Base-building Organizer (Mass Incarceration & Policing)

About VOCAL-NY

Founded in 1999, Voices Of Community Activists & Leaders (VOCAL-NY) is a statewide grassroots membership organization that builds power among low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness in order to create healthy and just communities. We accomplish this through community organizing, leadership development, advocacy, direct services, participatory research, and direct action.

At VOCAL-NY, we fight for systemic change rooted in justice, compassion, and love. We approach this work with a firm belief in reducing harm and ending stigma, and the knowledge that the issues impacting our communities are driven by institutional oppression, not personal failings. Our campaigns and services have saved or improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers across the state.

Job Location: This is a full-time position based in our Brooklyn office. Almost all of the work will take place in New York City, but infrequent travel to Albany and other locations is required.

​​Position Description

VOCAL-NY is seeking talented individuals interested in creating grassroots political power as part of a dynamic team. The organizer will support base-building outreach and leadership development among low-income people who are impacted by mass incarceration and biased policing/police violence and promote their participation in planning and policymaking that affects their lives. Examples of active campaigns include:

• Reducing the size, scope and resources of the New York City Police Department
• Holding District Attorneys accountable and challenging wrongful convictions
• Advancing reforms to parole, and reducing barriers to inclusion for people with conviction histories

The Organizer will be supervised by the Civil Rights Union Campaign Director and will work on a small team with other Civil Rights Union staff.

Job activities include: Community outreach, phone-banking, data-entry, mobilization, leadership development, and some administrative tasks.

Job Responsibilities

• Membership Recruitment: Conduct “base building” and achieve targeted recruitment goals through regular community outreach, this includes street-based outreach and outreach at transitional housing facilities, shelters, methadone and harm reduction programs, re-entry programs, HIV service providers and other venues as directed.
• Phone-banking and Membership Mobilization: Conduct regular “phone-banking” to engage and mobilize people to attend meetings, actions, and events.
• Data-entry: Record and input accurate & timely data into our community organizing database.
• Support meetings, events, and mobilizations: Support the logistical & programmatic needs of membership & leadership meetings, organizational events, actions, and mobilizations.
• Leadership Development: Conduct training & political education to build the knowledge and skills of VOCAL-NY’s membership base to participate in planning and policymaking that impacts their lives.
• Support Other VOCAL Campaigns and Coalition work: The position will be expected to periodically provide support for other community organizing and campaign work within VOCAL-NY. We have a highly collaborative office environment where staff members provide support for each other’s campaigns as needed.

Job Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a strong commitment to community organizing and building the power of people living with HIV/AIDS, experiencing homelessness, active and former drug users, and formerly incarcerated communities. A deep commitment to social justice is required.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Community organizing experience, or related experience, specifically doing community outreach and phone banking
• Must be willing and eager to conduct street-based, site-based, and/or door-knocking outreach multiple times a week, for several hours at a time, year-round.
• Proficiency with common business software (e.g. MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email clients).
• Direct experience with, or demonstrated strength in one or more key areas of VOCAL-NY work.

This is a full-time position. The position will require occasional travel to Albany.

This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific employment terms and conditions are subject to collective bargaining.

VOCAL-NY is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, people of color, people who are LGBTQ and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We are particularly interested in hiring those who have been adversely affected by HIV, drug use, mass incarceration, and/or homelessness.

VOCAL-NY offers a generous benefits package of :

• 20 days of paid vacation
• 15 wellness days, and summer Fridays
• Two-week end-of-year break
• $140 Monthly Commuter benefit
• A company cell phone
• 100% employer-covered health, dental, and vision insurance plan
• 401(k) retirement plan with 5% match.