development for direct reports and ensures they are taking steps to advance the quality of their work;
• Documents and addresses performance issues promptly (up to and including termination), escalating to the Managing Director for Advocacy and HR as appropriate;
• Serve as the hiring manager for any vacancies or departures with your direct reports;
• Coaches direct reports and team in navigating EFF processes and relationships;
• Keeps the Managing Director for Advocacy in the loop about the team’s work, new developments, challenges, and personnel issues;
• Ensures that EFF staff outside the team are aware of what the team is doing by directing staff members to other staff/teams and facilitating communication and problem-solving when necessary;
• Ensures the publicity and advocacy needs of other teams across EFF are met;
• Approves team member expenditures between $100-250 and travel up to $2000;
• Participates in the Traffic leadership team of EFF and helps make organization-wide decisions around resource prioritization, policies, and strategies.

Program

• Writes, edits, publishes, and promotes high-quality, accurate, compelling blog posts, articles, research papers, social media content, and other materials about digital rights issues, following EFF standards for review at a frequency and on topics agreed upon with Managing Director, Advocacy;
• Identifies strategic opportunities for EFF to impact public conversations and advance our mission through advocacy and develops creative advocacy responses to those opportunities;
• Develops and manages projects and campaigns, working closely with colleagues and outside partners to ensure that our ambitious projects launch smoothly and in a timely fashion;
• Follows and responds to newsworthy developments as an issue area expert;
• Publicly represents EFF positions in the media, to policymakers, to peer advocacy organizations, and through other outlets.

Qualities We’re Seeking (Core Competencies)

• Must demonstrate care and respect toward coworkers, outside partners, members of the public, donors, and others with whom this role interacts;
• Must work to positively and collaboratively resolve conflicts and overcome challenges;
• Must have effective oral and written communication skills;
• Must be able to understand and articulate with accuracy EFF’s mission, positions, and work, including the ability to learn and comprehend various technology, legislation, and court cases;
• Must be available and responsive to colleagues, outside partners, and others over email, phone, and online chat, with the ability to respond reliably to time-sensitive requests for assistance and opportunities during agreed-upon working hours;
• Contributes to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences, including race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and socio-economic circumstance;

Required knowledge and education

• Significant management experience, including experience building a strong team, executing innovative advocacy campaigns, cultivating diversity, maintaining an inclusive and professional environment, and navigating performance challenges.
• Familiarity with digital civil liberties issues and digital rights advocacy

Classification: Exempt, Full-time (40 hours/week)

Compensation: $135,000 - $145,000 (For Bay Area candidates; location determines compensation outside of the Bay Area)

Expected hours of work: Typically Monday - Friday with occasional weekend and after-hours work

Reports to:  Managing Director, Advocacy

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes, three direct reports and overall leadership of the entire Activism team.

Location:  This position is open to remote candidates within the United States. Pacific time zone work hours are required.

Travel:  EFF hosts two one-week all-staff gatherings at our San Francisco offices each year in the spring and fall, and all staff are expected to attend. There will also be opportunities to attend relevant professional conferences remotely or in person.

Commitment to Diversity

As an advocacy organization, EFF is committed to being part of a diverse community. Diversity of life experiences makes a big difference in how we identify and litigate legal issues, design privacy-enhancing software, and organize our activism. To that end, we deliberately seek applicants with different perspectives, identities, and experiences to build an inclusive workplace to better inform our advocacy and defense of freedom in our digital world. EFF is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages people of all races, genders, ages, abilities, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.