Lead Organizer

ABOUT THE STREET VENDOR PROJECT

Founded in 2001, the Street Vendor Project (SVP) is a grassroots membership-led organization working to defend the rights and achieve just working conditions of the community of workers, self-employed people and small business owners who make their living as vendors on the streets and sidewalks of New York City. Through direct leadership development, education, legal support, and strategic legislative advocacy, SVP builds power and community among vendors in the fight to legalize street vending.  

ABOUT THE POSITION

 SVP is seeking a dynamic Lead Organizer to direct our organizing team, design and implement leadership development and political education programs for our members, and collaboratively implement grassroots organizing campaigns. We are seeking a new team member with experience working within multicultural, working class and immigrant communities. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Relentlessly dedicated to building the power of working class, immigrant communities of color to incite transformative social and economic justice movement building; 
• Excited about working across multiple cultures and is flexible and patient when communicating with people who speak different languages; 
• A thoughtful communicator with excellent interpersonal, written, and public speaking skills;  
• Has at least three years' experience in leadership roles in a campaign. This may be a grassroots campaign, political campaign, union organizing campaign, or anything that you believe demonstrates you can design and effectively run a campaign for social change, working with partners and in coalition across issues and constituencies; 
• A team-player eager to collaborate with diverse, inter-generational, and multicultural stakeholders to achieve systemic change; 
• Experienced with outreach, base-building, member leadership development, and organizing campaigns; 
• Demonstrated experience coaching and supporting a team of organizers with very different experience levels, learning styles, and communication styles;. 
• Knowledgeable of New York City organizing and political landscape, with particular attention to racial, economic, and gender equity; 
• Able to read and assess the current political landscape and make strategic choices to advance SVP’s organizing agenda; 
• Must be bilingual in Spanish and English to engage members in organizing and political conversations, written ability required;  
• An experienced facilitator with the ability to plan and facilitate meetings with sensitivity to the needs of a diverse membership; 
• Committed to and knowledgeable of SVP’s mission and movement building, and enthusiastic about nurturing leadership growth among members. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: The primary responsibilities of the Lead Organizer include:

 Organizing Team Development

• Guide and supervise our organizing team of five staff members, each working with membership bases organized by language (Arabic, Bangla, Spanish, Mandarin, Wolof), in collaboration with the Managing Director;  
• Develop and facilitate political education curriculum for members in coordination with organizing team 
• Coordinate and implement membership recruitment activities including direct outreach on-the-street and through partner organizations; 
• Assure the accuracy of lists, records, databases related to membership and campaign development

Leadership Growth & Political Education

• Drive the recruitment, development and maintenance of an elected member Leadership Board
• Develop leadership skills of potential members, and nurture the leadership of our Leadership Board members;  
• Plan and facilitate regular membership and committee meetings and events that engage members in
• Fortify and grow SVP’s grassroots membership structure of individuals interested in, and excited, about advancing street vendor rights;
• Receive vendors who come in to the office during SVP drop-in hours;

Campaign Development & Execution 

• Support with ongoing planning and execution of campaigns that engage members, leaders, and allies to win concrete improvements in the lives of vendors
• Organize direct actions, events, and other tactics to move the campaign forward 
• Develop and maintain relationships with allied organizations with New York City and New York State  

This is a full-time position with great flexibility in terms of scheduling. Benefits include:

• Medical Insurance available on first day of employment
• Dental Insurance
• Eye Care Reimbursement
• Employer Retirement Contribution
• Pet Insurance
• Generous Vacation and Personal Time, including 4 weeks vacation, 5 personal days, and 1 week paid time off during annual office-wide holiday closure; early release summer Fridays and before federal holidays; day after Thanksgiving; birthday
• 12 paid sick days
• Flexible spending account
• Commuter Benefits
• Gym reimbursement program

SVP is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we fight alongside and serve. People of color, women, immigrants, LGBTQ-identified individuals, and folks from low-income communities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

The Street Vendor Project is part of the Urban Justice Center, a non-profit organization that provides legal representation and advocacy to various marginalized groups of New Yorkers.