Civil Rights Campaigns Director

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.

Position Description

The Civil Rights Campaigns Director leads VOCAL-NY's civil rights campaigns focused on policing, mass incarceration, and criminal legal system reform. This role develops the leadership and organizing power of low-income people of color directly impacted by incarceration, arrest, and criminalization.

The Director oversees campaign strategy, policy advocacy, community organizing, and staff supervision, including the Civil Rights Campaigns Coordinator, Civil Rights Union Organizer, and other Civil Rights team members.

Current campaign priorities include parole and sentencing reform, post-conviction relief, reducing reliance on police for mental health crises, increasing law enforcement accountability, reducing police and prosecutor budgets, ending police responses to homelessness and substance use, and reducing local jail populations.

Reports to: Managing Director of Organizing and Campaigns.

Job Responsibilities

Specific Responsibilities include (but not limited to):

• Supervise and develop staff working on VOCAL-NY mass incarceration and policing campaigns. Meet weekly for supervision, develop work plans, provide direction and support to ensure staff are meeting work tasks and professional goals. Create and maintain frequent and clear lines of communication around tasks, feedback, and expectations.
• Establish and facilitate regular team meetings with Civil Rights Union staff to develop strategy and troubleshoot campaign challenges. Support a results-driven team to build capacity for campaigns.
• Support Civil Rights Union staff and VOCAL-NY members in identifying advocacy issues, and developing campaign strategy, and ensuring timely and effective implementation.
• Oversee Civil Rights Union staff to represent VOCAL-NY in coalitions, build relationships with key allies, and move other organizations to action in support of VOCAL-NY goals.
• Monitor the city and state budget and legislative processes for issues related to mass incarceration and policing, identify and/or develop budget and legislative priorities, and lead a grassroots lobbying strategy to pass legislation or adopt budget priorities.
• Oversee and support the preparation of policy & research reports, legislative summaries, talking points for members, hearing testimony, and other campaign materials as needed.
• Support Civil Rights Union staff to develop relationships with media contacts; draft and pitch media advisories, press releases, and press statements for events; draft opinion editorials with members and pitch to media.
  • Work closely with the Development Team to align fundraising with campaign priorities.
  • Support writing grant proposals and reports to fund campaign work.
  • Cultivate relationships with funders and individual donors who support VOCAL-NY’s advocacy.
  • Ensure campaign work integrates grassroots fundraising opportunities where relevant.
• The position will also be expected to occasionally provide support for all community organizing and campaigns around the drug war, mass incarceration, and HIV/AIDS within VOCAL-NY as needed. We have a highly collaborative office environment where staff members provide regular support for each other’s campaigns.

Job Requirements

The ideal candidate will be an energetic, self-motivated individual who has strong interpersonal, public speaking, writing, and problem solving skills. Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to ending mass incarceration and a willingness to approach these issues through a racial justice lens.

People directly impacted by mass incarceration are encouraged to apply. The ideal

candidate will have:

• A deep commitment to ending mass incarceration in New York.
• A deep commitment to working with and promoting the leadership of people directly impacted by mass incarceration.
• At least 5 years of full-time community organizing, advocacy (or related) experience, and 3 years of experience leading and managing a team.
• Familiarity with the New York City and State criminal legal system – including key players, processes, and practices – and an understanding of why the system is in need of reform.
• A willingness to work in a fast-paced environment, with changing assignments.
• An ability to lead their own projects, and take initiative.
• Excellent ability to facilitate meetings and trainings, coordinate coalitions, and develop partnerships among a wide and diverse array of stakeholders.
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Proficiency with common business software (e.g. MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Gmail).

This is a full-time position. The position will require occasional attendance at evening and weekend meetings, and regular day trips to Albany, NY during the legislative session (January-June).