Organizing Director

Local Progress and Local Progress Impact Lab are seeking an Organizing Director.

About Local Progress and Local Progress Impact Lab

Local Progress and the Local Progress Impact Lab (together, LP and the Impact Lab) work collectively to advance a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of government. Local Progress (LP) is a movement of more than 1,500 local elected officials advancing a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of local government. The Local Progress Impact Lab (the Impact Lab) brings together local leaders, partners, and experts to build the knowledge, skills, and leadership needed to advance racial and economic justice at the local level.

About the position:

Local Progress and the Local Progress Impact Lab are looking for an Organizing Director with a track record of organizing, base and coalition building, training and facilitation, strategic campaigning, supervision, and project management. 

Working as part of a Membership and Organizing team, the Organizing Director will be responsible for envisioning and overseeing our caucus, state, regional and national organizing strategies, including building in non-staffed states, which involves membership recruitment and engagement, and identifying and cultivating relationships and buy-in from key allies, organizational partners and funders. The Organizing Director will supervise and support the development of Organizing Team members and play a leadership role in managing the overall planning and overseeing all aspects of the annual National Convening.

The ideal candidate for this job is someone with a track record of managing multiple staff members over a period of 3+ years, relational organizing, developing leaders, and bringing people with different backgrounds and opinions together to advance a shared agenda. You're a strategic thinker who also pays attention to the details. You know how to build systems to reduce redundancies, increase efficiency and create tools to produce a high quality of work. You have experience in designing organizing and issue-based campaign plans and facilitating effective meetings that make good use of limited time and organize people to action. You hold a keen interest in transformational policy and organizing at the municipal level. 

The Organizing Director will report to the Managing Director, Membership & Organizing.

Location: This is a remote position based in the U.S. with no in-office requirement.

Travel Requirement: This position is required to travel to in-person events up to six days a month. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Membership recruitment and organizing: Support the Managing Director, Membership & Organizing in designing, planning, and implementing LP and the Impact Lab’s organizing strategy. LP and the Impact Lab’s organizing strategy includes caucus formation, state chapter development, regional and national organizing with a goal of 1,700 members by the end of 2025. Identify local and state partners to support the growth of the network. Develop and support campaigns and programming for state chapters and staffed and non-staffed states. Here are  examples of our organizing work with state organizing and caucuses.  
• Fundraising: Lead a fundraising portfolio with set goals of funds to raise, maintaining existing relationships and identifying new funding opportunities.
• Cross-team collaboration and leadership development: Support staff in honing their skills and best practices for organizing strategies and implementation through cross-team collaboration, agenda development and meeting facilitation to improve the quality of our member gatherings, including advising and assisting with virtual and in-person events.
• Membership Leadership Development: Lead the strategic vision and development of LP and the Impact Lab’s three identity caucuses (Black Caucus, Women’s Caucus, Nuestro Caucus), and support the development of the new Pride Caucus. Support supervisees with recruitment and planning for Progressive Governance Academy trainings. 
• National Convening: The annual National Convening is LP and the Impact Lab’s largest in-person membership gathering with over 400 people in attendance. Working closely with the Events Manager and the National Convening Planning Committee, co-lead the project management and overall planning of the Convening with the Program Director. 
• Alliance building and movement collaboration: Build and maintain relationships with national, state, and local partner organizations. Support staff in navigating the intricacies of building partnerships consistent with our theory of collaborative governance.
• Support team development: Supervise up to 4 members of the Organizing Team. Serve as a coach to help supervisees develop, and connect them with opportunities for growth and professional development. In collaboration with other supervisors, work to cultivate and nurture a culture that aligns with organizational values and advances racial equity. 

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of organizing, strategic campaigning, and/or advocacy experience.
• 3+ years of demonstrated success in supervising staff working across a breadth of issues and functions.
• Experience in relational organizing and an ability to relate to and move to action a diverse group of people from a variety of local contexts and backgrounds, including in a virtual setting.
• A demonstrated history of success in fundraising.
• A background and skill set in designing membership-based and/or issue-based organizing plans.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects, create and execute organizing work plans, anticipate obstacles and identify ways to navigate challenges, identify and involve stakeholders appropriately, and drive projects independently.
• A commitment to inside/outside strategy and movement governance that features deep partnership between “outside” organizing and “inside” elected officials. 
• A demonstrated commitment to social, racial, and economic justice and a deep interest in local policy, politics, and government.
• Ambition, drive, energy, and the ability to work flexible, long hours when necessary and travel.

The Ideal Candidate will have:

• Experience in leading and managing multi-stakeholder coalitions.
• Previous experience working with elected officials.

Salary and Benefits:

Salary will be determined according to a salary scale which takes into account years of experience, advanced degrees, job duties, and other factors, but is expected to be between $127,000 and $138,000.  

We operate on a four day workweek with a default schedule of Monday through Thursday. We have a generous benefits package, including health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, five weeks of vacation per year, 20 sick days per year, paid holidays, and contributions to individuals’ 403(b) plans. The Local Progress office is closed between December 24 and January 1 annually. 

This is a management position and will not be part of the Local Progress bargaining unit. 

Timeline:

We encourage applicants to apply by January 24, 2025, for an anticipated start date of April 1, 2025. Applicants will be screened on a rolling basis so we encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible. If you have any time constraints, please indicate as much in your application.

How to apply: 

Please submit your cover letter and resume through the JazzHR portal. 

Local Progress Values

• Respect: We value people and treat each other with dignity. We strive to understand each other as full human beings, and give each other grace and room to grow. 
• Honesty: We communicate directly with each other, are honest about our strengths and our shortcomings, and are transparent about who has what level of information and authority and why. 
• Groundedness: We are authentic, and have high humility and low ego. We ground our work in the day-to-day reality and needs of our members. 
• Mutual accountability: We do what we say we're going to do, follow through on our commitments to each other and to our members, and we hold each other to a high bar. We self-reflect and develop each other’s skills as leaders. 
• Nuance: We understand that our work is complex and hold space for multiple viewpoints, contradictions, and tensions. We can hold many things as true while making decisions that advance our mission. 
• Impact: We empower our team to make decisions to drive their work. We are focused on results, persistent in overcoming obstacles, and adapt to changing external conditions. We take pride in our work. 
• Collaboration: We come together across different levels of power to advance shared interests. We center what’s best for the organization and are team players. 
• Joy: We value playfulness, humor, and joy as ways to create community, connection, and goodwill that sustains us through the challenges inherent in our work. 

Local Progress is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and actively recruits people of color, womxn, individuals with disabilities, and members of the LGBTIQAA+ community.