POSITION LEVEL: Temporary full-time position until June 30, 2016

REPORTING STRUCTURE: Reports to the Heights and Hills Executive Director

LOCATION: The Community Organizer will work out of the Park Slope Center for Successful Aging, located at 7th Avenue and 7th St. in Park Slope

CONTEXT: Heights and Hills is a 45 year old community based organization whose mission is to promote successful aging, through the provision of services to and advocacy on behalf of older people and their families. Our mission is based on these core beliefs:

• Older adults are assets to their communities.
• Older adults’ skills, experience, and wisdom enhance our civic organizations and institutions as well as individual lives.
• Older adults are an economic asset to communities.
• Making communities livable for older adults benefits all residents.
• Older adults are entitled to live as independently as possible, with dignity/personal choice
• Professionally delivered community-based services for older people are essential.
• Support for caregivers helps bind generations and improves outcomes for all.
• Advocacy for issues pertaining to aging is critical.

In mid-2015, Heights and Hills took over management of the Park Slope Center for Successful Aging (formerly known as the Park Slope Senior Center), a long-standing but under-utilized neighborhood senior center in the heart of Park Slope, and we are breathing new life into it. Our vision is to transform the Center into a neighborhood hub for people 60 and better, bringing opportunities for volunteerism, arts and education and physical exercise, as well as a communal lunchtime meal and opportunities to connect and find purpose.

In partnership with Councilmember Brad Lander and the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), this project will be modeled on the Age-Friendly Initiative, developed by the Mayor, the NYC Council and NYAM.

DESCRIPTION: The Community Organizer will utilize strategic community building and organizing techniques to engage neighborhood stakeholders for purposes of creating an age-friendly district in Park Slope Brooklyn, utilizing tools developed by NY Academy of Medicine. The organizer will recruit and train older adult volunteers living in the community to work with residents, property and business owners, block associations, elected officials, clergy and community leaders to transform the neighborhood into a welcoming and inclusive place for all ages. Responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to these duties:

• Collaboratively develop and implement time specific plans to implement an Age-Friendly Community program.
• Serve as liaison to stakeholders and neighborhood actors in community organizing activities.
• Volunteer recruitment and leadership development.
• Work with NYAM on training volunteers on best practices in Age-Friendly Businesses
• Promote Age-friendly Local Business work in the community, in partnership with the 5th Avenue Business Improvement District, Good Neighbors of Park Slope, Heights and Hills, and other CBOs as appropriate.
• Work with volunteers to educate at least 20 businesses in the area about Age-friendly Local Business practices, disseminate materials, and profile 3-5 businesses in the neighborhood who are going the extra mile for local seniors.
• Represent Heights and Hills/Park Slope Center for Successful Aging and Age-Friendly Park Slope at appropriate meetings, presentations and community events, as needed.
• Build knowledge of appropriate community services and resources to foster Age-Friendly community

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in social science or community development field, plus two years of relevant professional experience in community development.
• Group facilitation skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal.
• Good analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
• Strong time and task management skills
• Genuine commitment and sensitivity to residents and community issues
• Respect for economic and cultural diversity, experience working with diverse groups of people
• Highly motivated and independent, yet team-oriented
• Computer and other standard office equipment skills sufficient to prepare flyers and other communications, maintain databases, email, and website posting.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please email cover letter, resume to humanresources@heightsandhills.org

The Riders Alliance is a membership organization of subway and bus riders working toward a more just and inclusive New York City by fighting for reliable, affordable public transit for all New Yorkers. We organize subway and bus riders to build grassroots power across racial, economic and geographic lines: holding our elected officials accountable, engaging the public, and taking direct action to guarantee that riders have a powerful voice in the decisions that affect us.

The Community Organizer will be in charge of creating, developing and managing community organizing campaigns for better transit service. The Community Organizer reports to the Deputy Director and is responsible for:

• Identifying promising transit campaigns in targeted communities;
• Working with community members and leaders to determine goals and strategy;
• Building membership and grass-roots community leadership for the organization;
• Developing leaders among community members through one-on-ones, coaching, and training;
• Working with media outlets and reporters in order to earn coverage of campaign events;
• Building and maintaining relationships with elected officials, city and state agency staff, and other constituencies to win improvements in service; and
• Supervising interns and volunteers as required.

Required Qualifications:

• Strong understanding of community organizing, including managing campaigns, developing leadership, and recruiting members.
• Ability to lead locally-relevant issue-based campaigns in low-income communities, communities of color, immigrant communities, and middle-class communities.
• Excellent people skills: ability to quickly build relationships, to listen to and persuade people, and to engage people effectively around a common goal.
• Strong communication skills, including public speaking and writing.
• One year of experience in a community organizing or a political/governmental role, or equivalent educational experience.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Self-motivated individual able to work independently under strategic supervision from the Deputy Director and Campaign Manager.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to fluently speak language(s) other than English.
• Familiarity with communities throughout New York City, especially in the Bronx.

The Riders Alliance is an equal opportunity employer, and we strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply for the position.

Job features:

• Full-time position. The position will require some evening meetings.
• Competitive salary, commensurate with experience.
• Full benefits: excellent health, dental, 401(k) match, paid time off.

How to apply:

• Send resume and cover letter detailing your experience in local politics and community campaigns to Riders Alliance Deputy Director Nick Sifuentes at nick@ridersny.org.
• Applications are considered on a rolling basis; early applications are encouraged.

Reports to: Field Director

The Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (www.massedjustice.org) Ballot Measure Committee seeks dynamic candidates to manage volunteer voter contact efforts, coalition building, grassroots recruitment and the engagement of the members of endorsing organizations. We strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, those with disabilities, and those with working class backgrounds to apply.

Responsibilities:

• Works at direction of field director to secure and capitalize upon endorsements.
• Manage local coalitions.
• Organize outreach events in targeted areas.
• Recruit and train volunteers for overall campaign efforts, working with allied groups and organizations.
• Work with communications team to identify local spokespeople and media opportunities.

Voter Contact:

• Works under the direction of the Field Director to execute the voter contact plan to:
  • Build and train structure in the targeted areas
  • Implement the field portion of the voter contact program and activities
  • Provide training and direction to volunteers

Functions:

• Execute field plan as required by the overall voter contact plan.
• Organize table of allies in field area to run field program.
• Contact local elected officials regarding endorsements.
• One “drill down” political and field meeting per week.
• Identify supporters, undecided voters, and opponents using campaign organizing tactics.
• Manage field office(s) in region/area.
• Execute GOTV program.
• Assist with earned media and tracking in the field

Key Qualities and Competencies:

• Strong commitment to and understanding of community organizing, social justice and the labor movement.
• 1-2 years experience labor or community organizing including base building, leadership development, campaign research, and communications. This may include volunteer experience and participation in campaigns as a rank and file organizer.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a diverse organization.
• Knowledge, skill, and experience in developing and leading effective campaign strategy and commitment to developing rank and file leadership.
• This is a fast-paced work environment; expect to work on weekends. Must be able to multi-task and hold multi-deadlines as well as possess strong analytical skills.

To apply:

Please send inquiries, resumes and cover letters to Lynda.tocci@deweysquare.com. Deadline to apply – March 11, 2016.

MDRC is seeking paid Summer Interns of diverse backgrounds for our New York City office to be part of multidisciplinary teams developing evaluation research on current social policy issues. Each intern will have the opportunity to support a range of projects within MDRC’s five policy areas: Family Well-Being and Children’s Development, K-12 Education, Young Adults and Postsecondary Education, Low-Wage Workers and Communities, and Health and Barriers to Employment.

Responsibilities:

The paid internship provides the opportunity to work with MDRC teams on a range of organizational and analytical tasks, including but not limited to:

• Assisting with program operations and program development activities for sites enrolled in MDRC research studies
• Supporting qualitative research design and, if possible, assist with field research at local NYC research sites
• Processing qualitative data
• Conducting literature reviews
• Close involvement in various stages of producing reports, proposals, and other written deliverables
• Assisting with innovative ways to communicate our findings to practitioners and policymakers
• Providing general project and management support for project teams, such as note-taking

In addition to these project responsibilities, candidates will participate in regular networking meetings with various MDRC staff to learn more about topic areas of interest and to understand the context of MDRC’s policy work. Interns will also have the chance to attend trainings and talks to develop specific skills and knowledge areas.

Qualifications:

• Rising undergraduate senior in public policy, sociology, communications, or other related field
• Demonstrated interest in social policy issues
• Basic understanding of research methods and/or program operations work
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to multi-task
• Comfortable working in a team-oriented, fast-paced environment
• Comfort with and interest in learning to use new software and technology
• Very strong writing and communication skills

The eight-week paid internships, sponsored by MDRC’s Diversity Council, will be based in MDRC’s New York City office.

How to Apply:

Please submit the following documents by the application deadline of April 15, 2016 via our on-line application system:

• Résumé accompanied by a cover letter
• A personal statement (no more than 1,000 words) that discusses (1) your interest in policy research, (2) your career interests and goals, and (3) how this internship, coupled with your academic pursuit and prior experience, will contribute to your personal and professional growth
• A copy of your transcript
• Two letters of recommendation from faculty members

Only candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted. Candidates are expected to secure their own housing.

MDRC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. MDRC does not discriminate, and all qualified applications will receive consideration without regard to race; color; national origin; religion; creed; sex or gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression); sexual orientation; citizenship status; pregnancy; disability; age; military or veteran status; marital or partnership status; genetic information, genetic predisposition, or carrier status; prior unemployment status; consumer credit history; status as a victim of domestic violence, sex offenses, or stalking; or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Legal work authorization is required.

The News Guild of New York is looking for an experienced communicator to handle the union’s internal and external communications.

Candidates should have at least five years of communications experience, and an organizing background is a plus.

Interested candidates should send a resume, cover letter, three writing samples, and contact information for three references to apply@nyguild.org.