Labor and Community Job Opportunities

Director of Civic Engagement and Movement Politics at Community Voices Heard

Community Voices Heard (CVH) is a member-led multi-racial organization, principally women of color and low-income families in New York State that builds power to secure social, economic and racial justice for all. We are a multi-issue, multi-chapter organization working to build local and statewide power to win important political and policy victories. Our core organizing issues include fighting for a just social safety net, good jobs and access to them, truly affordable housing, a participatory democracy, and a fair share tax system. CVH has an affiliated 501(c)4 social welfare organization, CVH Power Inc., that leads lobbying and voter engagement work around an array of issues that affect low-income families.

CVH/ CVH-P seeks a visionary, action-oriented, collaborative leader for its political and electoral organizing work. The ideal candidate will have a deep grounding in building power in communities of color, experience integrating issue and electoral campaigns, and the political sophistication necessary to lead and significantly grow CVH/ CVH-P’s political and electoral organizing work to its next level of power and influence in the progressive movement and political sphere in New York State.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Civic Engagement & Movement Politics leads work to:

  • Increase progressive political & electoral power of low-income communities of color
  • Engage voters on core progressive values
  • Run issue campaigns that advance people power public policy
  • Build a volunteer powered and led election program
  • Raise independent money from individuals to fund the movement

The Director of Civic Engagement & Movement Politics will be a part of the senior staff team at the organization and work closely with the Executive Director and Director of Organizing as well as a team of organizers and member-leaders.

Specifically, the Director of Civic Engagement & Movement Politics is accountable for the following:

Civic Engagement Responsibilities

  • Build out a year-round integrated voter engagement program that supports and enhances the ongoing and deeper organizational organizing work
  • Plan and supervise electoral program and field activities to advance issue agenda and campaigns’ power
  • Coordinate mass-base field efforts and activities on behalf of campaigns, such as phone-banks and canvasses
  • Ensure training and education of members and leaders for legislative and electoral activity
  • Experiment with the building and utilization of a broader online base of support for CVH campaign work – experimenting with both member outreach via new mediums (e.g. texting) and ally outreach (e.g. campaign websites)

Political Responsibilities

  • Develop political strategy for organization and campaigns
  • Develop & execute a candidate endorsement process as well as 501(c)4 appropriate independent expenditure campaigns with CVH Power members & leaders
  • Develop and maintain critical relationships with key contacts at unions, ally organizations, and in elected official offices
  • Support development and implementation of local and statewide public policy agendas and corresponding campaigns based on identified membership needs and interests

Organization Building Responsibilities

  • Develop organizational strategy, policies, procedures, and infrastructure for CVH Power
  • Lead efforts around union and political fundraising; support dues drives
  • Track, review, and report pertinent expenditures across both organizations
  • Prepare written proposals and reports as necessary for the legislative and electoral work
  • Coordinate regular updates to members, political allies, donors, and other constituencies

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will be highly driven and self-motivated – ready to work in a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple projects and tasks:

  • Applicants must be committed to building community power, membership decision-making, radical politics & our theory of social change.
  • More than 4 years community organizing, union organizing, political/ electoral organizing, and/ or legislative issue advocacy experience required.
  • Experience working in and/or leading 501c(4) organizations preferred.
  • Self-direction and initiative to move a new and evolving organization and its program forward.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communications skills.
  • Knowledge of and passion around New York State and local city and county politics.
  • Facility with websites and social media; knowledge of html a bonus.
  • Experience supervising, training &/ or managing other staff and interns desired.
  • Spanish language skills are strongly desired, but not required.
  • Regular access to a car important; ability to drive required.

This is a full-time position that we are looking to fill immediately. The position will report to the Executive Director and will be based out of one of our four offices (NYC, Westchester, Newburgh or Poughkeepsie). The Director of Civic Engagement and Movement Politics will spend a considerable amount of time between the offices in addition to occasional travel to Albany, national meetings and conferences, as well as attendance at evening and weekend meetings.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send resume, salary history & requirements, and cover letter to Sondra Youdelman, Executive Director, Community Voices Heard/ CVH-P, 115 E 106th St, Fl 3, NY, NY 10029 or email cvh@CVHaction.org.

If sending via email, make sure to put “Director of Civic Engagement & Movement Politics” in the subject line. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

CVH is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, and people with current/ past experience on public assistance or residency in public housing are strongly encouraged to apply.