SEIU Colorado State Council

State Council Executive Director

Based in Denver, CO metro area

 

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is the nation's largest and fastest growing union. The Colorado State Council is made up of SEIU Local 105 and Colorado WINS (COWINS). Local 105 has over 8,000 members who work in healthcare, property services, and at Denver International Airport. Local 105 also has an affiliation with Colorado Care Workers Unite, an organization of homecare and other care workers. COWINS represents over 30,000 state employees.

The Colorado State Council is responsible for developing and implementing (in coordination with the Locals and the International) joint issue, legislative and electoral campaign plans that incorporate aspects of field, lobbying, communications, research, coalition-building, and member-leadership development. The Colorado State Council seeks to build long-term power for workers and communities. All of our work is anchored in the belief in Unions for All – and achieving a true multi-racial democracy. SEIU is seeking an innovative leader to serve as the Colorado State Council Director.

Position Overview
The State Council Director will guide and direct the council to develop and execute strategic plans that reflect the goals of the Local Unions in the Colorado Council.

Principal Duties

• Build and implement comprehensive state plans that unite work across locals and campaigns on politics, organizing, communications, and digital programs while creating opportunities to build member leadership, across locals for collective work.
• Work with Colorado locals to tell one story across campaigns to rewrite the rules for economic and racial justice.
• Center racial justice in all of work by consistently applying a racial justice lens and a race/class analysis to organizing, political action, and member engagement.
• Prioritize bold campaigns to win strategic union organizing breakthroughs by centering cross-local planning and execution of campaigns to win union recognition and demand that corporations and government rewrite the rules for worker power, promoting sectoral organizing and bargaining to lift up whole industries.
• Lead issues-centered political work that raises the bar for candidates and elected leaders to advance unions for all workers and builds a multi-racial democracy.
• Build integrated organizing and political programs that link the push for a living wage and workers’ rights to join a Union, racial justice, voting rights, and other issues that matter to members, workers, and voters of color.
• Support powerful and lasting strategic partnerships with Black-, Brown-, and AAPI-led organizations that foster a more worker friendly political and economic environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitate and manage collaborative planning processes by partnering with SEIU Colorado Locals, the International Union’s State Power program, and stakeholders to design plans to meet statewide political and organizing objectives and goals.
• Execute an integrated statewide program across SEIU Colorado Locals and priority campaigns to expand working people’s power in Colorado.
• Supervise and manage the work and development of all State Council staff.
• Create and execute a member leadership development and education program that focuses on politics and organizing.  
• Develop and implement a reporting structure that tracks program metrics and outcomes on the state council’s strategic goals.
• Represent SEIU to elected officials, partners and coalitions.
• Organizational operations and development, including budget management, financial and other reporting requirements, research, writing, public speaking, preparation of reports and staffing the Council Executive Board.
• Lead lobbying programs and support legislative field strategy for priority campaigns at the state and federal level.
• Support the development of SEIU Colorado’s yearly legislative agenda.
• Support a collaborative candidate endorsement process driven by members and not-yet-union workers.
• Anchor the coordination of SEIU Colorado’s electoral planning and IE programs.
• Foster and expand strategic partnerships and coalitions to build support and momentum for SEIU priorities.
• Oversee digital organizing program, in partnership with IU State Power program to achieve organizing and political objectives.

Key Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to workers, union power and member leadership anchored in a strong belief of fighting for economic and racial justice.
• At least 7-10 years of related, progressively responsible work experience including organizational-level leadership. Experience working in unions preferred; campaign, organizing, and/or experience in other progressive grassroots membership-based organizations will be considered.
• Extensive knowledge of political organizing and comprehensive campaign strategies.
• Experience in policy development and state lobbying work and a deep understanding of state legislative processes.
• Ability to design, coordinate, and direct strategic political and organizing campaigns.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to hire, supervise and develop staff at all levels.
• Superb interpersonal skills, with a history of forging strong relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• High level of leadership and judgment. Ability to work independently and in consultation with organizational leaders in complex political situations.
• Develop and maintain a budget and other administrative responsibilities. Properly complete reporting and other legal requirements by deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work in diverse workplaces with complex situations with multiple levels of accountability.
• Ability to negotiate, resolve conflicts, voice differing viewpoints and opinions and build consensus.

Direction and Decision Making
The Executive Director of the Colorado State Council is supervised by the Colorado State Council Executive Officers, and coordinates with and provides regular updates to a designated International Union representative. This position requires independent judgment.

Physical Requirements
Work is generally performed in an office setting but may require work in other settings conducive to performing the task required to complete assignments. Long and extended hours and extensive travel required.

Location, Salary and Benefits
This position is based in the Denver metro area.

The salary range for this position is $90,000 – $110,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Generous benefit package includes pension and fully-covered health insurance with dental and vision plans.

To Apply
Submit a cover letter and résumé to: ajacob@seiu105.org. The cover letter should be concise, compelling, and outline the specific ways in which you would be a good fit for this position.

SEIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, age, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, religion, national origin, citizenship status, or marital status.