Community Engagement Coordinator

Community Engagement Coordinator Key Responsibilities: The position coordinates, organizes with, and advocates for tenants in communities throughout Multnomah County. The organizer will primarily be responsible for coordinating local work to build local tenant-led structures, grow CAT’s membership, and advocate for policies that stabilize low-income renters in their homes. As capacity allows, the organizer may be asked to support grassroots fundraising and the Tenant Protections Team.  

About CAT: The Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT) has spent the last 24 years building a housing justice movement led by renters. We are a membership-driven organization taking great pride in educating and empowering one another to demand safe, stable, affordable housing. CAT is building a strong housing justice movement that is led and directed by those who are most impacted by Oregon’s affordable housing crisis- low-income tenants, predominately low-wage workers, families with children, people living with disabilities, seniors, Black, Indigenous and people of color.

We use a three-pronged approach to Tenant Power: Tenant Education, Organizing, and Tenant Advocacy. We operate an educational hotline run by staff and volunteers – walking callers through their rights and responsibilities one-on-one. We host dozens of community workshops each year and connect with each other through a deep network of community partners and service providers to meet various needs as they arise. We organize our friends, families and neighbors in our buildings and on the streets to build a culturally-humble, equity-driven, intersectional housing justice movement led by those of us who are most-impacted by housing injustices. We support the leadership and learning of our fellow housing advocates building on our shared experiences and knowledge. Finally, we learn from and represent one another on councils, boards, and civic engagement opportunities throughout the state for long-term systems change. BIPOC, Women, LGBTQ, Two Spirit, and low-income renters are encouraged to apply.

Field Organizing

• Build and develop relationships with tenants, advocates, community based organizations, service providers, schools, and local officials in target communities throughout Oregon.
• Develop and provide trainings for CAT members and supporters (testimony training, meeting facilitation, lobbying, etc.)
• Conduct volunteer recruitment and training as needed to accomplish Housing Justice Program goals with support from Membership Manager
• Develop and lead phonebanks, canvasses, tabling, and other outreach programs as needed
•  Conduct phone calls and personal visits with potential and existing CAT members coordinating with Membership Manager support
• Coordinate with the Communications Organizer to activate membership through CAT’s mobile engagement tools (Salsa CRM, Mobile Commons Texting Platform, Social Media, etc.)

General Tenant Organizing

• Support and grow an engaged local tenant leadership council
• Organize CAT members throughout Oregon to participate in base activities including story/experience sharing and collection, lobby day mobilizations, and local rallies or meetings
• Support buildings and neighborhoods into building unions/associations and grow grassroots leadership
• Provide information about tenant rights and fair housing rights and responsibilities as needed, with the support and guidance of CAT’s Education Program
• Coordinate communication between CAT communities throughout Oregon

• Coordinate with local leaders, members, and CAT staff to hold local renters assemblies, meetings and events
• Coordinate with Membership Manager to cultivate and grow CAT membership throughout Oregon
• Conduct field research regarding the conditions and experience of tenants in various areas of Oregon as needed

Tenant Protections Team - (support role as needed and capacity allows):

• Conduct/Create outreach and engagement materials and activities
• Engage in renters’ rights trainings and help tenants navigate their rights

Grassroots Fundraising (support as needed and capacity allows):

• Recruit new CAT supporters
• Support CAT phone-banks and personal visits to past and potential donors to CAT
• Donor Cultivation

General Duties

• Organize and participate in regular meetings with team members throughout Oregon
• Provide regular reporting of campaign progress and field activities to Policy and Organizing Director
• Other related duties as required

Required Education and Experience

• High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or equivalent
• Minimum of one years’ experience in a similar position, or equivalent combination of education and experience 

Required Skills and Knowledge

• Strong writing, listening and communication skills
• Demonstrated commitment to developing the leadership of low-income renters and renters of color to improve their communities
•  Demonstrated experience working with and within diverse groups – race, gender, age, income level, education, sexual orientation, ability, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to be self-directed and accountable, when carrying out campaign activities
• Strong organizational skills, detail oriented, excellent follow-through
• Ability to use Microsoft Office, Google Drive applications
• Ability to work some evenings and weekends
• Experience with and knowledge of community or political organizing preferred– including outreach, leader identification, training, research, meeting facilitation, strategy development and direct action (can be volunteer/personal experience)
• Grassroots fundraising experience helpful
• Experience and knowledge working with community groups, non-profit organizations, local jurisdictions, schools, and/or with social change organizations
• Experience recruiting, training, supporting and supervising volunteers
• Experience developing and providing training for diverse groups
• Brings empathy, passion and humor to the work
• Willingness to challenge oppression in all aspects of work
• Enjoys working with diverse populations

• Open to and committed to active engagement towards the eradication of anti-Black racism.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience organizing in rural communities
• Lived experience as a renter in Oregon
• Bilingual applicants will be heavily prioritized
• Experience working in or with culturally specific organizations
• Experience with or knowledge of tenant’s rights and housing policy
• Familiarity with Salsa Labs CRM and/or other engagement tools (Voter Access Network, texting programs, etc.)
• Lived experience with housing instability
• Lived experience and/or understanding of race-based disparities

Working Conditions:

• The position requires working some evenings and weekend days  

       Remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for extended periods of time; and ability to occasionally stand and walk about the office

• Exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects

Compensation and Benefits

$49,000 - 51,000/annual salary 

Benefits package including 100% paid medical and dental for spouse or domestic partner and children; Oregon sick leave; Personal time off minimum of 120 hours per year; Family Leave after 180 days of employment; opportunity to participate in Oregon Saves Roth IRA program.

All CAT positions are funded primarily by grants and positions may be eliminated at any time due to business need and available funding. The wages and benefits are subject to change due to ongoing CBA negotiations;

BIPOC, Women, LGBTQ, Two Spirit, and low-income renters are encouraged to apply.

CAT is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary : $49,000 - $51,000