Lead Community Organizer

About the Role

Do you believe organizing is about building power, not just raising voices? Can you turn one-on-one conversations into community-wide action, and help others do the same? Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC) seeks a strategic, grounded, and experienced Lead Organizer to launch and grow our community organizing work in Dorchester and Roxbury.

This is a unique opportunity to shape DBEDC’s grassroots organizing strategy from the ground up. The Lead Organizer will operate within a dual reporting structure: formally reporting to the Chief of Staff, with a strong collaborative partnership with the Director of Resident and Community Engagement. This structure reflects the cross-cutting nature of the work, which bridges community voice, advocacy, and organizational strategy.

You will serve as DBEDC’s dedicated organizer, laying the foundation for how we engage residents, workers, and small businesses around the issues that matter most, such as affordable housing, access to economic opportunity, and neighborhood stability and preparedness.

What you can expect to do in the role:

Organize and Mobilize

• Build and sustain trusted relationships with residents, small businesses, and workers in Dorchester and Roxbury.
• Identify community priorities through conversations, events, and listening sessions, and lead grassroots campaigns in response.
• Organize around affordable housing, economic opportunity, and neighborhood stability and preparedness.
• Mobilize community members to participate in civic life, policy processes, and public campaigns through flyering, phone banking, door-knocking, and tabling.
• Develop and support local leaders to advocate for community priorities and shape DBEDC’s policy agenda.

Strategic Leadership and Alignment

• Ensure all organizing efforts reflect community-driven goals.
• Collaborate closely with Workforce Development, Real Estate, Small Business, and Resident Services teams to integrate organizing into program delivery.
• Maintain regular strategy coordination with the Chief of Staff and CEO, surfacing community insights, policy opportunities, and learning.
• Represent DBEDC in coalitions and advocacy efforts, advancing shared goals and community benefits.

Mentorship and Internal Learning

• Track community issues, campaign outcomes, and participation.
• Share stories, feedback, and recommendations to inform DBEDC’s strategic direction.
• Support internal learning and reflection around DBEDC’s role in community power-building.

Supervision and Team Growth

• While this role does not currently include direct staff supervision, the Lead Community Organizer may supervise interns, fellows, or volunteers engaged in organizing and advocacy work. As DBEDC expands its organizing function, this position is expected to play a key role in building and mentoring a team. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the capacity to support others, delegate effectively, and cultivate leadership in emerging organizers and community leaders.

What we are looking for (Required Qualifications)

• Experienced and Impactful Organizer: At least 5 years of community, labor, or issue-based organizing with a proven record of designing and leading successful campaigns that resulted in tangible wins.
• Strategic and Mature Leader: Brings sound judgment, self-awareness, and the ability to align community organizing with institutional goals.
• Self-Starter with Initiative: Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and follow through with minimal supervision.
• Accessible Communicator: Communicates clearly and confidently across written, verbal, and public platforms; communicates in a way that feels authentic, familiar, and grounded in real life. Meets people where they are, not where systems expect them to be.
• Persistent Relationship-Builder: Invests in long-term, authentic connections with residents, businesses, and partners.
• Power and Systems-Oriented: Understands the conditions that keep power and resources out of our communities and connects neighborhood-level work to broader political and economic systems. Possesses clarity about the frameworks that shape who has power—and who doesn’t.
• Systems Thinker and Connector: Makes strategic links between community needs, program delivery, and policy impact.
• Data-Informed Storyteller: Able to track participation, community feedback, and campaign milestones, and communicate impact using both data and narrative.
• Technologically Proficient: Comfortable using technology including Microsoft Office, Salesforce, and project management systems (e.g., Asana, Trello).
• Multi-modal Organizer: Skilled in analog (flyering, phone calls, events) and digital outreach strategies.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Familiarity with Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods.
• Fluency in Cape Verdean Kriol, Haitian Kreyol, Black English Vernacular (BEV), Patois (or English-based Creole), Spanish, or other community languages/dialects.
• Lived experience aligned with the communities DBEDC serves.
• Supervisory experience.

Other important details

• Don’t be discouraged from applying if you don’t “check all the boxes.” We appreciate the uniqueness of candidates, and there is no “perfect" resume!
• Salary range: $75,000–$85,000.
• Local travel within Boston, evening and weekend availability is required; regional or national travel may be required.

Living Our Values

At DBEDC, our culture is grounded in shared values:

• Accountability: We take ownership of our words, actions, and their impacts.
• Curiosity: We ask questions, try new things, and learn from experience.
• Collaboration: We build trusting relationships internally and externally.
• Transparency: We communicate directly, honestly, and with clarity.
• Innovation: We embrace change, challenge convention, and adapt with intention.

DBEDC proudly offers a total compensation package that goes above and beyond, supporting your health, well-being, and work-life balance. Here’s what you can look forward to:

Health and Wellness

• Choose from several generous medical insurance packages with no waiting period.
• Employer-paid dental and vision coverage to keep you smiling.
• Access to Flexible Spending Accounts and the Dependent Care Assistance Program for added flexibility.
• Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, and Accidental Death coverage for peace of mind.
• On-demand Employee Wellbeing Services to help you thrive.

Lifestyle and Perks

• Access exclusive discounts through our Perks at Work Program.
• Enjoy a flexible hybrid work environment, balancing work and life with ease.

Time Off That Works for You

• Generous amount of vacation time to recharge and relax.
• Seventeen paid holidays, including your birthday, because you deserve to celebrate.
• Fifteen sick days for when you need to rest and recover.
• Three personal days for life’s unexpected moments.
• Five volunteer days to give back.

Future-Focused Benefits

• Save for your future with our 403(b)-retirement plan, featuring a generous employer contribution.

Professional Development

• Grow your career with access to professional development opportunities, including workshops, conferences, and training programs.
• Collaborate and learn in a dynamic environment that encourages innovation and skill-building.

At DBEDC, we’re not just offering benefits, we’re investing in you! Join us and experience a workplace that values your well-being and success while building a brighter future for Dorchester and beyond!

About Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC)

DBEDC is a Community Development Corporation (CDC) and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Founded in 1979, we work to build a strong, thriving, and diverse community in Boston’s North Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods. We develop and preserve home ownership and rental housing across income levels. We create and sustain economic development opportunities for businesses and individuals. We build community through organizing, civic engagement, and leadership development.

We are one of Boston’s legacy agencies and most established community development organizations, with an annual operating budget of approximately $11 million and a staff of 32.

At DBEDC, we welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds and experiences, including those from unconventional career paths and anyone who can bring fresh perspectives and lived experiences to our team. Together, we aim to build an organization that reflects and celebrates the vibrancy of the communities we serve.