Position Description

VOCAL-NY is seeking a talented individual interested in creating grassroots political power as part of a dynamic team. The community organizer will support leadership development, community empowerment and civic engagement among low-income people who are impacted by mass incarceration, and promote their participation in planning and policymaking that affects their lives. Examples of active campaigns include:

• Ending biased policing practices like Stop & Frisk and zero-tolerance policies
• Removing barriers to employment, housing, and voting for people with conviction histories
• Decriminalizing marijuana and creating alternatives to the drug war

Job activities are varied and may include: community outreach; mobilization; leadership development; base-building; event coordination; monitoring the implementation of legislation; data collection and analysis; communications and media outreach; and creating public education and advocacy materials. Some administrative tasks (e.g. phone calls, data entry) are assigned as needed.

Job Responsibilities

• Membership recruitment: Conduct base building activities and achieve targeted membership recruitment goals, especially through outreach at youth, Alternative-to-Incarceration, and re-entry programs, court houses, and other venues as directed.

• Leadership development: Conduct trainings that build the knowledge and skills of people who are impacted by mass incarceration to participate in planning and policymaking that affects their lives, as well as Know Your Rights trainings.

• Issue ID and campaign coordination: Assist members in identifying advocacy issues, developing advocacy strategy and implementation.

• Mobilization: Turn out large numbers of members to rallies, meetings and other events through mass phone banking and relationship-building,

• Phone-banking: In addition to directly phone-banking, the position will coordinate phone-banking for members.

• Membership meetings: Convene regular membership meetings and smaller campaign/committee meetings.

• Database: Record and input data into our community organizing database.

• Support: The position will also be expected to provide support for all community organizing and campaigns around the drug war, mass incarceration and HIV/AIDS within VOCAL-NY as needed. We have a highly collaborative office environment where staff members provide regular support for each other’s campaigns, which is in part a function of our limited resources and ambitious scope of work.

How to Apply

Please send a cover letter and résumé tojobsatvocal@gmail.com. In the subject line, please put “Civil Rights Community Organizer [Your Name]”. No phone calls please.

VOCAL-NY is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, people of color, people who are LGBTQ and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We are particularly interested in hiring those who have been adversely affected by the criminal justice system and the war on drugs.

The position will remain open until filled.

Note: Only those candidates under consideration will be contacted

The Organization

The Working World is a 501c3 organization with operations in the US, Nicaragua, and Argentina. We are a business lender like no other. If you’ve ever dreamed of being a part of a revolution in the financial sector – putting workers and economic justice at the center of your work while helping democratically run businesses thrive – then come and work with us!

The Working World builds cooperatively-owned businesses in low-income communities in the US, Argentina, and Nicaragua, using a groundbreaking model that combines non-extractive finance with tailor-made business support. We facilitate loans and business support to businesses with democratic ownership in many sectors of the economy that are designed to help facilitate business growth and worker ownership.

Since 2004, The Working World has supported more than 800 projects with over 200 businesses – lending more than four million dollars and creating hundreds of jobs in the process. We have over 98% repayment rates – unheard of in our industry. We attribute it to the tailor-made business support we are able to provide to each and every business that receives a Working World loan.

More information about our mission, impact, and team is available at our website:http://www.theworkingworld.org/

The Position

The Working World is a lender, but we are also a non-profit organization. Our loan fund is generated through relationships with investors who believe in our mission and want a return on their investment. We raise our operating budget from foundations and individual donors who have the same goals – they want us to deliver on our mission through the proliferation of successful democratically-run businesses. This is their return on investment.

The Working World is seeking a new member of the team who can beautifully articulate our work, impact, reach, and dreams to foundations through our grant proposals, foundation reports, and ongoing communication with our institutional funders and investors. The Fundraising and Communications Officer will work closely with our Founder and Executive Director, our Director of Research & Strategy, our Director of Operations, and our Lead Office Administrator to successfully increase The Working World’s operating budget over the coming years. Specifically, the Fundraising and Communications Officer will work to prepare grant proposals and grant reports, as well as keep track of the logistics of grant applications, organize and draft foundation updates and individual donor solicitation communications, and help log donations and send thank you letters.

This position will report to our Executive Director. Preference will be given to candidates who are in the New York City metro area and can work from our office in lower Manhattan.

Essential Duties

• Prepare initial drafts of all grant proposals, and refine and perfect them as a team with the Executive Director, the Director of Operations, and our Lead Office Administrator.

• Collect information about loans, business support services and other programs from staff members to fully articulate activities and impact in a given grant reporting period. Draft all grant reports for foundations and refine and perfect them as a team with the Executive Director, the Director of Operations, and our Lead Office Administrator.

• Draft all foundation and partner update emails and thank you letters for individual donors.

• Lead the process of developing the organization’s annual and quarterly reports, and disseminating them widely, liaising with a designer to ensure the highest quality report possible.

• Coordinate fundraising campaigns.

• Research potential donor and foundation prospects and maintain the prospect database.

The ideal applicant:

• Possesses positive, superhuman energy and knows how to get things done.

• Is an easy fluid writer who can articulate complex ideas in simple terms.

• Is an enthusiastic nerd, or avid learner, about financial markets, lending, business development, the new economy, and democratic ownership models.

• Is a creative problem-solver who can imagine how to make any funding opportunity connect with The Working World’s mission and impact.

• Has 3-5 years of successful grant writing experience, with a great track record of success.

• Has 3-5 years of communications experience, with proven effectiveness.

• Believes fundraising and effective communications go hand-in-hand, and thinks they’re both fun.

• Is a great communicator and team player – pleasant to work with every day.

• Is devoted to transforming our economy, and believes in a future where democracy is not so alien to financial markets and the private sector.

• Has proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Docs and spreadsheets.

• Possesses experience in project management or with juggling several projects.

How to Apply

Please send a resume and cover letter (including salary requirements) articulating your interest and qualifications for the position to eden@theworkingworld.org. Please include “Fundraising and Communications Officer” in the subject line of your email.

Applications will be accepted until close of business on May 23, and ideal start date is as soon as possible.

The Working World is committed to a diverse staff team and encourages candidates of all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds to apply. Staff are chosen on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression, in accordance with federal and state law.

Overview

The Neighborhood Revitalization Coordinator is a full-time position responsible for managing all aspects of the affiliate’s involvement with larger neighborhood revitalization efforts. This staff person implements the community development and outreach efforts needed to create partnerships and coalitions for creating a community planning process and increased involvement in HFHGN’s work. The NRI Coordinator also conducts research to support understanding of the target community and HFHGN’s impact, coordinates expansion of building products (ABWK, critical repairs, and weatherization), and helps mobilize resources to implement these activities. Additionally, this staff person will support the organization’s marketing and volunteer recruitment efforts.

Responsibilities

Community Development and Outreach

• Identify targeted neighborhoods within larger selected community to focus on establishing goals and strategic plans
• Identify and work with a coalition of official and unofficial community leaders, non-profit organizations, community agencies, and neighborhood residents to identify community assets and needs, and develop a community plan of action
• Develop a clear understanding of the issues of the target community
• Establish and maintain relationships within the target community and the Habitat Newburgh volunteer community
• Attend community meetings, events, and forums to facilitate understanding of our neighborhood revitalization efforts and HFHGN and opportunities for collaboration and partnership
• Coordinate efforts to recruit potential homeowners and neighborhood residents with Family Services Coordinator

Research

• Gain clear understanding of the Success Measures evaluation method and other evaluation methods
• Lead the planning process for community development evaluation and data collection implementation including identifying external influences, organizational influences, capacity assessment, performance measurements, and outcome evaluation
• Recruit data collectors (volunteers, college interns, partnerships with other organizations)
• Access, analyze and communicate relevant data
• Create reports and other mechanisms to communicate results with a variety of audiences
• Lead efforts to share results with staff, Board and community

Fundraising

• Network to build contacts and fundraising opportunities
• Research potential grant opportunities
• Write grant proposals to secure funding for neighborhood revitalization activities
• Work with Fund Development Manager to identify and secure donations and sponsors for community development activities

Construction

• Work with Construction Manager to identify viable sites and neighborhoods to target work
• Work with Construction Manager and Site Supervisors to establish and implement an integrated system for additional housing products including ABWK, critical repairs, and weatherization.
• Supervise ABWK projects as needed

Volunteer

• Increase number of volunteers and groups participating in HFHGN work including within the target community area
• Work with Volunteer Coordinator to implement volunteer recruitment and engagement for neighborhood revitalization housing product activities

Marketing

• Assist with creation and implementation of a framework for raising public awareness about the work of neighborhood revitalization and HFHGN
• Assist with creation, conception, and presentation of social media strategy and integrated marketing campaigns
• Support organizational branding through multi-media creation and design

Administrative

• Maintain organized records of activities and data collection
• Support construction application efforts

Skills and Experience

• A college degree (public policy, urban planning, sociology, political science, particularly useful)
• Experience working with diverse, and low and high income populations
• Knowledge of affordable housing
• Experience with community development
• Understanding of urban policy or planning desirable
• Spanish speaking ability desirable
• Data collection and analysis experience
• Skills to handle variety of data collection and outreach efforts
• Experience in using MS Excel to create databases and analyze data
• Experience with ArcGIS or other mapping software preferable
• Proficient in MS Word & Powerpoint, and desktop publishing desirable
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• High capacity for verbal and written communication
• Design and public relations experience preferred
• Experience with construction helpful

Work Habits

• Values a team-oriented approach to decision making and problem solving
• Values an asset approach to community development
• Works effectively both individually and in a collaborative environment
• Demonstrates organizational and follow-through skills
• Exhibits attention to detail
• Exercises excellent judgment
• Works with integrity
• Communicates effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and income levels
• Provides and receives feedback constructively
• Available to work evening and weekend hours

How to Apply

The review process of applications will begin immediately and remain open until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration please submit resume with cover letter to info@habitatnewburgh.org or fax to (845) 568-5632 by May 15, 2016. No phone calls please. This position is eligible for health insurance, vacation, and 10 holidays. Salary is commensurate with experience.

CAREER OPPORTUNITY
Advocacy and Policy Strategist [ASD-57]
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION
National Political Advocacy Department, New York, NY

For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been our nation’s guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States.  Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBT community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. With more than a million members, activists, and supporters, the ACLU is a nationwide organization that fights tirelessly in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., for the principle that every individual’s rights must be protected equally under the law, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability or national origin.

The ACLU National Office seeks a full-time Advocacy and Policy Strategist to join its National Political Advocacy Department.  The duration of this position is one year with the possibility of an extension.

Overview:

The United States abolished imprisonment for civil debt nearly two centuries ago, and in 1983, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed that judges cannot jail people because they can’t afford court fines.  And yet, many states are doing just that—jailing poor people for failing to pay monetary penalties, including fines, fees, costs, and restitution imposed as part of criminal sentences.  The result—modern-day debtors’ prisons—imposes devastating human costs, wastes taxpayer money, and creates a two-tiered system of justice.

The ACLU has been challenging this troubling trend both inside and outside the courtroom. We strategically pursue litigation, legislation, and public education to end practices that jail people simply because of their poverty.  We seek a Strategist to join our team with a focus on these efforts.

ROLES and Responsibilities:

In partnership with colleagues from other Departments:

• Design and implement strategic plans to work with judges, court administrators, and professional legal associations to develop best practices, devise judicial and legal trainings and otherwise advocate for ending the practices that lead to modern-day debtor prisons.
• Work in collaboration with local and national partners to develop and execute strategic advocacy.
• Develop relationships with allies and other organizations to further advocacy goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience and Qualifications

• A combination of  5-8 years’ experience in any of the areas below is preferred.
• Experience developing relationships with lawyers, judges, and court administrators.
• Basic understanding of legal principles and court proceedings.
• Familiarity with the legislative process.
• Experience building and maintaining coalitions.
• Organizing background and experience on advocacy campaigns strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build and motivate teams and work effectively in a team environment in both a lead and support role.
• Outstanding writing and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively, in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Commitment to civil rights and civil liberties.

COMPENSATION

The ACLU offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within the parameters of the ACLU compensation scale.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter, resume and a relevant writing sample to:hrjobsNPAD@aclu.org – reference ASD-57/ACLU-W in the subject line. Please indicate in your cover letter where you learned of this career opportunity.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU reserves the right to change the description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, and veteran status.   

The ACLU undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions.

We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact: hrjobsincl@aclu.org. Correspondence sent to this email address that is not related to requests for accommodations will not be reviewed. Applicants should follow the instructions above regarding how to apply.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”

To apply for any of these internships, please send a resume and cover letter to info@prattcenter.net with the internship you’re applying for in the subject line. No phone calls or walk-ins, please. 

 

Planning / Manufacturing Retention Intern
Hours: 14-21 hours, 2-3 days a week
Internship Dates: May 15-August 15​
Open To: Undergraduate or Graduate Students
Reports To: Josh Eichen, Planner/Manufacturing Retention Coordinator

This intern will work with Josh Eichen, Planner / Manufacturing Retention Coordinator, on a variety of fascinating projects ranging from land use policy and strategy to organic waste diversion from the food manufacturing sector.  This intern should have a broad interest in planning, be willing to conduct frequent site visits, engage and interact with a wide variety of stakeholders including business owners, and have a desire to learn about NYC!   Work may include:

• Collecting and analyzing primary and secondary economic data
• Land use analysis of zoning proposals
• Waste auditing and measurement
• Attending and participating in meetings
• Analytical writing
• Project management and coordination

Applicants with a sense of humor and Spanish language skills are encouraged to apply.

Energy Efficiency Intern
Hours: 14 hours, 2 days a week
Internship Dates: May 15-August 15​
Open To: Undergraduate or Graduate Students
Reports To: Rebekah Morris, Residential Retrofits Program Manager

This intern will work with Rebekah Morris, Residential Retrofits Program Manager, in the area of climate change mitigation through energy efficiency work in the residential sector. The work will include working on pilot initiatives that are testing new programmatic structures for encouraging energy efficiency for low and moderate income homeowners. Excellent communication skills, data management skills, prior outreach experience is a definite PLUS! Interest in environmental issues/climate change/sustainability is highly encouraged. Previous experience using design tools such as InDesign.

Work may include:

•  Outreach to homeowners via canvassing and/or direct community engagement efforts such as presenting at public meetings
• Support of program analysis through client data management
• Researching and designing educational materials to help inform homeowners on how to understand their utility bill
• Day-to-day program support which may include anything from emailing clients to posting ads on local blogs

GIS Intern
Hours: 14-21 hours, 2-3 days a week
Internship Dates: May 15-August 15​
Open To: Undergraduate or Graduate Students
Reports To: Sadra Shahab, GIS Specialist/Planner

• Extracting, cleaning, analyzing, and mapping US Census data
• Extracting and mapping data in support of industrial retention (e.g., getting data from
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, On the Map, ReferenceUSA, NETS, etc.) and transportation equity efforts
• Geocoding addresses using ArcGIS or NYC Department of City Planning’s Geosupport for various projects

Made In NYC (MINYC) Intern
Hours: 32 hours, 5 days a week
Internship Dates: May 15-August 15​
Open To:  Graduate Students
Reports To: Joanna Reynolds, Community Manager, Made in NYC

MINYC, an initiative of the Pratt Center, was created to support a vibrant manufacturing sector in New York City. (Local manufacturing creates employment opportunities for the city’s extraordinarily diverse workforce and gives the city much of its character and soul.) Pratt Center is working to increase awareness of manufacturing in NYC by developing the MINYC brand and related programmatic initiatives and by assisting companies in improving their marketing and capacity for growth. The MINYC Intern is responsible for assisting MINYC Community Manager Joanna Reynolds with all aspects of the initiative. Written and verbal communication skills are required. Interest in manufacturing retention and small business outreach is required. Website management, social media, database marketing, graphic design, mapping, and photography skills are a plus. Duties will include but not be limited to:

• Helping with communications tasks such as writing newsletters and posting on social media
• Outreach tasks such as contacting manufacturers to verify their membership information and improve their listings on our website, interviewing manufacturing businesses for the newsletter, and conducting factory site visits
• Collecting photos, video and other media from member manufacturers for inclusion on MINYC website
• Research tasks such as identifying new potential MINYC members for further outreach
• Organization tasks such as helping plan events and meetings for/about manufacturers

Economic Development Intern
Hours: 14 hours, 2 days a week
Internship Dates: May 15-August 15​
Open To:  Graduate Students
Reports To: Tanu Kumar Senior, Planner for Economic Development​

The Economic Development intern will work with Tanu Kumar and support Pratt Center’s policy, research, and advocacy work to advance equitable economic development in NYC, and nationally. The projects will include supporting a national research project focused on urban manufacturing, developing a toolkit for cities working to advance equity in their economic development initiatives, supporting a coalition’s efforts to advocate for zoning reforms in Industrial Business Zones in NYC, and other policy and programmatic work focused on identifying new opportunities and pathways for equitable economic growth. This will involve strong skills in quantitative and qualitative research, economic data analysis and report writing. An interest in equitable economic development strategies, and looking at national approaches. ​ This is a multi-disciplinary position that will involve:

•  Designing tools for collecting primary data, and analyzing primary and secondary economic data
•  Land use planning and analysis of zoning proposals
• Qualitative research to identify models and best practices from across the country
• Attending and participating in meetings
• Analytical writing
• Project management and coordination

​​

To apply for any of these internships, please send a resume and cover letter to info@prattcenter.net with the internship you’re applying for in the subject line. No phone calls or walk-ins, please. 

Organization

The New York Community Trust is seeking a full-time Program Associate for its Thriving Communities grant portfolio, which includes arts and culture, community development, and the environment. Established in 1924, The Trust is the community foundation for the New York area and one of the largest and oldest community foundations in the U.S. It has approximately $2.5 billion in assets from funds established by thousands of New Yorkers over the past 90 years. In addition to $120 million in designated and donor advised grants, it makes more than $40 million in competitive grants each year to ensure healthy lives, promising futures, and thriving communities throughout New York City. Grants support exemplary service provision, advocacy, and research to improve policy. For more information, please visit The Trust’s website.

Position Description

The Program Associate will work with a team of three program officers on efforts that:

• promote diversity in the arts; strengthen arts groups; develop talented and young minority and disadvantaged artists; improve arts education in the public schools; and strengthen arts advocacy.
• support preservation in low-income and minority communities and the boroughs outside of Manhattan, and restore historic places that represent significant and overlooked aspects of City history.
• build and sustain strong community and create economic opportunities for residents of low-income neighborhoods.
• ensure a representative political process and improve the function of government by encouraging voting, holding state and local government accountable, and promoting civic literacy for children and new immigrants.
• help New York become a climate-smart metropolis; create healthier, more livable communities, and protect urban ecologies.
• mitigate climate change; make disadvantaged and other communities more resilient to climate change; protect public health from the hazards of toxic chemicals and pollutants; and preserve biological diversity by establishing wildlife migration corridors and supporting connectivity on a national scale.
• improve the management capacity of nonprofits and strengthen the sector.

Initially, half of the Program Associate’s time will be spent administering the New York City Cultural Agenda Fund, a collaboration of seven foundations supporting cultural advocacy, policy, and equity in the City. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Assisting with new grant investigations, including reviewing and summarizing research on current topics and attending funder briefings and other information sessions;
• Assisting with docket preparation, including arranging site visits, gathering all necessary documents, and drafting internal memos for grant recommendations and declines;
• Monitoring grantee progress, including reviewing and summarizing grantee reports, liaising with grantees, and attending grantee events and programs; and
• Supporting activities specific to the New York City Cultural Agenda Fund, including writing grant proposals and reports to donor foundations, providing periodic updates to the Fund’s Advisory Committee, working with technical assistance consultants, writing blog posts, and organizing meetings with arts advocates, funders, and City officials.

Qualifications

Candidates should have clear and accurate writing skills, strong proofreading and research skills, good attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and knowledge of New York City and the ability to get around the five boroughs. Candidates with experience and/or familiarity with arts, community development, and/or environmental nonprofits in the City are strongly preferred. Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of work experience required.

Compensation is competitive with a generous benefits package. The New York Community Trust is an equal opportunity employer.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email their resume, cover letter, and two brief writing samples (500-1500 words a piece). Please write in the subject line [Full Name] – PA Thriving Communities. Applications should be received at The Trust by 5:00 pm on May 2, 2016. Email application to Joan Reedy, at jmr@nyct-cfi.org. No phone calls regarding the positions will be accepted.