Civic Engagement Coordinator

United Neighborhood Houses (UNH) is a policy and social change organization representing neighborhood settlement houses that reach 800,000 New Yorkers from all walks of life. A progressive leader for more than 100 years, UNH is stewarding a new era for New York’s settlement house movement. We mobilize our members and their communities to advocate for good public policies and promote strong organizations and practices that keep neighborhoods resilient and thriving for all New Yorkers.

UNH seeks a Civic Engagement Coordinator to play a critical role in implementing our multi-year civic engagement campaign, Our Voices Count, that aims to increase New York City’s count in the 2030 Census among other goals.

The Coordinator will be a key player in planning, developing, and implementing a unified outreach strategy that builds trust and deepens meaningful engagement of settlement house communities. This new position will create and foster opportunities for settlement house staff and community members to learn, understand, and increase the impact of their voice. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Civic Engagement, and working within the Policy and Advocacy Department, the Coordinator will collaborate with UNH leadership and staff across the settlement house network to develop and shape strategies that advance civic engagement goals. This work includes nonpartisan get-out-the-vote (GOTV), participatory budgeting, and other local activities to engage communities.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Plan and conduct activities such as nonpartisan voter registration, voter education, and GOTV projects across New York in collaboration with settlement house workers. This includes:
• Helping settlement houses build and maintain a cumulative database of local contacts;
• Tracking metrics to assess community participation in activities on an ongoing basis; and
• Training settlement house staff to activate community members in civic life through the Census, voter registration, voter education, and GOTV efforts.
• Maintain a library of resources—both by collecting existing resources and developing customized resources--on civic and nonpartisan voter engagement activities within the settlement house network and share with settlement houses to further their engagement and learning. This includes:
• Writing content for newsletters, e-blasts, and social media posts, with timely resources and opportunities for civic engagement; and
• Preparing community-facing educational materials such as nonpartisan election one-pagers, descriptions of ballot measures, and voter FAQs.
• Organize and deliver workshops on various civic engagement topics for UNH members;
• Lead a portfolio of Settlement House Democracy Circles. Democracy Circles are a form of relational organizing that leverage existing relationships to bring people together for collective learning, discussion, and action. Activities include:
• Organizing small groups of staff and community members to meet regularly, discuss local issues, identify shared values, and develop actions that they can take to improve quality of life in their community;
• Designing and implementing custom training sessions for this portfolio of settlement houses that equip them with the tools and knowledge they need to sustain their Democracy Circle groups; and
• Helping settlement houses cultivate key relationships and partnerships with community leaders and community-based organizations in their neighborhoods.
• Support and contribute to the overall advocacy and goals of the Policy and Advocacy Department (such as offering trainings, supporting UNH Lobby Days and other events), and support UNH’s organizational work at large.

UNH recognizes that by adopting a racial equity framework, and by openly acknowledging and challenging racial inequity through our work, we can play a more deliberate and intentional role in combating explicit and implicit racial biases as well as systemic racism. We believe diversity and inclusion enrich our work so that we may better strengthen our communities. Therefore, every UNH job description includes the following:

• Each UNH employee is encouraged to seek ways in their work to thoughtfully act towards our long-term goal of ensuring that race no longer predicts the quality and trajectory of an individual’s life nor the quality of life in the communities where we live and where settlement houses operate.

The successful candidate should demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Creative thinking with a commitment to racial, gender and economic equity;
• Interest in inclusive civic life, voting rights and education, volunteerism and community service, policy advocacy, and language access;
• Comfort presenting to and working with diverse audiences, including community boards, local elected officials, settlement house leadership and workers, and community members;
• Strong public speaking, written and verbal communication skills, experience in delivering presentations to a variety of audiences;
• The ability to remain flexible and adaptable in regard to work assignments.

The most competitive candidates will also demonstrate any of the following skills and experience:

• Facility with Civic Engagement digital technology and databases, including the Voter Activation Network (VAN), and peer-to-peer and robo-texting messaging tools;
• Experience with in-person canvassing;
• Community organizing experience.

Note that this position will be following a hybrid work schedule. Applicants must have the ability to commute to our office in Lower Manhattan, as well as travel throughout New York City during business hours and occasionally to Albany.

This position pays a salary of $70,000 per year. UNH offers a competitive benefits package with excellent medical, dental and retirement plans, and is committed to growth within the organization.

UNH has made a commitment to apply a racial equity lens to our work. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion, and welcome applicants of diverse backgrounds including race, ethnic culture, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, and physical abilities.

How to Apply:

To apply, email a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to: unhjobs@unhny.org.

Cover letters must address the following questions:

• Describe your interest in civic engagement and/or community organizing;
• Describe your interest in working with New York’s settlement house movement; and
• Any relevant skills or experiences that you believe will help you in this role.

No inquiries please; only successful candidates will be contacted.