The Community Organizer has the responsibility for cultivating relationships with individuals of good will, like-minded local social justice organizations and members of diverse faith congregations across the area. The community organizer works with a local community organizing team and with congregation social justice teams teaching them community-organizing skills and supporting them to conduct successful issue campaigns on the local, state and potentially national levels.

Specifically, the Lehigh Valley Community Organizer will be responsible for maximizing the involvement of the local communities of Allentown and throughout the Lehigh Valley area organizing team and members of a set of congregations that belong to POWER through ongoing relationship building, leadership training, coaching and mobilization for meetings, events and actions. The Community Organizer will – at the direction of the Director of Organizing – work towards specific goals for getting the local community organizing team and the assigned congregations to play active roles in POWER’s main campaigns: school funding equity, living wage/minimum wage increase, criminal justice reform, voter turnout – as well as other potential or related campaigns that POWER is involved with.

POWER has a strong learning culture and places a high priority on personal learning, racial awareness and analysis, and relationship building. The ideal candidate would have a passion for justice, strong relational skills, a strong sense of their own faith values, a capacity to build bridges across multiple cultures, awareness of personal and societal racism, and demonstrable experience in bringing people together to win campaign victories. Strong written and verbal skills are required; fluency in Spanish is a plus.

This position is located in the Allentown/Lehigh Valley Area. Strong candidates will have an established network in this geographical area. It is full time with significant evening and weekend work. Reliable access to a vehicle is a must.

SKILLS

• Ability and experience working cross-culturally
• Solid understanding of one’s own faith journey
• Strong relational skills and ability to connect, engage, and inspire community members across multiple cultures including: religion, race, gender, age, language, class and experiences
• Capacity to think strategically and analytically about social, economic, cultural, and political issues affecting a community
• Ability to lead effective meetings
• Desire to learn and openness to challenge
• Ability to work as part of a strong staff team as well as independently
• Relevant previous organizing experience (Community, Labor, Voter) a plus
• Demonstrable experience working with faith communities and/or in a faith-based environment required
• Ability to design and implement trainings, using popular education and other teaching methods
• Highly organized, ability to handle multiple tasks, manage a busy schedule of many face-to-face meetings and document both progress and outcomes.
• Experience using Microsoft Office suite of programs, the Voter Activation Network (VAN), and CRM/databases are highly desired.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct 15-20 one-on-one meetings each week in the Lehigh Valley/Allentown area with new or established POWER leaders, clergy, and influential external leaders on a consistent and regular basis
• Prepare written weekly reports on progress and outcomes of their work
• Provide regular organizing training for POWER leaders and community members in the principles and strategies of congregation and community-based community organizing
• Support POWER congregational teams and the local community organizing team in outreach, research, and strategic planning leading to large community action meetings that impact systemic change
• Provide support and strategic guidance to Strategy Teams (groups of POWER members that lead each issue campaign)
• Attend professional development sessions
• Meet on a regular basis with the Director of Organizing to shadow, plan and evaluate work progress

Salary & Benefits:

Competitive Salary

Benefits: Health care-plan for employee after 90 days of employment including dental and vision. Retirement plan (matching plan by employer). Life insurance and professional development.

To apply:

Email the following documents to info@powerphiladelphia.org with the subject line “Lehigh Valley Community Organizer Position”

1. Resume
2. Letter (2 pages MAX) describing your background, interest in, and qualifications for this position
3. List of three professional reference