West TN Regional Organizing Manager

About The Equity Alliance:

The Equity Alliance is a statewide 501(c)3 nonpartisan non-profit organization that proactively advocates for African-Americans and other communities of color to have a fair and just opportunity at realizing the American dream. We believe in using our voting power as a weapon in the fight for social and economic justice. Our work is centered on four primary vehicles through which we build people power and create a more informed electorate: grassroots and community organizing; electoral activation and mobilization; legislative advocacy; and leadership development. The Equity Alliance shares staff with Equity Alliance Fund, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization.

Position Summary:

The Equity Alliance is looking for experienced organizers who are passionate about developing relationships and building grassroots power in communities of color. Regional Organizing Managers will help drive an ambitious program to build a base of grassroots supporters to fight for bold progressive policy change at the local and state level in the areas of civic engagement and democracy reform. This is the dream job for someone who wants to be on the front lines of the opposition to the current attacks on Black voting power, in an organization deeply committed to building power at scale through organized people, money, and ideas.

Regional Organizing Managers will report to the Statewide Community Mobilization Manager and will directly supervise community organizers within their region. This role is perfect for someone who is self-motivated, dedicated to investing in the development of their team, creative, results-oriented, and eager to operationalize transformative organizing in communities of color and ensure the voices of those most impacted by systemic inequities are at the center of solutions. They will work directly with the Organizing Department and our strong coalition of partners and volunteers and will be responsible for helping implement the organization’s grassroots organizing infrastructure, identifying/strengthening key partnerships, and executing on strategic priorities.

The ideal candidate is strong in both the art and science of organizing, with the skill to build strong relationships, implement strategy, and support young talent. The right candidate thrives on collaboration in a small team, leads by example, supports others generously, and seeks ongoing opportunities to learn and grow outside their comfort zone.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Working in close coordination with the Statewide Community Mobilization Manager to implement the overall organizing plan and other strategic campaign initiatives on the state and local level.
• Managing a team of Community Organizers, Fellows, and Paid Canvassers to meet organizing goals.
• Building a robust volunteer base that focuses on deep engagement with communities of color.
• Developing strategic organizing partnerships and alliances with regional organizations and leaders across the field.
• Assessing and ensuring that the work in the field and internal organizing are actively happening and tracking systems are being maintained.

Essential Functions:

The following are indicative of the essential functions required to perform this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This profile is not intended to be all-inclusive of tasks and responsibilities required; it provides a description of the critical responsibilities associated with this position.

Strategizing, Leading, & Supporting Campaigns

• Lead a regional organizing team to implement programs and campaigns for the organization.
• Ensure community organizers and regional partners are engaged in the development of programs and implementation strategy.
• Lead The Equity Alliance’s regional coalition strategy.
• Participate in local and regional coalition spaces.
• Assess/evaluate potential regional allies.

Team Management & Supervision

• Effectively build a team of organizers and volunteers invested in building power and establishing deep relationships with grassroots leaders and voters of color in the community.
• Supervise and manage members of the organizing team.
• Implement work plans, assessments, and evaluations.

Organizational Leadership

• Engage, promote, and practice shared leadership across the organizing department, promoting a team-oriented organizational culture.
• Participate in ally gatherings and other movement spaces regionally to keep informed of trends and current issues; act as an ambassador for The Equity Alliance in strategic spaces.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 2 years experience in community, labor, movement building, social justice, or other relevant grassroots or electoral organizing.
• A similar level of experience supervising staff in an organizing setting.
• History working in and for Black communities.
• An understanding of the history, relationships, and dynamics in the Black organizing space.
• Commitment and passion for racial, gender, and economic justice and their intersections, both inside and outside organizations.
• Excellent interpersonal, relational, and communication skills (both oral and written)
• Comfortable leading people; enthusiasm for building meaningful relationships.
• Goal-oriented and self-disciplined; able to meet tight deadlines and multitask; ability to manage work and time effectively.
• Good sense of humor and ability to adapt to a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn campaign technology, including Google Sheets and VAN.

Logistics

• The position is based in West Tennessee.
• Must have a valid driver’s license, reliable mode of transportation, cellphone, the ability to travel extensively at times throughout the state for more than a day at a time, and flexibility to work on weekends and evenings as necessary.

Conditions: Full-time, exempt at-will position, with benefits after 3 months probationary period

Salary: $45,000-50,000 depending on experience, plus benefits

Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis.

The Equity Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.