Voter Engagement Canvasser - Tulare and Kings Counties

About UFW Foundation: For 16 years, the UFW Foundation has mobilized farm workers and their organizations across the country to advocate for more equitable policies, such as immigration reform, pesticide protections, heat standards, hazard pay and other worker protections. We engage constituents in systemic change to break the cycle of poverty while also providing critical services. In fact, the UFW Foundation is the largest federally accredited immigration legal service provider in the state of California. The organization has staff in California, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, and Washington.

SUMMARY: Voter Engagement Canvassers (VE Canvassers) must have excellent communication skills to encourage and engage the Latino community to vote in the 2022 Midterm election. VE Canvassers primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to: (1) going door-to-door in targeted communities to connect with voters and (2) recruiting volunteers for voter engagement events. Ideal candidates are bilingual, highly organized, reliable, and self-starters who thrive on face-to-face communication. VE Canvassers will report to a Voter Engagement Coordinator.

This position may work closely with the National Field Director, farm worker movement organizations, and other grassroots organizations to maximize the UFW Foundation’s and Civic Empowerment Coalition’s (CEC) presence and impact in moving our progressive governing agenda at the national and state levels. This position also supports the CEC, an affiliated 501(c)(4) advocacy organization. While motivated by the same core values the UFW Foundation and CEC operate independently of one another and each organization has its own board of directors.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (This list is not exhaustive):

• Attend and participate in Team daily check-in meetings to set daily goals.
• Attend and participate in Team daily debrief meetings to report field results. 
• Complete daily and weekly reports on progress.
• Door-to-door voter canvassing with the goal of doing 3 passes per voter by November 8, 2022.
• Educate and engage voters through door-to-door canvassing and phone banking. 
• Establish and build key partnerships with local students, business leaders, community members, civic leaders, and grassroots organizations.
• Increase and engage Latino voter turnout through Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) strategies. 
• Maintain a ‘¡Si Se Puede!’ mindset and attitude through the campaign. 
• Meet all campaign goals and metrics to the extent possible. 
• Must be able to travel regularly within Latino communities in assigned county (Tulare or Kings).
• Must be able to work weekends and afternoons. 
• Participate and complete all required training. 
• Attend and assist with press events and actions, for example: rallies and canvass launches in key neighborhoods and/or activities centered on voter engagement, etc.
• Provide information about the voting process and answer any questions.
• Train and empower farm workers, children of farm workers and community members in rural communities to canvass Latino neighborhoods for the purposes of increasing voter turnout.
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• May supervise interns and/or volunteers.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:

The ideal candidate for this position must have a high level of professionalism and organization. The candidate must demonstrate competency in the following areas:

• Ability to work well with diverse groups, under challenging deadlines.
• Able to work a flexible schedule, with weekday evening and weekend hours as needed. 
• Current registered voter/eligible to register to vote.
• Dedication to Mission. A genuine interest in immigrant and farm worker rights.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in both Spanish and English. 
• Must be able to move throughout residential neighborhoods for long periods of time.
• Must have reliable transportation and state Driver’s License and vehicle insurance. Mileage reimbursement is available. 
• Outgoing and comfortable with talking to the public, traversing about neighborhoods and knocking on doors to engage community members. 
• Polite and courteous. 
• Punctual, well organized, self-motivated, energetic, and motivated to work independently. 
• Si Se Puede (It Can Be Done) Attitude. The embodiment of a personal spirit that promotes confidence, courage and risk-taking.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. This position requires bilingual and/or bi-literate ability (English/Spanish).
• Mathematical Skills: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to solve practical problems. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous canvassing or face-to-face selling experience preferred.

ADDITIONAL AND/OR SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• None.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE 

• High School diploma or equivalent.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: 

• Must have reliable transportation and valid Driver’s License and vehicle insurance. Fuel reimbursement is available. 
• Must be proficient with MS office applications (Word, Excel, E-mail and Internet).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

COVID19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT

The UFW Foundation requires staff, volunteers, and independent contractors to be immunized against COVID-19 or declare a medical or religious exemption. Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement as a condition of employment upon hire.

The UFW Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe a strong commitment to equal employment opportunity is more than a legal and moral obligation – it is also a sound business practice to realize the potential of every individual. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all! In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunity to all individuals, employment decisions at the UFW Foundation will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Except where required or permitted by law, employment practices will not be influenced or affected by an applicant’s or employee’s race, color, religion, sex/gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, age, or any characteristic protected by law. 

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply for a position fighting for farm worker and immigrant communities! The UFW Foundation believes in second chances. As an organization, we will rely on individualized assessments in the hiring of those with past criminal convictions. 

The UFW Foundation will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with qualified disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Persons of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, persons with disabilities, persons who have lived in poverty, formerly incarcerated, persons 40 years old or older, and people fluent in more than one language are strongly encouraged to apply for open positions with the UFW Foundation. 

This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, counseling, discipline, termination, access to benefits and training. Our commitment to equal opportunity employment applies to all persons involved in our operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee, including supervisors and co-workers.

Anticipated end date: 11/8/2022