Community Organizer, Jewish Social Policy Action Network

Posted by Jewish Social Policy Action Network on July 31, 2017

Jewish Social Policy Action Network (JSPAN) – Progressive Voices for a Healthy Democracy

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
Applications due: ASAP, review conducted on a rolling basis
Reports to: JSPAN President
Location: Center City w/ option for tele-commuting
Hours: 15 – 20 hours per week
Compensation: $15,000 – $20,000

JSPAN is building the power and passion of the progressive Jewish movement by bringing together local Jews to advocate and organize for a more just and equal society.

General Statement of Duties:

JSPAN is seeking an experienced Part Time Community Organizer for the Greater Philadelphia area. The Organizer works with volunteer leaders to research issues,  shape strategy, and organize successful policy-focused campaigns. The Organizer cultivates grassroots engagement and leadership, educates the Jewish community about local and national social justice issues and campaigns, trains volunteer leaders in organizing skills, and builds JSPAN’s profile as a valuable, collaborative, and accountable community partner. The Organizer will be experienced, strategic, solutionoriented, and collaborative; will excel at building relationships within and outside the Jewish community; and be motivated to further JSPAN’s mission, vision and values.

The scope of work falls into three main areas:
· CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT AND EXECUTION: The Organizer is responsible for supporting the work of volunteer leader-driven, policy-focused campaigns. This includes developing strategy and content knowledge within specific campaign areas and supporting a participatory process in which leaders determine desired goals and outcomes of campaign activities, and help execute the related tasks and activities.

· GROWING AND DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP: The Organizer is responsible for helping grow the leadership of volunteer campaign team members, and the broader JSPAN base. The Organizer must be adept at supporting the leadership of a divers group of community members at varied levels of experience, offering guidance and support without eclipsing the learning and hands-on development of volunteer leadership.

· DEVELOPING AND SHARING JSPAN’S MESSAGE: The Organizer is responsible for maintaining an active social media presence including, but not limited to, JSPAN’s Facebook and twitter pages. The Organizer will also be responsible for working with the appropriate JSPAN board member to develop message content and recipients.

· FOSTER COALITION BUILDING: The Organizer will support volunteers who build and sustain strong relationships with partner organizations, and effectively build community between campaign team leaders and partner organizations’ base membership and staff.

Required Qualifications:
● Demonstrated success in community organizing.
● Experience implementing successful grassroots legislative or electoral campaigns with volunteer leaders.
● Experience developing non-electoral campaign strategy, including the ability to understand, articulate and guide volunteer leaders to influence government and power structures in order to change policy.
● Experience successfully recruiting volunteers or activists and developing their
leadership skills.
● Cultural competency, including the ability to create and sustain inclusive spaces for
people of all races/ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, abilities, classes, sexualities,
and levels of Jewish identity/affiliation.
● Ability to build relationships and facilitate collaboration with local and statewide social
justice organizations and organizing communities, Jewish institutions, organizations and
synagogues
● Demonstrated success at keeping multiple projects organized; good short- and longterm
planning skills. Strong administrative and time-management skills.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking.
● Computer, web-site and social media literacy (e.g. Google platforms, Word, Excel,
Twitter, etc.).
● Independent means for travel throughout the region for meetings, fundraising,
program events, etc. Flexible schedule; ability and willingness to work occasional nights
and weekends.
● Experience with event and program planning.
Additional, desired qualifications:
● Experience with social justice work in a Jewish context.
● Knowledge of the regional/statewide Jewish and social justice communal landscape.
● Jewish knowledge/literacy.
● Experience with of more than one organizing method/context, e.g. grassroots, faithbased,
electoral, labor.
● Experience with Salesforce, Mail Chimp or Nation Builder software.
To Apply: Please submit your resume and a cover letter stating why you want to work at
JSPAN to jspan@jspan.org with “Organizer” in the subject line of your message. We
sincerely regret that we will not be able respond to all applicants. Only those considered
for the position will be contacted to interview.
JSPAN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for
employment.
This job description is intended to convey information essential to understand the scope
of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or
responsibilities associated with the position.