Organizer - Families for Excellent Schools - NYC
melanie...@familiesforexcellentschools.org
ABOUT US
The public education system in our country is fundamentally unequal and disproportionately fails students of color and students from low-income communities. This issue is further escalated because the current system continuously excludes the families most affected by failing schools from the decision-making process. As a result, outdated bureaucracy and entrenched interests have enabled our nation’s schools system to continue to fail our communities of need.
Families for Excellent Schools is committed to changing this system. Our mission is to ensure a future where every child has access to an excellent school. Our primary focus is to shift the balance of power towards parents. We do this by supporting, organizing and mobilizing families and excellent charter schools, and running strategic campaigns that enable these excellent schools to grow and thrive.
THE ROLE
If you are fired up about the inequity within our education system, and are motivated to be a part of this change, we happily invite you to consider a role with us. Families for Excellent Schools currently seeks a strong relationship-builder and recruiter for a New York Organizer role. This person will be responsible for organizing families in a charter school in Brooklyn, collaborating with our team in Manhattan, and reporting to our NY Organizing Director. The Organizer recruits and mobilizes parents, and develops and manages advocacy events. Organizers operate in one or more assigned school(s) (in Flatbush, Bushwick, Brownsville, Crown Heights, East New York, or Downtown Brooklyn) for the majority of the week (approximately 80% of time) during the school year.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Cultivate powerful relationships with school officials in assigned school(s);
- Collaborate with a partner school to build a base of parents into activists, leaders and volunteers;
- Recruit and mobilize parents to generate campaign product (handwritten letters, etc.);
- Train and support parents to lead advocacy meetings and other advocacy events;
- Manage outreach to families to meet participation goals for campaign events;
- Develop neighborhood chapters and advocacy committees;
- Conduct parent outreach and trainings through other means when schools are not in session;
- Manage data; submit and analyze organizing reports;
- Work 50+ hours per week, including irregular hours(e.g. some nights/weekends/early mornings).
REQUIREMENTS
Candidates should enjoy working in a dynamic, results-oriented environment in which expectations are high for both the quality and speed of work. In addition, they should have the following:
- Fighting Spirit: you are fired up about social injustice and are motivated towards creating social change;
- Excellent recruiting and persuasive skills: you have organized and persuaded a group towards tangible results (Ex: starting a club, attending specific events, campaign-related asks, etc.);
- Excellent interpersonal skills: you can easily build relationships with people from all backgrounds and experiences;
- Self-starter: you can work effectively both independently and as a member of a team to see projects across the finish line;
- Results-Oriented: you do what it takes to reach results, including less glamorous work, and following instructions;
- Grit: you are persistent and have worked through obstacles;
- Strong administrative and organizational skills: you are smart and efficient with your time and can pivot easily;
- Availability: you will be required to work 50+ hours for this role, including irregular hours and some weekends;
- Excellent written and oral communications skills;
- Basic computer skills, especially using Microsoft Office Suite and G Suite;
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience;
- One year of organizing, program/youth development, or campaign experience strongly preferred;
- Spanish speakers and those with experience working in charter schools strongly encouraged to apply.
In keeping with the work, candidates must be able to travel and work on site frequently in New York.
PAY & PERKS
Families for Excellent Schools is committed to providing the best for our employees in and outside of the office. We offer competitive salaries and a full slate of benefits including health coverage, an FSA, a 401K plan with 5% matching and pre-tax commuter benefits, and monthly cell phone bill reimbursements. Employees enjoy a generous vacation policy, alternating summer Fridays, and our office is shut down for a week at the end of the calendar year. We’ve partnered with AnyPerk to provide discounts from over 850 brands so that our employees can save on a variety of different products. Perks also include a MacBook for professional use and an open and collaborative office space.
Families for Excellent Schools is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory work environment. Families for Excellent Schools does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Families for Excellent Schools is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values teamwork, collaboration, creativity, and diversity.