Community Organizer

The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence envisions a world where every one of us, in every zip code, lives free from the threat of gun violence. We bring together impacted communities, advocates, public health experts, and policy-makers to prevent gun violence in all its forms. We are seeking a passionate Community Engagement Coordinator to join our team and build communal power that will drive policy-making and support violence prevention initiatives in Massachusetts.

The Community Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for engaging our member organizations, youth, and communities most impacted by gun violence to create a vision for violence prevention and communal safety. The Community Engagement Coordinator will work collaboratively with Coalition staff and leaders to ensure that the vision is heard by decision-makers on a state and local level. The Community Engagement Coordinator will also be very involved in implementing and delivering a public awareness strategy that promotes a public health response to gun violence in the Commonwealth.

Responsibilities:

• Building relationships with member organizations and key stakeholders in communities most impacted by gun violence, including representing the Coalition at member events and other community initiatives
• Conducting organizing meetings with youth and community members to understand what is already working, identify priorities for violence prevention, and build a communal vision for peaceful neighborhoods
• Identifying and supporting youth and community members' priorities for violence prevention and advocating directly to municipal leaders and decision-makers
• Identifying other youth-serving programs and organizing initiatives in those communities for partnership and collaboration
• Updating curricula, outreach, and educational materials.
• Providing training that will build skills and educate youth and community members on gun violence, root causes, etc.
• Ensuring that key data is collected and recorded
• Working with interns and volunteers
• Supporting the overall functioning of the Coalition and its leadership committees 

What we are looking for in a candidate:

• Passion for the work of violence prevention
• Previous community organizing experience 
• Commitment to trauma-informed practices and community-based violence prevention that is based on a model of public health and racial justice
• Creativity, flexibility, and commitment to teamwork and shared leadership
• Willingness to jump into all aspects of Coalition functioning, including events and communications, recognizing that as a member of a small non-profit, we are all called on to serve in many roles
• Demonstrated ability to work with people from a variety of backgrounds, especially ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Ability to work independently with a high level of personal organization and self-direction
• The ability to work evenings and weekends as needed, with flex time to maintain a 40-hour workweek

This is a full-time, exempt position that will report to the CEO. The Community Engagement Coordinator will be joining a small, tight-knit team that values collaboration and prioritizes a healthy work culture. 

We have a hybrid work environment, with staff coming into our Boston-based office roughly once or twice a week. The Community Engagement Coordinator will be expected to travel around the state as needed for events and initiatives and should have reliable means of transportation.

Individuals from communities impacted by gun violence are strongly encouraged to apply. Studies have shown that women and BIPOC individuals are less likely to apply for jobs if they are not a perfect fit for every criterion. If you feel that this position may be right for you, we encourage you to apply regardless.

Salary and benefits: 

The salary range for most candidates is $50,000 to $55,000, depending on experience. Benefits include a stipend for health and dental coverage, paid vacation, holidays, sick days, and support for remote work set-up. We offer ongoing training opportunities, in a fast-paced, dynamic, supportive, and collaborative setting.

The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence is an equal-opportunity employer. Women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and members of other historically disenfranchised groups are especially welcome and encouraged to apply.