Lead Organizer

THE ORGANIZATION: The New Justice Project MN is a Black-led organization dedicated to creating equitable job opportunities, advocating for housing justice, reimagining community safety, and building power amongst Black Minnesotans.

Our mission is to empower those directly affected by systemic racism and drive collective liberation. We build multi-racial, multi-generational, and multi-faith coalitions, collaborating with Brown, Indigenous, and immigrant organizations to achieve meaningful and transformative change.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Lead Organizer will strengthen and expand NJPs base-building and member-led direct action programs. This role involves developing organizing strategies, supporting member leaders, and mobilizing members to take collective action.

• PRIMARY FUNCTIONS -

Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:

Responsibilities:

The Lead Organizer will:

• Lead, train, and supervise staff engaged in organizing work.
• Identify and recruit members through NJP’s outreach programs, clinics, and educational initiatives.
• Develop and implement strategies to expand NJP’s member membership program.
• Design and execute campaigns and actions that empower members to advocate for their rights.
• Facilitate leadership development among members.
• Mobilize members around issues, public policy, and key concerns.
• Implement effective communication strategies to engage members experiencing social or incarceral injustice.
• Collaborate with coalition partners, government agencies, and media to amplify member-led initiatives.
• Track program outcomes and maintain detailed records of organizing efforts.
• Work closely with the Executive Director to align organizing efforts with legal and policy initiatives.
• Provide general support across NJP programs and assist with administrative tasks as needed.
• Take on special projects and other assigned duties as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS

Skills and Capacities:

• Visionary – Is a big-picture thinker and can develop and organize people into visions for the world and visions for the work. Thrives when taking steps to move their vision into action.
• Strategy Builder – Approaches work from a strategic lens and can develop and execute strategies that build off of each other and add up to more together. Has team leadership skills to support individuals within a team to play their role towards a collective strategic goal.
• Relationship-Builder - Relates well to people across differences, including differences of race, class, age, gender, and geography. Builds strong relationships, works through problems and challenges transparently and assertively, and displays cultural competency. Can effectively lead in managing projects with colleagues, including more junior and more senior staff.
• Solutions Oriented – Evaluates both successes and failures for clues to improvement, experiments and focuses on moving forward toward solutions, grasps the essence and the underlying structure of a project, takes initiative and makes proposals.
• Dealing with Ambiguity – Handles change in stride, can shift gears comfortably, can decide and act without having the total picture.
• Focused on Inclusivity – Has a strong commitment to gender, racial and economic justice and progressive political change, displays cultural sensitivity, competency, and professionalism in the workplace.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of organizing experience, paid or volunteer, with a nonprofit, social justice, labor and/or political organization.
• Strong track record of building and maintaining effective working relationships with co-members, organizational partners, community representatives, and/or members.
• Demonstrated experience identifying complex problems and developing solutions, strong sense of personal initiative.
• Proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple competing projects and tasks. Excellent personal accountability and follow through.
• Ability to share a vision and move a team of people towards that vision by developing and executing shared plans.
• Working knowledge of climate justice campaigning and the issues of the climate crisis and racial capitalism.

Other Expectations:

• A strong commitment to social, racial, and economic justice and progressive political change.
• Enthusiastically promote TakeAction Minnesota’s goals and priorities in compliance with all policies and procedures and have a deep investment in our shared agenda for change.
• Complete and coordinate special projects as needed.
• Other duties or tasks may be assigned on an as-needed basis.
• Flexibility to periodically work outside normal business hours that include evenings and weekends, and periodically work extended hours to accomplish requirements of the position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed in a standard office environment which requires occasionally lifting such articles as file boxes or heavier materials with help from others and/or lifting and carrying light objects frequently. A job in this category may require walking or standing to a significant degree or may involve sitting most of the time with long periods of computer work and heavy phone usage.

SALARY/BENEFITS/OTHER INFORMATION

• Salary range is $60,000 to $66,000 depending on experience
• Full time employment defined at thirty-two (32) hours a week.
• Full health and dental benefits through HealthPartners. TakeAction Minnesota pays 95% of monthly insurance premiums for the employee and their family.
• Long Term Disability, AD&D and life insurance provided at no cost to employee.
• 401(k) and Roth 401(K) Retirement plans with up to 3% employer match.
• 3 weeks of vacation in the first year, 2 weeks of sick and safe leave upon hire with another 2 weeks in the first year, 8 paid holidays, and an office closure the last week of the year.
• 12 weeks paid parental leave, as well as other health related extended paid leave options.
• Annual 4% guaranteed pay increase; Monthly reimbursements including cell phone and home internet use; annual wellness and professional development stipends
• This position is NOT a member of the Minnesota Newspaper and Communications Guild.

REPORTS TO & LOCATION

• This position reports directly to the Executive Director or Deputy Director.
• This position is located in our St. Paul office, but may be required to occasionally travel. In response to COVID-19, all employees are resourced to work from home or under a hybrid model as needed.

HOW TO APPLY

Upload a cover letter, resume and three references. This position will be open until filled with application review beginning Friday, February 14th.

NO PHONE CALLS OR EMAIL INQUIRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

TakeAction Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, LGBT individuals, and women.