Community Organizer

Description

SUMMARY

The Community Organizer is a vital high-energy role that proactively builds relationships in the community. The role supports the activities established/developed by the Continuum of Care Boards and Membership to address homelessness. This role is crucial in meeting the requirements set forth by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) outlined in the prepared Scopes of Work signed with affiliated Continuums of Care (CoC). The Community Organizer will support the Planning Team Lead and will have the following primary activities:

1. Community Organizing: Engage in community organizing to ensure the active and effective participation of all relevant stakeholders in the CoC, fostering a collaborative environment to address homelessness effectively. 
2. Aligning with Systems Support: Work with CoCs to engage other systems (e.g. hospitals, mental healthcare, police, landlords) and build consensus in the prevention and ending of homelessness.
3. Application Development: At the direction of the Planning leadership team, the Community Organizer plays a key role in CoC application development and submission, ensuring that all necessary information is accurately presented, as assigned.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Cold calling potential partners adjacent to homeless services (e.g. fire, police, Department of Mental Health) and co-collaborating to develop a vision to further the initiatives. 
• Proactively takes initiative on what connections need to be made, shares outputs with the team to reach consensus. 
• Facilitates meetings, builds community consensus, and creates community education programs.
• Develop comprehensive CoC Membership meeting content by staying abreast of community-based issues impacting the state of homelessness, and identifying and incorporating best practices. 
• Supports the Team Lead with oversight and reporting of the CoC Board, Membership and multiple sub-committees (e.g., Governance, NOFA Committees) in ensuring compliance with HUD CoC regulations/requirements and developing agenda, meeting minutes and supporting material development, as assigned. Leads System Committee meetings.
• Collaborates with the Planning Team and CoC to coordinate, facilitate and develop materials for the annual CoC project Rank and Review process, reflecting local needs and national best practices to prioritize projects for funding through the annual CoC Application.
• Actively develops and maintains relationships with CoC partners to effectively organize stakeholders around CoC priorities. 
• Works as part of the Planning Unit to ensure the timely submission of the Continuum of Care application for each affiliated CoC. 
• Successfully works both independently and as part of a team, while maintaining confidentiality at all times.
• Complete delegated administrative tasks and perform other duties as required.

EXPERIENCE

• One (1) year working experience in a related field, or relevant coursework.

EDUCATION 

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent work experience; 

Additional Education or Certification: None.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

• A passion to be a change agent in working with communities to prevent and end homelessness, with knowledge of homelessness and strategies to prevent and end it.
• Experience in coalition building, campaign development, and/or leadership of an initiative preferred.
• Flexibility to balance multiple projects as well as competing and shifting priorities.
• Self-starter and ability to take initiative on identifying and leading tasks to address homelessness. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaborate as part of a team.
• Adaptable and exemplifies flexibility with changing work priorities and a fast-paced environment while maintaining a professional attitude.
• Excellent meeting facilitation skills and comfortable with public speaking and presenting.
• Strong professional writing and communications experience. 
• Excellent organization skills, strong attention to detail, and a high level of integrity and confidentiality required.
• Proficiency in word processing, desktop publishing, creating spreadsheets, proofreading and data compilation required. 
• Access to reliable transportation required. 

TRAVEL

Local, frequent travel in assigned geographic area.

Travel will be required up to once a month to support Continuum of Care work and meetings in given geographic area. 

LOCATION

5 Pine West, Albany home office; virtually three days a week. Subject to change at any time.???  

WORK WEEK

Full-time role, 40 hours per week. Monday through Friday with hours flexible between 7:30am-6:00pm

POSITION CLASSIFICATION

Non-exempt

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. An equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed above may be substituted for the above education and experience requirements. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Salary : $25 - $26