National Organizing Department (NOD) Strategic Campaigns Organizer

Position Title: National Organizing Department (NOD) Strategic Campaigns Organizer

Tier / Category: Tier 3 / Organizer III

Reports to: Co-Director of National Organizing Department

Employment Status: Full time

FLSA:  Exempt

Location: Remote

Union: Bargaining Unit Member

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is a national organization that brings white people into fights for racial and economic justice. We work to undermine the power of the Far Right and build the white flank of multiracial majorities fighting for the things all communities need. We organize white people by engaging their shared interest-- what they stand to gain by joining alongside people of color. We do this through 150+ local chapters across the US and Canada, a National Membership base, and local base-building projects in the South.

Summary of Position:

SURJ is seeking a Strategic Campaigns Organizer in our National Organizing Department (NOD) to support SURJ’s strategic campaigns, which vary from year to year depending on the landscape in which we are organizing, base building, and vying for power. This includes working as part of the Absorption Team to support the design and execution of various absorption programs that create spaces for belonging and leadership development of SURJ’s members and leaders. 

A successful person in this role, as well as every organizer within NOD, is expected to carry out recruitment, leadership development of members, and design and execute organizing programs aligned with SURJ’s national strategy and campaigns. The amount of time focused on each of these will vary based on the position. NOD organizers are responsible for executing their unique realm of work while also participating in department-wide initiatives and team-wide pushes at key moments. In other words, NOD organizers are all expected to act as both specialists and generalists.

This position will report to the Co-Director of NOD. This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific terms and conditions of employment are subject to negotiations for a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES — Essential duties and responsibilities of this position may include, but are not limited to the following:

Priority 1: Organize members and volunteer leaders in our absorption structures and other campaigns (50%)

• Support development and execution of national and local absorption structures by developing volunteer leader teams, facilitating meetings, and creating materials to support member and volunteer leader engagement in the programs. 
• Keep track of stories of leaders and members in absorption programs to share for fundraising and communications purposes 
• Communicate across NOD, including leadership, on the evolving conditions with partners, the wider movement, and the moment; and implement needed changes based on resulting assessments and feedback.
• Use qualitative and quantitative reporting to support fundraising and communications related to the rapid response organizing. 

Priority 2: Support recruitment of members and volunteer leaders in our organizing programs (20%)

• Support recruitment of chapters and members to participate in canvassing and other absorption and organizing programs. 
• Direct the activities of the members and volunteers
• Assign work effectively to members and volunteers
• Support, mentor and cultivate the leadership of members, and volunteers
• Provide members and volunteers with feedback and support their development
• Build deep trust with members and volunteers through respectful communication, supportive feedback and clear job expectations
• After each cycle, evaluate and adjust based on debrief

Priority 3: Mobilize members and chapters (20%)

• Support the mobilization of chapters and members into action in key moments
• Pull lists, send emails, texts, and set up phonebanks as needed to contact members and chapters to move into action. 
• Host zoom meetings as needed to move people into action in key moments. 
• Support the maintenance and development of mobilization and base building infrastructures such as chapters and pods. 
• Train members, chapters and pods as needed in order to be prepared for mobilization. 

Priority 4: Coordination and administration (10%)

• Attend weekly meetings for NOD, NOD sub-teams, all-SURJ staff, and as relevant, with other departments.
• At times, work with local or national partners to strengthen voter contact and rapid response organizing. 
• Maintain daily coordination with colleagues (including across departments) via our shared remote workplace communication platforms: Slack, Google Workspace, email, etc. 
• Complete timesheets, reimbursement requests, and credit card expense submissions in accordance with compliance based policies
• Complete requests to supervisor for time off (vacation, health & wellness leave, etc.) via BambooHR in accordance with policies

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 3 years experience with campaign organizing, managing teams, and developing internal systems
• 3 years experience with volunteer recruitment, training and management

KNOWLEDGE:

• Experience designing and leading teams through processes of campaign or action planning, execution, and evaluation.
• Experience designing and facilitating meetings, trainings, and/or group gatherings that move people into action.
• Experience with individual member and chapter based  organizing and mobilization that builds toward basebuilding campaigns.
• Familiarity with customer relationship management systems such as EveryAction
• Experience working with a variety of digital tools to engage a diverse base. 
• Experience with organizing and political education curriculum development 
• Deep understanding of SURJ’s work and theory of change
• Understanding and commitment to SURJ’s work of organizing majority white communities for racial and economic justice. 
• An understanding of the strategic importance of the South and power dynamics between the South and the rest of the U.S. that can influence organizing efforts there. 
• Ability to work in a cross-class environment while also holding a strong class politics that centers poor and working people.

SKILLS:

• Excellent written, verbal and relational communication skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong analytical, planning, and organizational skills 
• Strong written communication including internal and external facing communications
• Experience leading peer teams required. Supervisory experience preferred including ability to delegate.
• Experience doing public speaking, conducting trainings, providing technical assistance, and facilitation of large and small groups 
• Willingness to speak up, suggest new ideas, receive feedback, reflect, and adjust plans to ensure successful completion of goals, and be part of the solution.

ABILITIES:

• Ability and willingness to travel to support local chapters and members 
• Ability to work nights and weekend hours 
• Demonstrated ability to develop volunteer member leaders into taking on significant responsibility and create systems for them to do so
• Ability to prioritize their personal work and the work of a team they manage
• Ability to direct the work of volunteers and members
• Ability to manage multiple projects
• Flexible - open to new ways of doing things and experimentation
• Reliable - follows through on what they said they are going to do
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to give and receive direct constructive feedback
• Ability to work in fast paced environment at times of rapid response