Community Organizing Director

TITLE: Community Organizing Director

REPORTS TO: Co-Executive Director

CLASSIFICATIONS: Regular, Exempt, Salary, Full-Time

HOURS: Full-time and available to work flexible and long hours, routinely evenings and occasional weekends during specific campaigns

LOCATION: Primarily onsite with the option work from home each Friday; located in the Mayfair neighborhood

ABOUT SOMOS Mayfair

Our mission is to support children, organize families, and connect neighbors to uplift the dreams, power, and leadership of community and address systemic inequities.

SOMOS Mayfair was created in 1997 as a place-based, community-led initiative to address the systemic inequities in the Mayfair neighborhood of east San Jose. We are generations of immigrants, rooted in a vibrant community, who nurture healthy families and speak out for justice in Silicon Valley. SOMOS effectively operates with the evolving needs of the community and with the emerging opportunities for regional partnerships. In the past five years this has led SOMOS to focus our efforts on building the power of our community through leadership development, programming for multi-generational families, and community organizing.

Over its history, SOMOS has built a deep and lasting set of organizational strengths and norms that include:

• Commitment to SOMOS Mayfair platform and values.
• Deep passion to advance social justice in immigrant, working class communities.
• Strong moral principles and values; trustworthy, honest and respectful of others.
• Deep respect demonstrated in communication with community, staff, board and partners.
• Focus on seeking common ground among stakeholders
• Professionalism in quality of work, representation of the organization.
• Capacity to nurture and cultivate healthy working relationships and communication.
• Commitment to ongoing learning and growing capacity within the organization.

ABOUT THE ROLE

SOMOS Mayfair’s Community Organizing Department builds power in East San Jose to effectively challenge the system and create sustainable systemic change in schools, neighborhoods and communities. We do this through a base building and grassroots community organizing approach that educates, agitates, organizes, mobilizes, and centers multigenerational Raza families to be the leaders of change. We support and build policies by centering the needs of the most impacted and shifting power and resources back to the people living in neighborhoods like Mayfair.

The Community Organizing Director should be firmly grounded in anti-racist/intersectional approaches, leadership development, popular education and have a strong community organizing expertise. The individual must be excited at the prospect of growing with our organization and welcome the opportunity to be a leader, a thought partner and team member to our exceptional staff.

This position requires an individual who likes leading and working in a team, able to manage multiple responsibilities and can stay on top of information and tasks in a fast-paced organization. The Community Organizing Director works closely with SOMOS Executive leaders, the Community Organizing Manager and a team of organizers to implement a community-driven and neighborhood wide agenda. They work closely with our neighborhood and justice allies and organizations to develop a neighborhood and regional organizing agenda for justice. They also support policy development with an early education, immigration, youth, housing, community development and racial/economic justice perspective. The Community Organizing Director will work closely with a team of Directors to ensure organizational alignment and to ensure community participants move from seeking services and towards community organizing opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years community organizing experience; demonstrated success in organizing, strategizing, implementing, and identifying victories
• Deep passion and commitment to advancing racial, economic and social justice using a power building perspective
• Experience recruiting, training and coaching employees and community leaders
• Strong and effective communicator with an ability to clarify complex issues while also building rapport
• Self-starter with strong initiative and ability to motivate and inspire
• Demonstrable focus, resilience, and problem-solving under challenging circumstances
• Demonstrate a judgment and savviness to manage both up and down while meeting aggressive deadlines and ambitious goals
• Deep understanding of root causes impacting marginalized and poor communities
• Ability to represent SOMOS Mayfair in a professional manner
• Proficient at usingMicrosoft Office, Google Workspace and evaluation software
• Professional proficiency in English

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with youth
• Experience in policy development
• Professional proficiency in Spanish, particularly speaking and listening
• Experience with voter database software

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

• Valid California driver’s license and proof of auto insurance required
• Post soft offer, hire dependent on fingerprint and background check with a focus on what’s relevant for roles working with youth and other vulnerable populations
• The right candidate for this role will meet most of these qualifications. If you are interested in this role but do not meet all of the following qualifications, we encourage you to apply.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizing Campaign Management & Execution (50%)

• Directs the development and implementation of outreach and organizing plans for current SOMOS initiatives impacting: school-based organizing, youth neighborhood issues, community development and housing justice, while being receptive to community voice and vision in the development of future initiatives, including: training, communications systems, databases, strategic and tactical plans.
• Oversees and facilitates the development of action campaigns including developing effective campaign plans, door-to-door campaigns, one-on-one meetings, coordination of campaign activities and actions, and recruiting coalition allies in order to build a robust base of leaders and allies
• Leads planning and coordination of action committees in order to build an effective, ongoing organization and to maintain the involvement of grassroots leaders
• Ensures organizing teams are working as part of a larger programmatic strategy
• Develops ongoing community processes to develop or update SOMOS’ community-led policy advocacy agenda
• Identifies policy research and advocacy opportunities; remains current in research trends, policies, regulations, and best practices
• Identifies resources to invest in the campaign development and mobilizes community members
• Supports media relations efforts, including press cultivation, coordination of media events, and securing media coverage

Civic Engagement Management (10%)

• Directs the development and implementation of SOMOS Mayfair campaigns, electoral, and policy strategies including civic engagement campaigns in coordination with community leaders, coalition partners, and stakeholders
• Develops community-based governance structures, systems, and processes that support community decision-making, leadership, and voice in local ballot initiates and electoral processes
• Develops electoral strategies to Get Out Vote campaigns, proposition education, and turn out strategies to increase voter turnout for SOMOS Mayfair and Strategic partnerships

Coalition Engagement & Leadership (10%)

• Represents SOMOS and provides leadership at the Sí Se Puede Collective’s Policy and Advocacy Committee
• Serves as liaison with local and regional stakeholders
• Works with others to identify strategic partnerships and builds coalitions
• Represents SOMOS at community gatherings, organizations and the media
• Participates in countywide efforts to support promoters and community organizers
• Proactively promote mission, vision, strategic goals, and community impact amongst partners, allies, and potential allies

Department Management and Evaluation (15%)

• Serves on the Director’s Bench to ensure successful implementation of organizational programs, initiatives and Strategic Plan at SOMOS
• Oversees the development, tracking, and reporting of organizing and policy advocacy program goals, outcomes, and performance metrics
• Leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of organizing and policy advocacy policies and procedures
• Evaluates community organizing programs, practices, and initiatives to ensure quality and effectiveness; makes recommendations for improvement
• Creates and carries out logic models, work plans, program budgets, and evaluations
• Ensures programs are meeting deliverables and ensures budgets are used efficiently
• Facilitates and supports resource development efforts for organizing the programs, including preparing proposals, funder presentations, direct solicitation, and reporting

Supervision & Professional Development (10%)

• Develop and supervise a unified and effective Organizing team of employees/contractors and monitors and evaluates team performance and growth
• Spearheads the training and professional development of volunteers, organizers and program staff using a strengths-based approach
• Holds staff accountable and supports staff, interns, and volunteers in program planning,project and time management, meeting facilitation, and sustainable work practice
• Oversees the recruitment and hiring of organizing staff

Administrative (5%)

• Create and execute an annual work plan, that includes organizational strategies and milestone deadlines
• Execute a Learning & Professional Development Plan to develop or strengthen essential skills and seek opportunities for greater and on-going learning, including community organizing models and the practice of popular education pedagogy
• Participate in agency wide decision-making arenas and in regular internal political education
• Contribute to the development of organizational world-view and development of strategic plan
• Support major organizational campaigns and projects

WORKING AT SOMOS

At SOMOS Mayfair, we embrace a culture of growth, curiosity, and deep community connection. As an organization committed to learning, we value not having all the answers and instead grow alongside one another—staff, leaders, and community members alike. Our team includes long-standing leaders, offering stability while welcoming new voices into our intimate, purpose-driven space. We’re proud to be a bold, alternative trendsetter in the nonprofit world, offering real opportunities for growth and impact as well as space to recharge. Every visit to a community gathering deepens our shared commitment, as staff witness firsthand the power and passion of the community we serve.

For more info contact us at (408) 460-2751 or learn about us and what it's like to work at SOMOS at: www.somosmayfair.org/careers.