Executive Director

Portland Jobs with Justice (JwJ) is a coalition of over 100 labor, faith, community, youth, and student organizations taking action for workers rights and economic justice with a racial and gender justice lens in the Portland Metro area.

Portland Jobs with Justice has operated as a long-term, formal coalition for over 30 years. Our lasting relationships help build the power needed to win real changes in the lives of working families and our communities. We seek out strategic fights that build power for working people and address the root causes of problems facing workers and communities. In recent years Portland JwJ has been integral in the fight to hold police accountable, supported grocery workers in their fight for better working conditions, joined essential workers across many industries through the labor struggles exacerbated by COVID.

The four areas of strategic focus being: direct action and solidarity, movement and power building, relationship building and engagement, and bringing forward new forms of worker organizing. Two continuous areas of work center racial justice and gender justice at their intersections with workers’ rights and economic justice and position us as leaders and innovators locally and nationally. This means, among other things, advancing racial justice in union contracts, and training working people – people of color, LGBTQ+ people, women, and young workers – in their rights at work and organizing and leadership development.

Portland JwJ is seeking an Executive Director to lead the organization in its next stage. The ideal candidate will excel at developing and implementing a strategic vision, building and maintaining relationships, marshaling resources, and building consensus among diverse stakeholders with different priorities as we work together towards a common goal.

This position reports to the Executive Board of JwJ and currently supervises three full-time staff organizers.

Job Responsibilities:

The Executive Director will lead Portland JwJ to win justice in workplaces and communities through:

Supporting and Supervising Staff:

• Hire, evaluate, and terminate staff as appropriate in conjunction with the Board
• Steward staff power/resources with skill, listening, and appreciation of organizer staff being union-represented
• Provide consistent staff supervision
• Lead ongoing organizational planning to support the development of staff work plans and goal setting
• Identify opportunities for staff development

Administration, Fundraising, and Management:

• Develop the organization’s annual budget and fundraising plan in coordination with the staff and Board
• Raise the annual budget with the support of organizational leaders and staff
• Build and maintain relationships with foundations and other major donors
• Manage grant proposals and reports
• Plan and lead implementation of annual grassroots fundraisers with leaders and staff
• Financial compliance with all local, state, and federal reporting requirements and fees

Board and Leadership Cultivation:

• Manage relationships, communication, and coordination of the Board with the support and leadership of Board Co-Chairs
• Work with Board Co-Chairs to plan regular meetings, delegate responsibilities to Board members, and ensure follow through
• Serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization; represent Portland JwJ to elected officials, the media, the general public, and at a variety of labor and community coalition tables
• Work with Board and staff to recruit new organizational members to Portland JWJ

Campaigns and Programs:

• Work with staff organizers and partner organizations to develop campaign and programmatic plans and strategy, and to choose new campaigns and programs when appropriate
• Supervise organizing staff to track progress, evaluate, and problem solve

Required Qualifications:

The Executive Director will have:

• A minimum of three years of relevant, paid experience in a leadership position at a nonprofit organization;
• Outstanding leadership skills, and the ability to connect with and build effective teams of diverse partners across the community;
• A strong commitment to and understanding of worker justice and the labor movement and diversity, equity and inclusion of people of color, women, young people, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants and refugees, and many other members of our communities;
• The ability to promote an intersectional social justice framework and to articulate how systemic inequities impact workers of color, young people, women, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants and refugees;
• Experience creating an equitable and inclusive environment where all people feel welcome;
• Demonstrated skill and experience in developing campaign and program strategy, managing campaigns and programs, and helping others to mobilize coalition partners around campaigns;
• Strong managerial skills and the ability to develop and implement an organizational vision;
• Strong ability to develop and maintain relationships with funders;
• The ability to mobilize grassroots support;
• Demonstrated success managing multiple simultaneous projects and organizational needs;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills;
• Ability to provide oversight for finances and record-keeping.
• Be in possession of a reliable/insured vehicle and valid driver’s license.

Term of employment: This is a full-time position. We are seeking someone to start December 2024.

Compensation: $80,000, fully paid individual health and dental benefits, generous leave policy.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

To Apply:

Please send a cover letter and résumé, paired together in PDF format and titled with your last name and “ED” to: jobs@jwjpdx.org. (Example of PDF title: Garcia ED.)

Portland Jobs with Justice is an equal opportunity employer. Black, Indigenous, and people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, people from poor and working class backgrounds, and other marginalized identities are strongly encouraged to apply.