Community Organizer

Founded in 1989, Merrimack Valley Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on uniting congregations, unions, and community groups in organizing leaders and campaigns for racial, social and economic justice in the Merrimack Valley region and beyond. Our organizing approach includes storytelling, relationship building, and training to develop the power of community leaders. Most recently, these have included preventing the closure of Holy Family Hospitals in Haverhill and Methuen, and playing a critical role in successful statewide campaigns to increase the state minimum wage, protecting rideshare drivers, and winning passage of the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.

Today, MVP has grown to over 35+ member groups across the region and beyond. MVP places a strong emphasis on developing the capacity of faith communities to act on their commitments to social justice, and is part of a growing faith-and-values-based organizing movement in America. We are proudly an affiliate member of Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN). MCAN is a statewide network of faith-and values-based community organizations working for economic and racial justice.

For more information, visit www.merrimackvalleyproject.org.

Merrimack Valley Project is looking to hire a Community Organizer who is ready to build the revolution. Working with new and existing organizing teams, the Community Organizer will develop community members to become extraordinary agents of change in their community, identifying grassroots members with an appetite for leadership from within our congregations and the community. We are looking for someone who is not satisfied with the status quo, who is ready to develop Merrimack Valley leaders to vision and build the world as it should be and will strive continuously to learn more, to be in deeper relationships to move us toward social, racial and economic justice.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Congregational and Community Leadership Development –

• Build 2-3 strong organizing committees, one being the organizational core strategy team, with 8 to 15 leaders on each team

Build relationships with new and existing leaders through intentional 1:1’s (10-12 per week) and short check-ins on a weekly basis

• Organize for and prepare agendas, materials and relevant research for organizing committee meetings, actions and 1:1s
• Organize 1-3 actions total a year with their committees
• Have a leadership development plan for your leaders and organizing committees
• Support organizing and the preparation for organization-wide priority actions, fundraisers and events
• Support and build out coalition work that is in alignment with MVP’s vision

Structural Development –

• Lead organization wide trainings and create training materials
• Attend and actively participate in weekly Staff-Meetings/Staff Development and quarterly Staff Day, strategic planning meetings, facilitating meeting where needed
• Attend and actively participate in our state, Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN), and national, Faith in Action (FIA), organizations including attending staff meetings, trainings, retreats or events when appropriate

Fundraising, Data and Administrative –

• Research for and write grants regularly (sometimes may have a lull and sometimes may have more than 1 in a month) and support organizers with their grant writing
• Invite leaders and community members to become donors and/or monthly sustainers
• Build relationships with and set meetings with funders
• Provide written content for quarterly newsletter as needed; coordinating with and collecting written material from leaders organizing committees
• Create, prepare and print materials for training sessions, printing handouts, technology and room set-up, prep flipcharts, etc.
• Maintain outreach, event and leadership development data lists up to date working with Operations Coordinator using internal systems and database

Other –

• Meet weekly with the Executive Director(s) for one-on-one coaching, development, supervision, and project support
• Prepare a weekly staff report and quarterly work plan
• Respond daily to emails, phone calls or text messages
• Hold and document a knowledge of the issues, challenges, history and political environment of Merrimack Valley communities
• Hold and document a power analysis of the political, economic and religious leaders and structures of Merrimack Valley communities
• Attend city, community and coalition meetings when relevant to the work
• Support recruitment of institutional members to join MVP

QUALIFICATIONS:

Commitment to social justice and the mission

High level of consciousness and/or a willingness to learn and engage in conversations around race, class, gender, and faith/spirituality

At least three to four years of experience as a community organizer, with an openness to being coached and developed further

Experience as a trainer preferred

Strong communication skills

Self-motivation, detail-oriented, able to take initiative and ownership of projects, and able to provide creative and strategic feedback in the planning process

Relational working style - ability to listen well, collaborate, coach effectively and be open to coaching for further development

Frequent evening (minimum 2 nights per week) and occasional weekend work required, especially during peak organizing periods such as Action preparations and the Annual Convention/MICAH Dinner

Must have reliable transportation to travel to 1:1s, events, trainings, and other events as necessary

Computer skills (Microsoft Office, Google Drive, etc.)

Other qualifications that would be helpful, but not required include language skills (Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, Spanish, and/or Haitian Creole)

Must be able to thrive within a work environment that changes regularly according to community needs. Schedule and responsibilities will shift according to priorities and community availability