Northeast Wisconsin Community Organizer (Permanent, Full Benefits, Union Job) Citizen Action of Wisconsin

[kevin...@citizenactionwi.org]

'Objective: Citizen Action of Wisconsin seeks a dynamic and socially committed person to join our organizing team and lead an innovative multi-issue organizing drive to found a new membership organization. This position can be located in Green Bay, Appleton or Door County, includes periodic travel in Wisconsin, and occasional out-of-state travel.

Description of Work: The Community Organizer, with guidance from the Organizing Director, will work to advance a revolutionary membership organizing model pioneered by Citizen Action known as an Organizing Cooperative. This position is housed at Citizen Action of Wisconsin and will involve identifying and motivating a critical mass of dues-paying supporters to found the next in a series of locally based, member-led Organizing Cooperatives Citizen Action has founded throughout the state. Working with supporters connected to health, public education, labor, voting rights, faith and more communities, the Community Organizer together with leaders and Citizen Action staff will advance diverse campaigns that have real impacts on their community and make large scale changes to Wisconsin politics. Organizing Cooperatives have led health reform campaigns, redirected millions in federal dollars to working families, simultaneously pushed local, state and federal issues, and spend everyday working to improve working Wisconsinites ability to change the world. The terms of this position are a 6 month training and trial period, followed by a 2 year commitment if both parties agree.

 

Organizational Background: Citizen Action of Wisconsin is issue focused non-profit organization committed to achieving social, economic, and environmental justice. We are dedicated to achieving a Wisconsin and an America where every human being has an equal opportunity to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. Citizen Action of Wisconsin brings together thousands of activists and allied groups across Wisconsin to deepen democratic participation and create an issue environment that advances a progressive public policy agenda. Most fundamentally, we believe that issues matter.  It is through transformative issues that capture the public imagination and reveal the dissonance between our nation’s ideals and its economic and social realities that average people see their stake in the public sphere and are motivated to participate in their democracy, resulting in meaningful and lasting change.  Citizen Action’s lead issues are good jobs, health care reform, and the protection and expansion of democracy, and also leads a values-based communication project to improve the messaging of progressives in Wisconsin. Citizen Action is spearheading the development innovative new grassroots organizing techniques, and seeks candidates who are interested in embracing new dynamic approaches. More information on current Citizen Action of Wisconsin programs can be found atcitizenactionwi.org

 

Job Responsibilities:

·         Work with Executive Director, Organizing Director, and local leadership teams to lead a local Organizing Cooperative membership drive.

·         Directly organize and develop activists and volunteers to participate in Citizen Action’s existing campaigns in the areas of voting rights, affordable healthcare for all, and good family supporting jobs.

·         Help organize coalitions and networks of members to advance critical issues of local importance in tandem with Citizen Action staff together with a wide range of prospective allies.

·         Develop Citizen Action’s story project, which includes developing compelling stories from individuals who are impacted by such issues as economic insecurity, expensive healthcare, infringed upon democratic freedoms and more.

·         Embrace and effectively utilize new communications technology, working within Citizen Action’s cutting-edge social networking and web technology programs to augment on-the ground organizing.

·         Coordinate program and logistics for public events, mobilizations and other grassroots activity.

·         Work in a focused way to advance strategic goals, and provide timely weekly reporting of organizing progress.

·         Integrate Citizen Action’s values-based communication into all organizing work.

 

Qualifications:

·         Philosophical commitment to progressive values, economic justice, and health care freedom, for everyone in America

·         Demonstrated experience in labor, community, political or faith-based organizing (at least 2 years experience is preferred but not required)

·         Ability to understand complex public policy issues and translate them into compelling organizing issues that motivate average people to act

·         Familiarity with Northeastern Wisconsin politics, geography, institutions and constituencies strongly encouraged

·         Experience working with a broad array of organizations in a coalition on issues of social and economic justice

·         Experience with and commitment to working on racial justice issues and/or working in communities of color a plus.

·         Good written and verbal communication skills, including ability to produce effective flyers, email alerts, coalition reports, blogs, and effective social media posts

·         Strong creative strategic thinking skills

·         Computer skills including e-mail, composing documents, designing flyers, working with data bases, and social networking (Familiarity with NationBuilder, GoogleDocs, Google Analytics, Hootsuite, as well as managing Facebook pages and/or Twitter accounts)

·         Experience with online list-building and voter files a plus

·         Ability to resolve conflicts while maintaining effective relationships

·         Excellent listening, interpersonal and problem solving skills

·         Strong personal time management skills, organization skills, and the ability to work under pressure

·         Bilingual a plus but not required

Salary and Benefits:  This is a full-time position which includes health care, dental and vision, employer-matched 401K, life insurance, disability insurance, cell phone allowance, and other benefits.  Some weekend and evening hours required.  Compensation is based upon experience and demonstrated organizing skills.  This is a union position, represented by OPEIU Local 9, AFL-CIO.

Application Process:  E-mail cover letter and résumé to Kevin Kane, Lead Organizer at Kevin...@citizenactionwi.org

Please, no calls.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, gender, handicap, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or veteran status