Organizing Director

Application Link: bit.ly/26organizingdirector

Job Title: Organizing Director

Position Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Full Time Salary Range: $90,000-$115,000 annually depending on experience

Location: Seattle, WA (Hybrid Remote)

Direct Supervisor: Executive Director

About Us

The Washington Bus is the largest youth-led, base building organization dedicated to building and harnessing political power and leadership among young Washingtonians, especially those historically disenfranchised. We are on a mission to:

• Cultivate the largest habitual youth voting bloc
• Develop the political leaders of today and tomorrow
• Harness our governing power for social and political systems change

Through leadership development, issue-campaigns, policy advocacy, civic engagement, strategic narratives, and electoral organizing, we build a representative, multi-racial democracy to ensure that all young Washingtonians live in communities that are thriving.

We currently have eight full-time permanent staff and a rotation of roughly fifteen temporary organizers and paid interns throughout the year. Our staff and volunteers reflect the communities we serve and belong to; The Bus is overwhelmingly young, BIPOC, queer, women, immigrants or children of immigrants, and majority folks with disabilities and from working class backgrounds. We are passionate, hard-working, and professional, but also goofy and joyful. The Bus is not just a workplace, but a “political home.”

About the Position

The Organizing Director is responsible for leading, growing, and strengthening our newly restructured Organizing Team which consists of electoral organizers and student organizers who are tasked with growing and maintaining our base: the group of youth leaders, members, and volunteers who find their political home in the Washington Bus.

In this role, you will lead the design and oversee the implementation of organizing strategies across three interconnected areas to build organizing power and engage thousands of base members:

• Student organizing on high school, college, and university campuses (including Campus Voter Project and student chapters);
• Electoral and issue campaigns that advance our Youth Agenda through winning on candidates and issues; and
• Leadership development that builds a robust ladder of engagement for youth leaders, with particular focus on BIPOC and other historically disenfranchised youth. (including our Summer Fellowship, Internships, Youth Endorsement Committee, and Bus Underground programs)

You will provide the direct supervision, training, mentorship and leadership development for up to 5 organizing staff, ensuring that team members have consistent work plans, clear roles, and regular feedback to succeed in their individual roles and as a team. You will serve as a member of the Leadership Team and play a key role in setting the overall strategic direction of the organization.

How do we define Organizing Power, Base Building, and Mobilizing?

• Organizing is expanding the number of people who are supportive of our vision and platform and are active participants in ongoing work to move our long term agenda forward. Organizing power includes the capacity to expand the base of support, develop leaders, and grow the ability to force those in power to meet their demands. Organizing power includes base building and mobilizing.
• Base-building is defined as recruiting, developing, and retaining leaders from the base of impacted peoples to identify their interests and create a sense of collective identity and basis for ongoing engagement in action to change conditions. This creates trained volunteer capacity and mass leadership that have a sense of agency and political identity. Base building is a foundational and critical component of building more organizing power.
• Mobilizing is defined as turning out the base and an ever-increasing number of people to strategic mass interventions, the purpose of which is to force outcomes that advance our shared agenda and vision. “Mobilizing” is a broad term used to include public displays of support or opposition such as rallies, but can also include more oppositional tactics such as direct action.

In order to build the scale we need, we can’t solely rely on paid organizers.

Instead, we need base building that is driven by member leaders who are

recruiting, developing, and mobilizing members of our organization and broader

Constituency.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Team Leadership and Staff Development (45%)

• Supervise the Electoral and Student Organizing Teams, with direct supervision of up to 5 ranging from organizing staff to middle management
• Refine and implement organizing/base building curriculum and popular education workshops across Bus programs
• Provide skill training, political education, and hands on support to organizers
• Exemplify mutually accountable and visionary leadership and relationship building grounded in trust and strategic vision
• Oversee development of and staff training on metric tracking and data management with the support of the Lead Field Organizer
• Provide coaching, field accompaniment, and modeling to staff in order for them to foster youth leadership via youth committees and ladders of engagement escalation
• Foster a workplace that promotes wellness, centers professional development, and deep power building commitment

Campaign Strategy and Base Building (25%)

• Lead the organizing department in setting a unified campaign strategy with strong base and power building approach each year
• In close collaboration with the communications team, drive the implementation of campaign narratives and plans
• Develop issue platforms for legislative and ballot initiative campaigns in collaboration with staff and partners to ensure viability, responsiveness to youth needs, and centering youth leadership
• Proactively identify power building opportunities for new campaigns aligned with organization's strategic priority to build power among BIPOC and other historically disenfranchised youth
• Build and oversee the implementation of a ladder of engagement in conjunction with overseeing the recruitment, training, and development of grassroots leaders to ensure a robust, engaged network of leaders and volunteers

Organizational and Strategic Leadership (20%)

• In alignment with the organization’s overall 2031 strategic plan, lead the development and execution of a multi-year organizing, electoral, and base building plan with clear and measurable goals
• Advise the Executive Director on the organizing and electoral landscape and its implications for organizational goals
• Serve as a key representative to the Board of Directors, facilitating regular communication and strategic alignment. Present organizing and electoral progress to the board, incorporate their guidance into program strategy, and collaborate with board members to leverage their networks and expertise in support of organizational goals
• Serve on Leadership Team, collaborating to advance organizational priorities and foster culture grounded in equity, strong relationships, and power-building
• Cultivate relationships across Washington with youth, local and national partners (e.g. the Washington Power Building Table, Alliance for Youth Action), and organizing leaders to strengthen the movement at large

Operation and Development Collaboration (10%)

• Work with the Operations and Development team to ensure compliance with IRS standards, grant requirements, state and local campaign reporting, and non-profit financial reporting
• Manage and audit the tracking, evaluation, and reporting of base building, organizing, and electoral metrics across platforms
• Create and monitor The Washington Bus Organizing Team budget
• In collaboration with the Executive Director and Development Director oversee performance of program grants and support in maintaining relationships with funders, assist in grant development, and provide programmatic administrative support as needed.

Qualifications for Success

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications below, our ideal candidate will bring:

• 5 years of experience working with community, labor, or electoral organizations
• At least 3 years supervising staff and leading a team, with a strong track record of building teams and developing staff leadership through coaching, training and feedback
• 5 years demonstrated experience developing and executing strategic campaigns (electoral, issue-based, or grassroots organizing)
• Experience working with politically underrepresented and historically disenfranchised communities, and centering member leadership development
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders including funders, board members, and community partners
• Track record of developing and implementing training curricula and leadership development programs
• Strong understanding of youth organizing and movement building principles
• Strong background as a project manager leading collaborative projects with other staff, board members, donors, and partners
• Experience managing program budgets and grant deliverables.
• In-depth understanding of Washington state political landscape and youth civic engagement or willingness to learn
• Significant knowledge of 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and state political action committee compliance requirements

This role is best suited for someone ready to coach and develop organizers building structures that promote youth leadership to build youth power in our state. This role is for an experienced organizer and people-manager with a strong commitment to building youth power by growing our base and developing youth leaders to fight for our Youth Agenda. They are enthusiastic about using a wide range of strategies and tactics to drive campaigns and programs that shift the bounds of what is considered possible to win bold, transformative demands. They will support fostering organizational culture aligned with our mission to build power leading with relational, visionary, and accountable practices.

Compensation & Benefits

• The salary range is $90,000-$115,000 annually depending on experience.
• The Bus offers a comprehensive benefits package, including an ORCA pass, 100% employer paid premium for medical/dental/vision coverage, generous paid-time off, a flexible work environment, annual funding for professional development, and two months paid sabbatical after four years of service.

Location & Work Requirements

• Hybrid Work: Our office is based in Seattle, Washington. Currently all of our staff are working in a hybrid model and are only required to be in the office once a week, with additional frequent in-person canvassing, fundraising, and community events. The Bus provides employees with a work-issued laptop and monthly tech stipend for remote internet access.
• Travel Requirements: This position will require additional travel and in-person work throughout the Seattle and the Puget Sound area for events, partner and organizing meetings, conferences, etc. This position may require occasional travel throughout Washington state and infrequent travel across the United States. Access to reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license is required.
• Location Requirement: Consideration will be given to applicants who live in or within traveling distance to Seattle, or can relocate to Seattle in the near future.
• Evening & Weekend Work: This position frequently requires evening and weekend work.
• Physical Demands: This position will require being on a computer for the majority of the day, sending emails, taking calls, and attending virtual meetings. It will occasionally require attending and traveling to events for long hours and lifting and moving objects of no more than 25 lbs.
• Work Authorization Requirement: To comply with federal restrictions, you must be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident and maintain that status throughout the duration of your employment, given your directives of our organization’s political and candidate work.

About the Application

Please complete and submit this form. Applications submitted by March 22nd, 2026 will be given priority consideration. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis, and this position will be open until filled.

The Washington Bus seeks to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace. Women, black, indigenous, and people of color, individuals with disabilities, immigrants, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and candidates who represent the diversity and lived experiences of communities with which we work, are strongly encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other class protected by law. Assistance and/or reasonable accommodations during the application process are available upon request.

The Bus offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a transit pass, 100% employer paid premium for medical/dental/vision coverage, generous paid-time off, a flexible work environment, annual funding for professional development, and two months paid sabbatical after four years of service.

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