Community Organizer

Community Organizer

LEAD (Leaders for Equality and Action in Dayton) was founded in 1992 as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit, non-partisan organization.

• LEAD is a grassroots community organizing group serving the Dayton area with a focus on support and preparation of people living on the margins (i.e., living in poverty). Our purpose is to help build their power to address injustice and create long term positive change in the community.
• LEAD brings diverse organizations, including religious congregations, and activists together to address community concerns. The goal is to build leadership and organizing skills among those affected by the issues so that they can use their power and voice to hold political, economic, and social systems. Since its founding, people impacted by poverty and race have had success in tackling critical community problems in the Dayton area.
• LEAD works to develop coalitions and working groups around specific issue areas that are identified by the affected communities. It brings together people across racial, religious and economic lines to make policy and institutional change in our schools, our neighborhoods and communities.

The LEAD Organizer is a self-motivated and detail-oriented critical thinker with a strong track record of successfully managing a variety of initiatives. They are able to take initiative and ownership of projects, and are able to provide creative and strategic feedback in the planning process.

Committed to the principles of social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion, the LEAD Organizer has a leadership background, and knows how to manage a large volume of relationships and solve problems.

LEAD seeks a community organizer to initially build a grassroots base of parent leaders in local Dayton communities hit hardest by economic distress and issues of concern identified among those leaders. This person should ideally have either personal experience as a public-school parent or professional experience working with schools and communities as well as in other areas. Candidates should be committed to building community power through grassroots organizing, movement building, and civic engagement.

Please note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. These are based on campaign and organizing objectives, or organizational needs and may be subject to change or alteration.

Women organizers and organizers of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

Required Skills & Abilities:

• Minimum 1-3 years' experience as a community organizer, with an openness to being coached and developed further
• Associate or Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Knowledge, understanding of and commitment to the empowerment of parents from under-resourced communities and experience working with diverse communities.
• Relational working style with strong interpersonal skills; ability to relate easily with a wide range of people, particularly low- and moderate-income women of color.
• Ability to listen well, collaborate, coach effectively and be open to coaching for further development
• Experience as a trainer preferred
• Excellent written, verbal, and listening communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills: planning, time management, computer skills (Microsoft Office, Google Drive, etc.), and social media familiarity.
• Creativity, flexibility, and good problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to work flexible hours and travel, including some evenings and weekends. Local, regional, and possibly in-state travel is required.
• Must have a cell phone, maintain a valid Ohio driver’s license, automobile insurance coverage, and have access to a reliable automobile for travel to 1:1s, events, trainings, and other events as necessary
• Physical requirements include frequent standing, walking, ability to sit in meetings and lift moderate weight for supplies.
• English/Spanish bilingual preferred.

Job Responsibilities:

• Regarding parent-focused organizing:
  • Learn parent-focused organizing and facilitate and coordinate its components.
  • With guidance from LEAD’s board and Program Committee, support and train new cohorts of parents in the Dayton community.
  • Develop parents' leadership skills and capacity to impact change in their own lives, their communities, and beyond.
  • Support parents to develop and implement concrete projects and campaigns to impact positive change in their communities and to engage parents in local collaborations.
  • Recruit parents into volunteer teams to educate and motivate people to take action around local, regional, and statewide related issues.
  • Integrate community organizing with long-term, community-driven policy change efforts.
• Regarding broader community organizing:
  • Work effectively with diverse board members, leaders, partners, and the general public.
  • Work closely with the board and Program Committee to develop and implement campaign and work plans.
  • Conduct research, issue development, media, and coordination of local organizing projects and campaigns.
  • Train grassroots leaders and groups to identify issues with attainable goals through engaging leadership base in participatory research and civic education.
  • Work with teams to identify issues, strategize and implement short- and long-term campaigns at the local and regional levels.
  • Organize:
    • outreach activities with volunteers including canvassing, phone/texting banking, and tabling
    • leadership development and organizing activities such as training, leadership and committee meetings, and
    • large-scale public events including community conversations, town halls, public meetings, and demonstrations.