Temporary Recruitment and Retention Organizer

Position Title: Temporary Recruitment and Retention Organizer

Tier / Category: Tier 2 / Organizer II

Reports to: Recruitment Coordinator, Ash Trull

Supervised by: Co-Director of National Organizing Department, Z! Haukeness

Employment Status: Full time, Temporary: 9/1/2024 - 1/31/2025

FLSA: Exempt

Location: Remote

Union: Bargaining Unit Member

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is a national organization that brings white people into fights for racial and economic justice. We work to undermine the power of the Far Right and build the white flank of multiracial majorities fighting for the things all communities need. We organize white people by engaging their shared interest-- what they stand to gain by joining alongside people of color. We do this through 150+ local chapters across the US and Canada, a National Membership base, and local base-building projects in the South.

Summary of Position:

SURJ is seeking a Temporary Recruitment and Retention Organizer in our National Organizing Department (NOD) to support SURJ’s recruitment and retention of members, which vary from year to year depending on the landscape in which we are organizing, base building, and vying for power. This includes working as part of the Recruitment Team to implement needed recruitment tactics. 

A successful person in this role, as well as every organizer within NOD, is expected to carry out recruitment, leadership development of members, and design and execute organizing programs aligned with SURJ’s national strategy and campaigns. The amount of time focused on each of these will vary based on the position. NOD organizers are responsible for executing their unique realm of work while also participating in department-wide initiatives and team-wide pushes at key moments. In other words, NOD organizers are all expected to act as both specialists and generalists.

This position will report to their Peer Leader, the NOD Recruitment Coordinator, and is supervised by the Co-Director of NOD. This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific terms and conditions of employment are subject to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES — Essential duties and responsibilities of this position may include, but are not limited to the following:

Priority 1: Support the implementation of recruitment strategy (50%)

• Work under the project management of the Recruitment Coordinator, as part of the Recruitment Team to create and execute key recruitment strategies for the NOD department. 
• Implement recruitment plans for national distributed campaigns and retention strategies including support for Turnout Tuesday, Recruitment texting, and Welcome Wednesday orientation spaces
• Execute recruitment banks: bottom-line recruitment to text and phonebanks; manage the volunteer leadership team; and coordinate with Data staff to track progress to goals and rates is carried out.
• Support the mobilization of chapters and members into action in key moments
• Send emails, pull lists, write scripts, execute texting tools, facilitate meetings. 
• Support recruitment of chapters and members to participate in canvassing and other absorption and organizing programs under the direction of the Recruitment Coordinator and Co-Director of the National Organizing Department. 

Priority 2: Support recruitment of members and volunteer leaders in our organizing programs (30%)

• Direct the activities of the members and volunteers
• Support, mentor and cultivate the leadership of members, and volunteers
• Assign work effectively to members and volunteers
• Provide members and volunteers with feedback and support their development
• Build deep trust with members and volunteers through respectful communication, supportive feedback and clear job expectations
• After each cycle, evaluate and adjust based on debrief

Priority 3: Coordination and administration (20%)

• Attend weekly meetings for NOD, NOD sub-teams, all-SURJ staff, and as relevant, with other departments.
• Work with Communications Department and Development Department as needed to share results from the work explained in Priority 2
• Coordinate with Data staff and other phonebank programs and chapter organizers to coordinate efforts and track progress to goals
• Maintain daily coordination with colleagues (including across departments) via our shared remote workplace communication platforms: Slack, Google Workspace, email, etc. 
• Complete monthly timesheets, reimbursement requests and Visa expense submissions on a timely basis
• Complete requests to supervisor for time off (vacation, health & wellness leave, etc.) via BambooHR on a timely basis 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 2 years experience with campaign organizing, managing teams, and developing internal systems
• 2 years experience with volunteer recruitment, training and management

KNOWLEDGE:

• Experience designing and leading teams through processes of campaign or action planning, execution, and evaluation.
• Experience designing and facilitating meetings, trainings, and/or group gatherings that move people into action.
• Experience with individual member and chapter based organizing and mobilization that builds toward base-building campaigns.
• Experience with organizing and political education curriculum development 
• Experience doing public speaking, conducting trainings, providing technical assistance, and facilitation of large and small groups 
• Volunteer recruitment, training and supervision experience
• Understanding of SURJ’s work and theory of change
• An understanding of the strategic importance of the South and power dynamics between the South and the rest of the U.S. that can influence organizing efforts there
• Ability to work in a cross-class environment while also holding a strong class politics that centers poor and working people.

SKILLS

• Excellent written, verbal and relational communication skills
• Excellent time management skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects
• Strong organizational skills 
• Willingness to work with a variety of digital tools to engage our base (i.e. google drive, slack, texting applications - Hustle, virtual phone banking software, email software, database)
• Experience using EveryAction or VAN a plus 
• Strong written communication including internal and external facing communications
• Willingness to speak up, suggest new ideas, receive feedback, reflect, and adjust plans to ensure successful completion of goals, and be part of the solution.

ABILITIES:

• Ability and willingness to travel for team meetings 
• Ability to work evening and weekend hours 
• Demonstrated ability to develop volunteer member leaders into taking on significant responsibility and create systems for them to do so
• Ability to prioritize their personal work and the work of a team they manage
• Ability to manage multiple projects
• Reliable - follows through on what they said they are going to do
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to work in fast paced environment at times of rapid response