What are the responsibilities and job description for the Political Coordinator (Bakersfield, CA) position at United Domestic Workers?
UDW Overview:
United Domestic Workers of America, UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 is a statewide labor union that represents more than 200,000 home care and family child care providers in 45 counties in California. Founded in 1979, UDW is a diverse, progressive labor organization that seeks dynamic, committed individuals who will support our members and those for whom they care locally, statewide and at the national level.
UDW is one of California’s largest labor unions. We consistently support and lead important social justice initiatives like fighting for racial justice, income inequality, and affordable health care for all. We are committed to respect and dignity for seniors, people with disabilities, and the children in our care. We fight for better working conditions and fair pay for home care and child care providers, and full funding for life-saving programs like In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and subsidized family child care. For more information about UDW, please visit our website at www.udw.org.
Job Information:
Job Title: Political Coordinator
Job Type: Exempt (Salary), Full-time
Department: Organizing and Member Engagement
Reports to: Regional Manager
Job Location: Bakersfield, CA 93309
UDW Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (subject to changes)
Salary Range: $68,640.00 to $113,400.00/year ( depending on experience)
Work Arrangements: In office
Job Summary:
The Political Coordinator serves as a crucial link between UDW and various political entities, including Central Labor Councils, elected officials, and the Democratic Party. This role is responsible for developing and growing UDW member political engagement to achieve significant changes that benefit UDW members and their families. The coordinator acts as a political operative, gathering on-the-ground information to inform UDW's political and legislative work at local, state, and federal levels. By supporting UDW leadership with strategic insights and coordinating various political activities, this position plays a vital role in advancing UDW's campaign goals across California.
Central Liaison to CLC and Local Labor Councils
- Primary Representation: Serve as the principal representative for UDW in all matters related to Central Labor Councils and local labor coalitions, ensuring alignment and strong advocacy on shared goals.
- Strategic Partnerships: Build and nurture long-term partnerships with key labor and other stakeholders to increase UDW's influence in regional decision-making.
- Event Leadership: Lead the planning and execution of joint events and campaigns with CLCs, leveraging labor resources to maximize turnout and visibility for UDW initiatives.
- Tracking, Reporting and Data Collection: Maintain comprehensive records of all CLC interactions, meetings, campaign work, and outcomes, providing actionable insights to UDW leadership.
Elected Official Engagement
- Customized Outreach: In coordination with the Government Affairs Department and the Political Department, build and maintain strong relationships for UDW with local, state and federal officials in the region to move our initiatives and priorities. Empower UDW members to build effective advocacy relationships with elected officials and their staff.
- Crisis Management: Act as a first responder to emerging issues involving local officials, mitigating risks and maintaining positive relationships.
- Advocacy Campaigns: Organize targeted advocacy campaigns to influence local boards, councils, supervisors, and state and federal elections in alignment with UDW’s goals.
- Community Integration: Collaborate with elected officials to champion community-focused projects that reflect UDW's mission and uplift UDW members.
ADEMS Coordination
- Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinate with UDW members, allies, and labor partners to recruit, endorse, and support UDW candidates for Assembly District Election Meetings (ADEMS) to build power in the Democratic Party
- Capacity Building: Host training sessions to educate UDW members on the ADEMS process and the importance of participation.
- Impact Measurement: Regularly assess the effectiveness of ADEMS-related activities and provide updates to UDW leadership. Serve as primary liaison to UDW ADEMS regional delegates during Conventions.
AFSCME PEOPLE Coordination
- Manage and lead all Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative Equality (PEOPLE) recruitment efforts for the region.
Legislative Engagement in Districts
- Comprehensive Representation: Attend district-specific legislative events, hearings, and town halls to ensure UDW’s voice and agenda is present in local policy discussions.
- Grassroots Advocacy: Organize and train UDW members to participate in district-level advocacy efforts to move our political and legislative agendas.
- Policy Alignment: Coordinate with field staff to align legislative advocacy priorities with grassroots campaigns, ensuring a cohesive strategy.
Political Campaign Monitoring and Strategy
- Data Analysis: Develop comprehensive databases tracking key political races, including candidate profiles, voting trends, and campaign strategies. Manage field political campaigns data collection and ensure accuracy.
- Research and Reporting: Prepare detailed briefs and recommendations for the Government Affairs and Political departments and local UDW leadership on local, state and federal candidate and ballot initiative endorsements based on political landscapes and UDW priorities.
- Strategic Influence: Actively participate in local campaign efforts, leveraging UDW’s resources to support labor-aligned candidates.
Local Board Reporting and Coordination
- Structured Reporting: Develop standardized reporting templates to provide clear and actionable updates on political activities to the local board.
- Endorsement Processes: Create transparent and systematic workflows for evaluating and endorsing candidates for local board. Working closely with SGA, manage the local endorsement process.
- Follow-Up Actions: Ensure endorsed candidates receive ongoing support through coordinated efforts with UDW members and allies.
Election Support and Priority Coordination
- Collaborative Planning: Work closely with the Government Affairs and Political department teams to set election priorities, ensuring UDW’s strategy is labor-aligned and member-focused.
- Work with the leadership of the Government Affairs, Political, and Organizing & Member Engagement departments to draft and develop local campaign strategy and organizing plan.
- Coordinate and lead field activities, including canvassing, phone banking, and voter registration drives.
- Comprehensive Vetting: Assist in conducting interviews with candidates, providing informed recommendations to the Executive Board.
- Election Mobilization: Recruit, train, and manage volunteers to support campaign efforts. Coordinate member engagement in voter registration drives, GOTV efforts, and candidate forums.
Event Planning and Execution
- High-Impact Events: Organize large-scale events in the regional with elected officials, UDW members, and labor allies, ensuring alignment with UDW goals.
- Logistical Expertise: Oversee all event logistics, including venue selection, invitations, and follow-up actions, ensuring seamless execution.
- Member Engagement: Utilize events to drive member participation and leadership development, fostering stronger connections to UDW’s mission and goals.
Strategic Communications
- Cross-Department Collaboration: Ensure messaging between the Government Affairs and Political departments and organizing teams is consistent, timely, and aligned with UDW’s priorities.
- Media Integration: Inform and help amplify UDW’s communications to external and internal messages via press releases, social media, and newsletters.
- Responsive Communication: Act as a responsive point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, facilitating swift resolutions to inquiries.
- Leadership Development: Mentor and train UDW political council members to become active advocates and leaders within their communities.
- Work with the Political department to help build a candidate training academy for UDW member leaders.
- Help UDW member leaders apply for and win appointments to local, regional and statewide Boards and Commissions.
- Coalition Building: Forge alliances with labor and community organizations to amplify UDW’s influence on local and state issues.
- Educational Campaigns: Work with the UDW Education and Training department to help create resources and workshops to educate members on legislative processes, voting rights, and political advocacy.
- Assist with department projects and perform assigned duties that fall within the scope of this job classification
- Highly organized and detail-oriented: Exceptional organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines. Attention to detail is crucial to ensure accuracy and thoroughness in research analysis.
- The ability to analyze complex data, identify trends, and draw meaningful insights is essential.
- Proficient in quantitative and qualitative research methods, using statistical analysis software to analyze data effectively.
- Knowledge of policy and budget analysis should be familiar with current legislative and regulatory environments, staying updated on policy developments.
- Ability to analyzing and interpreting public policy proposals and budgets and provide informed recommendations.
- Effective written and verbal communication is vital for presenting research findings, policy recommendations, and complex information to various audiences to distill complex concepts into clear and concise messages that resonate with stakeholders.
- Time management and multitasking: strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines are necessary. Prioritize tasks effectively and work efficiently to meet project milestones.
- Initiative and creativity: A self-starter mindset and the ability to take the initiative and proactively to seek opportunities to contribute and propose innovative solutions to research challenges.
- Self-starter mentality with the ability to take initiative and learn quickly, managing tight deadlines and multiple projects. A clear, creative, and strategic thinker.
- Team Collaboration: The ability to work effectively in a team and under high-pressure situations and be able to collaborate with colleagues, build relationships with stakeholders, and contribute to a positive work environment.
- Commitment to labor and social justice: A strong dedication to labor and social justice issues, as demonstrated through previous work or volunteer experience, and a genuine passion for advocating for equitable policies and supporting marginalized communities.
- Bachelor’s degree in political science, public administration, social work, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in political advocacy, campaign management, or a related area.
- Strong understanding of the California legislative process and political systems.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Experience in grassroots organizing and member engagement.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with political databases and social media platforms.
- Commitment to UDW’s mission and values, including social justice and worker rights.
- Ability to work from UDW’s office three days/per week.
- Some travel is required (about 1-2% a month) with reliable transportation.
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
- Korean
- Tagalog
- Russian
- Assyrian
- Somali
- Arabic
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life / AD&D
- Long Term Disability (LTD)
- 401(k) Savings Plan
- Pension Plan
- Paid Vacation Days
- Paid Sick Leave
- Personal Day (8 hours)
- 16 Paid Holiday
- Floating Holiday
- Upskilling through eLearning Platforms
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is required to stand, walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is primarily exposed to an office-type environment. The employee will frequently work on or around office equipment and furniture. The noise level in the work environment is low to moderate. The employee will frequently work with deadlines under pressure and will occasionally be required to work alone. The employee is occasionally exposed to outdoor environments which can include exposure to vehicles, moving mechanical parts; vibration; odors, fumes, gases, smoke, dust, or airborne particles; and outside weather conditions.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
UDWA is an equal opportunity employer, and, as such, does not discriminate against an employee or applicant based on race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, disability, or any other classification protected from discrimination under applicable law.
Notice of E-Verify Participation:
This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. For more information on E-Verify, or if you believe that your employer has violated its E-Verify responsibilities, please contact DHS (888) 897-7781, dhs.gov/e-verify
Women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA community are strongly encouraged to apply.
To apply for this position, please visit UDW’s career page and submit your application.
UDW’s career link https://udwa.hiringplatform.com/list/careers
Salary : $68,640 - $113,400
