JESPA
Jeffco Education Support Professionals Association

Member Advocacy and Operations Assistant

Based in Golden, CO

 

Position: JESPA Organizer

The Jeffco Education Support Professionals Association Office is located in Golden, Colorado. This local option UniServ unit represents the 4,000 Education Support Professionals working for Jefferson County Public Schools and is affiliated with the Colorado Education Association and National Education Association The bargaining unit consists of Education Support Professionals working in many job titles such as secretaries, paraeducators, custodians, bus drivers and assistants, food service workers, techs, tutors, interpreters, preschool teachers, and other support staff.

Organizers lead workers to form, build, and grow our union; guide workers to negotiate and enforce their union contracts; mobilize workers around worksite issues, politics, public policy, and- other issues affecting the lives of workers; develop rank-and-file leadership among workers; and carry out all other programs of the union in the field.

The Organizer will be assigned to multiple areas of responsibility depending on the needs of the organization and the strategic plan. Assignments are made by the Executive Director and are subject to change based on the needs of the Union.

• Internal Organizing/Collective Bargaining Campaigns
• External Organizing/Strategic Campaigns
• Political Organizing/Community Coalitions

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the organizer, coordinator and trainer of leadership committees in organizing and capacity building, membership growth, community engagement, leadership identification and development, scratch organizing/new growth and other capacity building efforts.
• Serve as a resource to staff and leaders with membership growth and leadership development, including: providing training, creating and sharing materials, coordinating events focused on growth, etc.
• Map member relationships and interests and align them with the overall goals of the Union.
• Move campaigns and take initiatives on promoting and carrying out strategies and tactics.
• Provide training for leaders and members to strengthen their organizing and advocacy skills.
• Create membership communications both internal and external, and support the communications program related to JESPA organizing campaigns.
• Support the development and implementation of the JESPA collective bargaining program.
• Competently and professionally represent members as needed
• Exercise sound judgement and make appropriate decisions within the scope of authority of the position.
• Optimize use of resources such as CEA and NEA and take advantage of opportunities for coordination with other locals and union staff and leaders
• Maintain and meet numeric goals and metrics for membership and leadership 
• Balance conflicting demands successfully
• Work independently and as part of a team
• Develop qualitative and quantitative reports related to the assigned work.
• Maintain a work plan and professional calendar.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Salary and Benefits Information:
Starting pay at entry level: $58,870. This is a 1-year temporary position with possibility for advancement and a permanent position.

Fringe Benefits: 
This employee will receive a benefit allocation of $650.00 per month to offset the cost of benefit coverage. The employees of JESPA receive the same holidays as the full-time employees of the school district. In addition, JESPA employees annually receive 2 personal leave days, 12 days of sick leave and vacation days determined by years of service.

Essential Qualifications for the Position:

• High School Diploma
• Demonstrated use of sound professional judgment
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communications skills
• Knowledge of organizing principles and demonstrated ability to develop and implement organizing plans
• Proficiency in basic computer technologies, databases, and social media.
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Conflict resolution skills
• Understanding of membership-based organizations
• Project planning and management skills
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and manage time and financial resources
• Ability to work with minimum supervision
• Willingness and ability to expand knowledge and skills in a rapidly changing environment
• Training and presentation skills
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with staff and leaders
• Willingness and ability to advocate for the membership and goals of the organization
• Willingness and ability to drive and work long and/or irregular hours including some weekends.

Preferred Qualifications for the Position:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Spanish proficiency preferred.
• Familiarity with issues affecting ESPs (Education Support Professionals)
• Ability to write a comprehensive organizing campaign plan that demonstrates an understanding of campaign messaging, strategy, last to first planning, and data analysis and to work with leaders to implement such a plan.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully developing, implementing and winning comprehensive organizing campaigns that have resulted in increased membership, leadership and member engagement.
• Demonstrated experience planning and implementing organizing blitzes including development of organizing rap, assessment questions, tracking tools and follow-up plans.
• Demonstrated experience in organizing and leadership identification and development including skills in utilizing data for targeting organizing campaigns and experience with organizing conversations, assessments and moving people to action.
• Demonstrated experience in community organizing and coalition building among diverse organizations with competing interests.
• Demonstrated experience working on successful organizing campaigns.
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with staff and leaders.
• Facilitation, training and presentation skills including the ability to train leaders and members with the necessary skills and tools to recruit, retain and engage members and external partners.
• Ability to use organizing techniques to prepare locals for bargaining, policy, and legislative issues.

Desired Qualifications for the Position:

• Familiarity with community, education and labor groups and coalitions in Jeffco and/or the Denver Metro Area.
• Familiarity with databases such as the VAN and Action Network
• Ability to demonstrate a basic understanding of, and advocacy regarding policies and strategies that impact education professions and student learning.
• Familiarity with collective bargaining in both interest based and traditional bargaining environments as well as bargaining for the common good strategies.
• Experience organizing through house visits and planning and implementing organizing tactics and strategies including rallies, marches and other direct actions.
• Successful experience working in the area of labor relations and/or research including strategic research to guide organizing and campaign strategy.
• Ability to design, produce and manipulate database reports, spreadsheets, and presentation software.

JESPA recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status and as required by applicable law. We believe that bad behavior by employers and corporations disproportionately hurts the most marginalized people in society including people of color, working class people, women and LGBTQ+ people. We center these communities in the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.

To Apply:
Please send your cover letter, résumé and reference to Zander Kaschub, JESPA President, at: zkaschub@coloradoea.org.

Please apply by February 13th 2026.