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Job Overview

This position will be responsible for ongoing coaching, training, supervision and support to the team of  Organizers, so that they can most effectively organize congregations and develop lay and clergy leaders to engage in strategic campaigns to advance POWER’s policy aims (at both the municipal and state level). At the direction of the Executive Director, the Director of Organizing helps coordinate and guide issue campaigns in areas of school funding equity, living wage policies, criminal justice reform and other campaigns.  In this capacity, also at the direction of the Executive Director, the Director of Organizing cultivates relationships with key allies who are working with POWER on these campaigns. The Director of Organizing works closely with the Director of Communications and Development Director to ensure that campaign goals and strategies are in line with organizational messaging, funding opportunities, goals, and obligations to funders. The Director of Organizing is a member of the POWER Staff Executive Team.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide weekly supervision to a diverse team of Organizers – some of whom work remotely – through individual and group meetings, regular communication, shadowing, coaching and intentional training.
• Strategize and Coach POWER Statewide Campaign Directors.
• Represent POWER at statewide coalition tables.
• Help ensure that campaigns (and strategies and tactics) are conducted through a racial justice frame and that campaigns are rooted explicitly in faith-based language.
• In coordination with the Executive Director, craft and execute a plan to recruit new clergy leaders/congregations to formally join POWER.
• Provide monthly written reports to Development Director on progress made towards grant deliverables and funding obligations.
• Collaborate with staff on new ideas, directions, and tools for communications and online organizing  tools
• Provide the necessary guidance and strategic thinking to the team of Organizers, chairs of Strategy Teams, key clergy and lay leaders and in some cases, allies, to ensure that campaigns are well-crafted and on track to achieving concrete policy victories as defined by the membership and funding obligations, and that tactics are strategic and effective.
• Provide the necessary guidance and strategic thinking to the team of Organizers to ensure that they have the skills and tools necessary to build and maintain teams (Local Organizing Committees,  comprised of at least 5 strong volunteer leaders) in their assigned congregations.
• Meet regularly with the internal leadership team to assess ongoing progress of the Organizing team and the issue campaigns and to ensure that campaigns, communications and funding are all in alignment.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills:  

• Understanding of the basic principles of organizing.
• Experience/comfort working within a faith-based environment; ability to authentically draw on one’s faith experience and faith-based language and to connect that with social change issues.
• B.A. degree in related field and a minimum of seven years of paid community or union organizing, or political,  or faith-based community organizing work.
• Proven track record of leading successful organizing campaigns.
• Demonstrated track record of building relationships across lines of difference and in building up the leadership of others.
• Experience supervising diverse organizers/field staff.
• Familiarity with Microsoft outlook, Word, Excel and similar software and social media.
• Ability to learn new systems, prior experience with the Voter Activation Network (VAN), Salesforce, Salsa, etc.
• Ability to think both ‘macro’ (big picture, long-term campaign strategy) as well as ‘micro’ (helping organizers think through the daily tasks to engage leaders).
• Self-starter, creative, highly motivated, ability to juggle multiple tasks and campaigns.
• Experience facilitating meetings and designing and facilitating trainings.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and an openness to learning and sharing.
• Capacity to think strategically and analytically about social, economic, cultural, and political issues affecting communities.
• Experience working with the disenfranchised.
• Ability to travel through the city (personal vehicle strongly preferred) as well as throughout the region to meet with organizers, clergy and lay leaders and allies and decision-makers.
• Participate in occasional travel out of state for conferences, trainings, etc.
• Draw on an intersectional analysis of racialization and other forms of oppression
• Ability to act as a coach people of diverse backgrounds
• Flexibility to work nights and weekends.
• Supervision Received: general supervision from Executive Director or designee.
• Supervision Exercised: Community Organizers
• Experience working with low-income and/or immigrant communities of color
• Possess excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate in a professional manner with community contacts
• Ability to work well independently, and within a team
• Commitment to cultural sensitivity and respect for differences
• Commitment to the continuous improvement of service quality and the organization’s mission
• Cultural competence to work in a multicultural, multi-faith environment

This position is based in Philadelphia. You must be able to work in the Philadelphia office at least twice a week

Salary and Benefits:

• Starting at $80k

Application Procedure:

All applicants must apply for this position online via organizingcareers.org.  Please have the following documents ready to upload to your online application:

1. An electronic file of your resume (preferably in PDF format) including three professional references
2. A cover letter (2 pages MAX) describing your background, interest in, and qualifications for this position