Community Safety Community Organizer

ABOUT THE POSITION

JCUA is seeking to hire a highly motivated Community Organizer who is passionate about community safety, police accountability, dismantling white supremacy, and organizing the Jewish community. The Community Safety Organizer is a key position within the JCUA Organizing Team. They will work to recruit and develop JCUA members to be a part of critical issue campaigns in Chicago, including the Treatment Not Trauma campaign, and ongoing work to support the effectiveness of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) and the District Councils.

Supported by the Organizing Director, the staff member will coordinate and collaborate with community safety-related coalitions in Chicago, work with leaders to take powerful actions and build relationships in support of our community safety-related issue campaigns, and participate and lead internal and external facing trainings and political education events to move our members, leaders, and campaign work forward. The staff member will also participate in regional base building and mobilization efforts to support the overall growth and political engagement of the organization, as well as JCUA’s sibling organization, JCUA Votes.

JCUA is a small dynamic organization where the staff is highly collaborative and committed to supporting each other's work and goals. JCUA strives to bring an antiracist framework to all aspects of our work, and everyone on staff is expected to participate in this effort. Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to build relationships and work with people who hold a range of identities and experiences.

This position will report to JCUA’s Organizing Director.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop JCUA leaders who are committed to organizing a powerful Jewish base to advance community safety and racial equity, and end systemic oppression and white supremacy.
• Develop and sustain relationships with JCUA leaders, Congregation Partners, local coalitions and movement organizations, leaders in the Jewish community, and other stakeholders.
• Create opportunities for leadership development for JCUA members and leaders, including relational one-on-one’s, strategy sessions, political education, trainings, and community-building events.
• Work with committee leaders to plan, strategize, set goals and achieve results to advance Treatment Not Trauma, the CCPSA/DC offices, and additional coalition work as decided by JCUA members; mobilize JCUA members & leaders to accomplish coalition and campaign objectives.
• With leaders, identify future issues/campaigns that further JCUA’s vision for public safety in Chicago overall.
• Represent JCUA in coalition work, alongside committee members, with attention to coalition expectations and values.
• Support regional base building and mobilization efforts in an assigned geographic area of Chicagoland to support the overall growth and political engagement of JCUA, as well as JCUA’s sibling organization, JCUA Votes.
• Staff assigned races/regions in each election cycle, as part of supporting JCUA Votes’ voter engagement and endorsed candidate support work.
• Take initiative on projects while practicing solid follow-through; work strategically to balance multiple activities and deadlines.
• Create materials and conduct research & analysis to support campaign work as needed.
• Willingness to work flexible hours to complete programmatic goals— including evenings and weekends.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Represent JCUA as an ambassador and public spokesperson in Jewish community settings and in the larger community.
• Assist with fundraising and development objectives as requested.
• Assist with strategic external communications as needed
• Assist with additional JCUA programming when needed/requested.
• Commitment to team-building and effective communication with colleagues.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

• Minimum of 2 years related organizing experience.
• Deep commitment to community safety, police accountability, dismantling white supremacy, and organizing the Jewish community around social justice.
• Clear understanding of root causes of social inequality and justice.
• Demonstrated ability to build empathic relationships across lines of difference.
• Value and understanding of grassroots leadership and organizing as a critical method of social change.
• Familiarity with Chicago area neighborhoods and the Chicago Jewish community.
• Good listening, organizational, communication, writing, and interpersonal skills;
• Effective public speaking, facilitation, and presentation abilities.
• Resourcefulness and a willingness to take initiative.
• Experience coalition-building with diverse communities a plus
• Familiarity with a range of organizing tactics, including field tactics such as canvassing, phone banks, text programs, and social media platforms; experience with VAN, EveryAction ThruText platforms, etc., is a plus.
• Experience training in Organizing, Antiracism, and/or Combatting Antisemitism, is a plus.
• Fieldwork is expected for this position; Regular access to a car and a valid driver’s license is required.

• This is a full time position at 39 hours/week. The salary range for this position is $52,000-57,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance are included for this role.
• A Simple IRA plan is available upon three months of consecutive employment.
• Generous days off including three weeks (15 days) of paid vacation on a prorated basis (with an increase after three years), sick leave, and major Jewish holidays.
• JCUA closes at 1:00 pm on alternate Fridays in an effort to promote a healthier work/life balance.
• Flex time is available to balance necessary evening/weekend scheduling.
• A supportive work environment with people committed to bringing out the best in each other and to advancing positive social change.
• This position is a bargaining unit position at JCUA, represented by SEIU Local 73.

LOCATION

JCUA is located in Ravenswood on the north side of Chicago. Full time staff currently work two days in the office per week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

JCUA deeply values the diversity of insight, perspective, and experience brought by people from backgrounds typically underrepresented in Jewish institutions. This includes Black, Latinx, and Asian people, Black Jews, Jews of Color, Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities. We also welcome applications from people of diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural backgrounds.