Housing Policy Organizer

Housing Action Illinois is a statewide coalition of more than 190 organizations dedicated to protecting and expanding the availability of quality, affordable, accessible homes throughout Illinois. The great majority of our member organizations are nonprofit direct-service providers who provide shelter, affordable housing, and/or housing counseling to low-income individuals and families.

Through our Policy Advocacy Program, we mobilize our members and allies to advocate for policies that help end homelessness, create affordable rental housing, promote sustainable homeownership and affirmatively further fair housing. For this work, we particularly focus on the needs of people with the lowest incomes and others impacted by systemic inequities in our society. Our complementary Public Education & Organizing Program builds awareness and activates change by sharing information and real-life stories with policymakers, nonprofit service providers, and the media.

State level campaigns we have recently worked on include: securing more than $180 million in new state funding to prevent and end homelessness during the past two years; securing $200 million in state capital budget funding for affordable housing; advocating for the creation of a new property tax incentive for the preservation and creation of affordable rental housing; and advocating for the passage of the Illinois Community Reinvestment Act. In Cook County, Housing Action was a leader in campaigns to create payment plan options for homeowners with delinquent property taxes, passage of the Cook County Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance and fair housing protections for people with criminal records through the Just Housing Amendment. Current and planned campaigns are focused on preventing homelessness, reducing evictions, reducing the racial wealth gap, and other issues.

Housing Action also has programs that build the capacity and expand the resources of our member organizations through training and technical assistance and as a HUD Approved Housing Counseling Intermediary and HUD Housing Counseling Training Partner. Housing Action also manages a network of AmeriCorps VISTA members working with member agencies.

Job Title: Housing Policy Organizer

Responsible to: Policy Director

Summary of Primary Job Functions: The Housing Policy Organizer is responsible for implementation and management of portions of Housing Action’s Public Policy Advocacy and Public Education and Organizing Programs, including our advocacy work on local, state and federal spending, as well as our legislative and other policy efforts. An important goal for the Housing Policy Organizer is to lead Housing Action’s work to build the capacity of community-based organizations, particularly our members, to participate in our advocacy campaigns.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Working closely with the Policy Director, assist in the development and implementation of our public policy agenda.
• Help lead attempts to influence public policy at the state, federal, and local level.
• Build relationships with members, allies, and other stakeholders to gain community support for Housing Action’s advocacy efforts and to solicit input to guide our future work.
• Establish and maintain relationships with elected officials.
• Organize, manage, and lead issue-specific working groups and coalitions.
• Work with other staff to plan, coordinate, and implement public education and organizing activities, such as our annual conference and membership recruitment and retention activities.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

• At least three years of experience with a non-profit, community-based organization in one of the following areas: affordable housing or community development; public policy in housing or a related social justice field; and/or community organizing
• Strong mission alignment; knowledge of current public policies and programs related to our organizational mission is a plus
• Strong problem solving skills
• Ability to evaluate effectiveness of projects and initiatives, and provide suggestions for improvement
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Comfort with representing Housing Action externally, speaking/presenting publicly, and facilitating large group discussions
• Strong collaboration and group facilitation skills, including leading and managing networks/coalitions toward agreed upon goals
• Ability to engage organizational members and leverage our statewide coalition to advance organizational mission
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with diverse people and communities
• Ability to shift between independent, self-directed work and team collaboration/projects
• Detail-oriented, organized, and able to meet internal and external deadlines
• Strong software and computer skills, ability to learn new programs quickly, especially Mac computers/software
• Ability to work flexible hours; some evening and weekend hours may be required
• Must have valid driver’s license and be willing/able to do significant travel throughout the state. For a highly qualified candidate, we will consider that they not be required to work out of our Chicago office
• Bachelor’s Degree or experience in related field