Community Organizing Strategist

Organization Name: 
The Grassroots Fund
Date Posted: 
Friday, February 3, 2023
Closing Date: 
Monday, February 20, 2023

Position Description: The Community Organizing Strategist will expand learning around Environmental Justice practices, grassroots organizing strategies, and participatory grantmaking processes to our larger network of grant applicants, Community Grant Readers, Grantmaking Committee Members, grantees and philanthropic/non profit colleagues. This is a new position that will lead design and support of virtual and in-person gatherings, follow best practices in instructional design, and actively evaluate efforts to increase impact. The Strategist will support the implementation of data management protocols to ensure that learning is translated into active engagement with the Grassroots Fund’s greater community through passive (toolkits, PDF briefings) and interactive (discussions, in-person convenings) spaces.

The Strategist works collaboratively as a team with Co-Directors and the Development Strategist and plays a coaching/support role with program staff. The Strategist promotes reflection, provides guidance and structure where needed and focuses on strengths, collaboration and common areas of improvement.

The Grassroots Fund is seeking a Community Organizing Strategist with experience facilitating diverse groups, who understands different social justice principles including but not limited to racial justice, environmental justice, consent decision-making, and collectives/collaboratives. The Strategist can apply best practices tailored to different learning styles; is able to coordinate meetings, events, and activities for community members; is able to encourage participation from people within a community; and understands and has experience in working collaboratively with organizations. Candidates should have passion for and commitment to environmental, social and economic justice and believe in the power and impact of grassroots action leading to a just transition. We are looking for a proven ability to work productively and respectfully across diverse communities and populations.

As the Grassroots Fund is a small non-profit, we seek someone who can work well independently and manage multiple projects and priorities. Candidates should have a high level of comfort working with online organizing tools like Google Docs/Drive and Zoom.

A candidate needs to have the ability to travel regularly within New England - and occasionally beyond - and participate in occasional evening and weekend obligations. We are looking for someone with flexibility and creative, solution-seeking skills.

Responsibilities: 

- Leading strategy for virtual and in-person spaces to convene grassroots organizers. Strategist works with Co-Directors to develop a data management approach that allows users to find peers based on meaningful search criteria and for those users to be aware of opportunities to convene and connect. This approach is rooted in our grant making program and requires developing an external and interactive tool that is visible and easy to use. Strategist is responsible for cultivating awareness of this tool and for creating a calendar of opportunities (taking into account other programmatic activities) for users to convene. Strategist is responsible for developing an ‘event flow’ and facilitation support tools for all staff to be able to support these types of gatherings
- Leading strategy for virtual and in-person spaces to talk about learning (Guiding Practices). Strategist works with Co-Directors to determine delivery mechanisms to share learning (passive learning through publications and interactive learning in virtual and in-person settings). This task requires collaboration across all staff to develop relevant content through data analysis and relevant frameworks and facilitation guides for shared (differentiated) learning. This task also includes logistics of setting up learning series for users to participate in. Strategist is responsible for making final decisions on content priorities and best practices for delivery. Strategist is responsible for cultivating awareness of these offerings across all users.
- Creating a comprehensive schedule of offerings, determining pacing of opportunities, and development of scaffolded resources and selection of best practices to meet the needs of participants. The Strategist oversees the implementation of events and convenings, including evaluating the effectiveness of events and convenings in meeting the organization’s goals and strategies.
- Facilitating external digital communications (examples including social media and email newsletters) and coordinating staff content/contributions;
- Assisting with participatory grant review process for Grow grant program as needed.

Qualifications: 

Graduate degree or demonstrated professional experience;
Experience delivering audience-centric communication/engagement strategies;
Familiarity with differentiated/scaffolded learning;
Excellent relationship-building skills and ability to inspire collaboration and facilitate group convenings;
Experience in environmental and social change organizing with diverse community members;
Experience in participatory/democratic grantmaking practices is a plus.

Compensation and Benefits: 

The Community Organizing Strategist is a full-time position of 40 hours with a competitive benefits package and a compensation range of $70,000-72,000, depending on experience and education. A copy of our salary framework is available upon request. The New England Grassroots Environment Fund is a nonprofit organization and an equal opportunity, at-will employer. The Grassroots Fund is committed to the belief that each individual is entitled to equal employment opportunities.

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