Summer 2025 Graduate Intern, Executive Department- Strategy Office

The ACLU seeks a Graduate Intern in the Executive Department (Strategy Office) based out of the National Office in New York, NY. This position can be remote or hybrid.

The Team:

The ACLU works on some of the most pressing civil rights and civil liberties issues facing American society today. The Strategy Office is charged with working with leadership to set the direction of the organization and supporting the ACLU to work in a coordinated way to protect and advance civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. The office resides within the Executive Department, the visionary center of leadership of the nation’s primary defender of civil liberties.  The Executive Department manages the strategy and mission driving the ACLU’s 600+ employees and $350M+ plus operating budget.    

What You’ll Do:

The intern will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working with various members of the Strategy Office on multiple projects. The intern will be joining the Strategy Office at a pivotal time – when we will be responding to the actions of the Trump administration in support of civil rights and liberties and engaging in longer term strategic planning for the next four years. The intern will support the Strategy Office to ensure integrated strategic planning, promote clear cross-ACLU communication, and remove barriers or pursue opportunities to support our strategic objectives.

Your Day to Day

• Conduct analysis and research and synthesize findings into actionable learnings and recommendations
• Aid in cross-departmental strategic planning for ACLU issue areas. This could include supporting workshop facilitation preparation, synthesizing existing plans and ideas into a unified cross-departmental strategic plan, and supporting internal communications to disseminate final plans.
• Support process development and improvement that address barriers or create opportunities to advance ACLU strategy
• Draft memos, emails, and presentations and support agenda-setting, note taking and project planning for Strategy Office initiatives

What You’ll Bring: 

• Exceptional organizational, planning and project management skills and the flexibility to manage multiple priorities and prioritize effectively against simultaneous demands
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and demonstrated ability to speak and write in a clear, succinct and persuasive manner
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills and ability to distill information into insights and recommendations
• Ability to work proactively in an ambiguous, yet dynamic and fast-paced environment   
• Strong interpersonal skills that contribute to a collaborative working environment  

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 conflict

Internship Logistics:

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship can be remote based in the US or hybrid based in our NYC office.
• Time Commitment: This term-time internship requires a full-time commitment (35 hours/week).
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks starting either May 27 or June 9, 2025
• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit. Below are the stipend rates:
• $24/hour for graduate and law students or equivalent experience

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.

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity and 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 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 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 accommodation for the interview process.

The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.