Position Description

Harlem United is recruiting for a Community Organizer to build the grassroots political power of the communities we serve in Harlem and beyond.

With support from the policy, advocacy, and communication’s team, the Community Organizer implements Harlem United’s core commitment to empowering clients through leadership development and civic engagement so they can educate the public and advocate for their communities at all levels of government.

Essential Job Functions

• The following duties are mandatory requirements of the job:

• Recruit and engage clients, volunteers, and staff to achieve targeted goals across multiple agency programs and locations.
• Plan and facilitate meetings with clients, volunteers, and staff to organize, implement, and support program activities.
• Develop, educate, and empower peer leaders by creating and conducting trainings and issue education activities.
• Identify, create, and coordinate participation in issue campaigns that support Harlem United’s mission, advocacy agenda, and the needs of clients.
• Mobilize clients, staff, and volunteers to participate in rallies, press conferences, grassroots actions, phone-banking, online advocacy, meetings with key policymakers, and other advocacy activities.
• Draft and edit materials for publication and distribution in mainstream and social media, including website content, press releases, policy briefs, newsletters, flyers, and action alerts.
• Represent the agency in community-organizing activities, including coalition building and forming alliances with faith-based, civil rights, and others organizations that fight homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, stigma, poverty, violence, discrimination, and other social determinants of health.
• Coordinate voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns, including event tabling and the creation of voter education guides.
• Collect and track participation, outcomes, and evaluation data.
• Perform other department or agency related duties or special projects as directed by the supervisor.

Education and Certification

College degree or equivalent experience, with a focus on social work, racial and economic justice, public health, public administration, political science, and other social science or related fields.

Special Skills and Knowledge

• Proven experience in community organizing, public education, racial and economic justice, human rights advocacy, and group facilitation with diverse communities.
• Excellent public speaking, presentation, training, and writing skills.
• Ability to lead coalitions with community partners.
• Experience in public health organizing and advocacy, particularly related to HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, and other health disparities affecting diverse communities.
• Willingness to travel to and work in agency locations throughout Harlem and the South Bronx, with occasional travel to Albany and Washington, DC.
• Familiarity with government budget and policy-making processes.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional week nights and weekends.
• Fluency using technology, including social media, Microsoft Office, and related software in a Windows environment.
• Conversational fluency in Spanish and/or French preferred, but not required.

Email resume and cover letter including salary requirements to recruiting@harlemunited.org include “Community Organizer” in email’s subject line.