Oregon Education Association
 

Community Coalition Organizer

Based in Portland, OR

 

Job Title: Community Coalition Organizer
Classification: Exempt, Full-time Temporary (through July 2024)
Position Type: Professional Staff
Position Location: Portland office
Reports To: Director of Advocacy & Affiliate Services
Last Updated: May 2023
Salary Information: Per Professional Staff Contract - $88,500 - $140,862
To Apply go to: https://www.oregoned.org/contact/employment

Send Correspondence to:  jobs@oregoned.org

JOB SUMMARY:
The Community Coalition Organizer will work closely with staff and local union leadership and has primary responsibility for implementing the strategic community coalition organizing plan.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
General

• Support and advance the OEA mission, vision, and values.
• Contribute to, support, and actively engage in the organization’s commitment to create and maintain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Participate in activities, trainings, and/or workgroups to support OEA’s commitment in this important mission.

Community Organization and Parent Relationship Building

• Identify strategic partners and build relationships in the specified community on behalf of the local.
• Provide educational presentations and engage parent groups in conversations about our public schools and our shared goals for our students and schools.
• Participate in and/or recruit members to participate in community partner activities and events when possible.

Community Coalition Recruitment

• Recruit members, parents, and community leaders to participate in a community coalition focused on educational justice for students in the specified service area.
• Work to ensure coalition participants are representative of all community races, ages, genders, and other identities.

Community Coalition Facilitation

• Plan agendas and facilitate meetings of the community coalition.
• Work closely with the community coalition on identifying shared short-term and long-term goals that we can work together on.
• Facilitate the development of a plan for organizing and reaching the short-term and long-terms goals with the community coalition.

Member Engagement and Community Coalition Committee

• Engage and survey members about their community relationships and engagement in the service area.
• Recruit members to support the relationship building work long-term.
• Facilitate regular meetings and check-ins with members doing communication relationship building work.

Organizational Responsibilities

• Report on the community coalition work regularly to the local’s executive board and at monthly membership meetings.
• Work closely with organizers and when needed provide worksite organizing support to schools engaged in a school-based campaign with families and the community.
• Establish and maintain a positive working relationship with the membership.
• Strategize and provide insight and guidance to local leadership regarding local growth and direction.
• Conduct worksite and house visits.
• Assess, build relationships, motivate, and incite workers through individual 1:1’s and group meetings.
• Identify, recruit, and develop organizing committees and worksite leaders in their jobs and communities.
• Develop and implement effective organizing plans.
• Plan, mobilize, turnout and lead actions, events, and marches.
• Assist in developing campaign messages and other materials for organizing campaigns.
• Train and work closely with worker leaders and cadres.
• Prepare and manage weekly and monthly plans and calendars.
• Inform other Organizers and other supervisors of activities, developments, and progress of organizing activity, including worker meetings.
• Promptly return phone calls.
• Other duties as assigned or required in order to meet objectives.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Commitment to social and economic justice and improving the lives of working people
• A growth mindset for learning more about organizing and coalition building
• Knowledge of union organizing practice and principles
• Ability to work in fast-paced and independent environments
• Ability to receive direction from and interact with their supervisor or lead
• Leadership and motivational skills
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Basic computer skills, such as Word, Excel, and E-Mail Programs
• Strong listening skills and ability to take what you hear to resolve an issue or make progress toward compromise.
• Ability to quickly build relationships and trust with people.
• Effective and efficient time management, prioritization of work plans, and implementation of plans to meet objectives and goals.
• Strong ability to communicate verbally, in writing, and through various media and to compose original documents.
• Ability to think creatively to resolve problems, issues, and conflict.
• Demonstrated understanding and some experience in:
  • Organizing to build strong locals.
  • Commitment to fostering a member-driven and organizing union culture.
  • Knowledge and experience in state and federal educational issues.
  • Collective bargaining experience and knowledge of traditional, collaborative, and interest-based bargaining, problem-solving and alternative dispute resolution.
  • Designing, developing, delivering, and helping others execute organizing plans.
  • Problem-solving and other mediation of sensitive interpersonal situations.
  • Strong work ethic.
• Ability to work with diverse groups and individuals.
• Ability to work well in teams, including providing cross-organizational support to other areas of the organization.
• Ability to coordinate personal workloads and schedules in a fast-paced working environment.
• Ability to establish, track, and assess metrics (data) related to organizing goals and membership objectives. Ability to deliver and communicate complex data.
• Ability to work in a self-directed and efficient manner, maintaining calm under pressure.
• Ability to meet requirements of working with large and small locals, higher education, and educational support personnel in a large geographic area.

QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalency. Master’s Degree preferred.

EXPERIENCE
Required Qualifications:

• We are seeking candidates who excel in relationship-building, are results-oriented, and have strong project management skills.
• Minimum of six (6) months external organizing experience.
• Experience fighting for racial equity and social justice.
• Experience leading and collaborating with multiple stakeholders from diverse populations and with diverse personalities and viewpoints.
• Experience with planning and leading organizing actions.
• Experience conducting one-to-one conversations.
• Experience creating agendas, facilitating, and summarizing action steps for small and large group committees and meetings.
• Experience with internal, new member and community organizing.
• Knowledge of special programs, i.e., special education, bilingual, gifted, etc.
• Experience in facilitating organizational change.
• Experience as a UniServ staff person, union representative, organizer, or other similar union-related work.
• Knowledge and awareness of poverty issues and their impact on student achievement.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum of 4 years in education, social work, non-profit work, or community organizing.
• Knowledge of public education and educational policy issues.
• Experience as an education employee or working directly with education employees.
• Staff or Association leader experience in education associations, local, state, or national school employee organizations.
• Experience with Google Docs and Dropbox.
• Bilingual in a language widely spoken in the assigned community.

OTHER:

• Ability to obtain a valid Oregon State driver's license, have a satisfactory driving record, and have a dependable automobile for Association travel. Proof of automobile insurance with liability limits of at least $100,000/$300,000 required.

OTHER INFORMATION
SUPERVISORY

• The employee works under the general direction of the Director of Advocacy & Affiliate Services and is expected to operate with relative independence.
• This position does not directly supervise staff.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This person in this position will be assigned to an OEA work location; however, majority of time will be spent in the community.
• Travel is expected for work-related purposes. A successful candidate will have access to reliable transportation.
• Work hours will include evening and weekends as needed to meet objectives.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
The Oregon Education Association is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the Oregon Education Association will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process and/or to perform essential job functions, please contact Human Resources at jobs@oregoned.org.

An Equal Opportunity Employer