Campaign Strategy Director (New York, NY, or CA)

[Darlene Perry O'Neill]

GENERAL SUMMARY

SFER seeks a Campaign Strategy Director to support the implementation of electoral and base-building campaigns and provide strategic support and training for student-led issue campaigns. 

Students for Education Reform (SFER) develops college students into grassroots organizers who fight for educational justice in their communities. SFER is a student movement that champions educational equity for all children, regardless of race or background. 

Why work for SFER? While the work is hard, we approach it with the audacity of believing that students have the power to change the education system and the humility to know it takes time and that thousands have come before us in this fight. We work with urgency, passion, and — most importantly — a lot of joy. We are looking for talented, passionate individuals to join our team and work with us to continue the fight for educational equality.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Political knowledge and partner management 

• Ability to assess local political and social conditions across multiple states to make determinations about likelihood of campaign successes

• Ability to determine what type of local or national partnerships may be needed to meet campaign goals and to find and assess partners

• Ability to manage partner relationships

Project management 

• Work with multiple state-based staff members and student leaders to provide guidance and recommendations regarding campaign strategies and tactics

• Ability to work with Curriculum Coordinator and other staff members in order to train staff and student members on organizing skills in formal and informal presentations

• Ability to test volunteers and move them up a ladder of engagement 

• Ability to inspire others about the importance of canvassing and civic engagement and to draw connections between the on the ground work and more complex political and legislative outcomes

• Ability to troubleshoot quickly and change course as needed in response to real time data

• Serve as strong member of SFER's Program and Growth team to ensure synthesis of the work across the organization and maximize opportunities for effective collaboration across our organizing model

• Integrate other SFER supports, including working collaboratively with other SFER teams - to support individual member leadership development

• Manage SFER’s Leadership Development, skills building and political education work and ensure that all organizers are integrating and executing SFER’s nationally recognized leadership development model on a regular and consistent basis 

• Successfully execute regional organizing events 

• Develop a deep partnership with Membership team to ensure our members are effectively supported in this work

• Identify and integrate civic and electoral opportunities with SFER’s ongoing issue organizing and innovate around SFER's organizing model to be inclusive of electoral and issue organizing work across all of our sites

Data management

• Establish voter universe and ambitious but attainable goals for several electoral or base-building engagement programs annually

• Ability to use voter engagement software to efficiently capture data and build upon data over multiple years

• Work with data team to track outcomes and determine progress 

• Continuously track important metrics and progress to goals in mature coalition state sites to ensure our data is accurate, accessible and effectively able to inform our execution of the organizing work on the ground


QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree required 

• Minimum 3-5 years campaign experience 

• Demonstrated relationship management skills and ability to interact with multiple stakeholders including students, elected officials, community partners and leaders and donors

• Collaborative work ethic and ability to work along lines of difference

• Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to work autonomously as part of an innovative team

• Skilled at using various data systems in order to assist field efforts

• Ability to explain field plans to multiple stakeholders: SFER staff, members and partners

• Ability to travel to several sites 

VALUES

 

• Growth. We give and get a high volume of feedback and work relentlessly to improve.

• Voice. We exist to empower our members and create a powerful voice for students in the policy sphere.

• Tenacity. We set big goals, persist in the face of challenges, and commit to excellence.

• Audacity & Humility. We are willing to take risks, think big, and work hard to bring about transformational change, even while acting and listening with humility, respect, and empathy.

• Dignity. We commit to social justice work because we believe in the fundamental value of every child and person.

• Collaborative Leadership. Empowering others is the hallmark of transformational leadership. We emphasize both personal growth and shared responsibility while investing in our greatest resource: our people.

COMPENSATION

Salary for this position is competitive and depends on prior experience. A comprehensive benefits package is included in addition to generous professional development opportunities. 

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY  

Students for Education Reform seeks individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization and recruiting a team that reflects our student movement.      

HOW TO APPLY

Email jo...@studentsforedreform.org with a resume and a cover letter explaining why you are an ideal candidate for this position. Please indicate in your letter where you learned of the position. A limited number of candidates will be scheduled for phone interviews.