Lead Network Block & Build Organizer/Volunteer Organizer

Bay Resistance Institute

Lead Network Block & Build Organizer/Volunteer organizer Job Description

Bay Resistance Institute

Bay Resistance Network is a regional alliance of community organizations, labor unions, faith groups and activists groups who originally came together in the Fall of 2016 to fight and resist Trump’s and the Right’s attacks on our communities and then was reconvened in the fall of 2023 to mobilize solidarity against the genocide in Gaza. In 2024 we went through a full re-boot to reconven our entire coalition to confront the attacks from the second Trump administration. Along with our partners, we have organized dozens of actions and activities. We have 40 distributed action pods and a large database of activists who want to plug into volunteer activities and campaigns. We have held mass meetings and trainings, convened coordinating meetings for mobilizations, and held monthly art builds. We have over 200 organizations organizing in or serving impacted communities and every month 20-40 come together to strategies and discuss action priorities.

We are seeking an experienced organizer to convene our network organizations and support them to develop shared analysis, identify areas of overlap and opportunity to build joint resistance campaigns. The organizer would do volunteer organizing, support the formation and development of action pods, coordinate volunteer opportunities, connect activists to base building organizations and support the skills and political development of volunteers.

The ideal candidate has:

• experience organizing in immigrant rights, economic, racial or environmental justice
• familiarity with the Bay Area political and organizing landscape
• strong interpersonal organizing and coalition building skills
• burning desire to defeat facism and urgency around organizing a mass bass to do so

Bay Resistance Institute is a 501(c)3 organization. The Organizer/Volunteer Manager position will be shared with our sister entity Bay Resistance, a separate 501(c)4.

General Job Description:

The Bay Resistance Institute Lead Network Organizer/Volunteer Manager reports directly to the Bay Rising Organizing Director. The organizer builds relationships with network organizations in order to understand their work and how their members are impacted by current attacks and connect them to joint campaigns and defense strategies. The organizer’s time may be split between organizing with the network organizations and organizing with our volunteers, many of whom are organized into action pods. The organizer will work with network organizations to coordinate volunteer activities within Bay Resistance. The organizer is responsible for updating and managing the activist database through Action Network and creating & maintaining activities, structures & communications systems to maintain volunteer participation. The lead organizer may lead other organizers on their work.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The following responsibilities are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel classified in this manner. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Develop the Bay Resistance Network of Organizations and support the organizations to develop shared strategy and action plans

• One on ones with organizers and leaders at network organizations
• Work with the organizing director to help facilitate and plan network meetings
• Attend other coalition meetings for campaigns and sectors that Bay Resistance is supporting and represent Bay Resistance
• Attend actions to represent Bay resistance, coordinate Bay Resistance contingents and outreach activities
• Support network organizations to plan and execute campaigns (current campaigns include, ICE Out of Dublin, Hands Off Medicaid, Know Your Rights, Tesla Take Down)
• Support network organizations to integrate By Resistance volunteers and pods into their campaigns, work with Network organizations to plan and staff volunteer activities
• Support the development of a Bay Area united front against fascism, could include outreach to unusual allies, businesses, politicians, civic organizations, etc
• Support leaders of network organizations to develop “block and build” strategy to wage joint campaigns to defend our communities against billionaire backed right wing attacks while simultaneously waging proactive fights for the world we deserve based in economic and racial justice.

Recruit, Train, Develop, Supervise, and Retain Volunteers & Action Pods

• Lead the work of Bay Resistance organizers to organize volunteers and pod members into campaigns & volunteer activities
• Recruit & train super volunteers to take on bigger roles including mentoring new volunteer leaders
• Develop action pods and action pod program for smaller groups of people to take action together
• Develop & execute strategy to build our list and and maintain our followers
• Identify training opportunities for volunteers’ political development, leadership development & organizational grounding
• Organize mass meeting and trainings
• Lead organizer of other Bay Resistance organizer(s)/volunteer manager(s) and be responsible for weekly one on ones and workplanning with the organizer(s)

Coordinate Volunteer Support

• Coordinate volunteer support for major areas of work including direct action, mass protests, voter organizing, grassroots organizing, lobbying, art and admin, and other needs as they arise
• Build relationships with movement organizations and check in regularly to assess needs for volunteer assistance
• Connect volunteers to organizations leading long term power building work including SF Rising, Oakland Rising, Silicon Valley Rising and Seed the Vote
• Work with communications team on regular volunteer updates for social media
• Respond to volunteer requests, anticipate organizational volunteer needs, and proactively adjust calendar as priorities shift

Overall Program Development

• Responsible for development of systems for areas of Bay Resistance program; including recruitment, training, coaching, coordination, communications, pods, policies and retention
• Build program in size and scope to more effectively meet growing movement needs
• Work with the team to evaluate, plan, and develop the program

Required Qualifications

• 4 -5 years community or union organizing experience minimum
• Basic organizing skills: 1 on 1 recruitment and relationship building, meeting planning and facilitation, issue identification and campaign planning
• Proficient in basic computer applications, such as word processing & spreadsheets
• Record keeping skills for database and tracking of volunteers
• Program organization and planning skills
• Demonstrated capability to conduct one’s self in a calm and professional demeanor when dealing with the public and/or with difficult situations
• Demonstrated capability to effectively communicate orally and in writing
• Ability to work well with a diverse group of staff and volunteers
• Ability to manage your own schedule effectively and adjust hours to accommodate the needs of the job - regular evening and weekend work required
• Ability to effectively manage a wide array of tasks, projects, and responsibilities

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building and leading coalitions
• Experience supervising or leading volunteer leaders, canvassers, or other staff
• Organizing around immigrant rights and familiarity with Bay Area organizations
• Direct action and/or protest organizing experience
• Electoral organizing experience running phone banks or door knocking programs
• On-line to off-line and off-line to on-line organizing experience
• Familiarity with different organizing models and distributed organizing concepts
• Experience developing popular political education
• Strategic mind, ability to analyze the political landscape to identify areas for collaboration and strategic campaigns and actions

Work Environment / Physical Demands

This position will work out of the Bay Rising office in Oakland. Must be able to work on a computer including sitting at a desk for extended periods of time with or without reasonable accommodation; manual dexterity to operate a keyboard; able to see or read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids; able to speak clearly and in audible tones on the phone and in-person and be understood by others; able to hear and understand speech, including on the phone; able to understand and follow oral and written instructions; able to occasionally lift objects weighing up to 10 pounds, travel to and participate in protests, mass meetings, door knocking and phone banking.

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. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Employment Terms

This is a full time exempt position. Salary range for lead organizer of $80,000-95,000 per year. We offer a competitive health benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, and a generous paid time off schedule.

How to Apply

Submit resume, cover letter, and 3 references through this job portal. https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=c858a322-00a0-4526-9713-59699ec1e4bf&ccId=9200724642802_2&jobId=564263&source=CC2&lang=en_US Applications will be reviewed as received.

Bay Rising contracts with Resilient Strategies LLC for backend and operational support including hiring and employment. Resilient Strategies is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Folks who are queer, trans, non-binary, Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, parents, are/have been system-impacted, are immigrants, and anyone who has experienced systemic oppression and/or gender-based violence are encouraged to apply. Pursuant of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.