Southland Organizer

About The People’s Lobby

The People’s Lobby is a membership-driven organization devoted to organizing widespread support for public policies and candidates – including people from our communities – that put racial justice and the needs of people and the planet before the interests of big corporations and the very rich.

• We train leaders to build bases of people and power in our communities.
• We organize support for progressive legislation.
• We endorse candidates and work hard to get them elected.
• We take direct action to pressure elected officials and other powerful people to put the interests of people and the planet first.

About the Southland Organizer Position

This position focuses on building TPL’s base of poor and working class people across Chicago’s south side and south suburbs, especially in immigrant communities and communities of color.

Responsibilities:

Base building

• Use TPL’s methodology of relational organizing to identify leaders committed to building power with our organization. This methodology includes one to one relational meetings with community members and leaders to understand what they want, need, and are willing to take responsibility for.
• Find and meet with existing leaders and potential members across multiple communities to understand their goals and motivations and build meaningful relationships. Mentor and support current members on how to engage and grow their base of membership locally via organizing events.
• Create and implement a calendar of local events that engage current and new membership which deepen and strengthen political analysis and their engagement.
• Build relationships with community institutions and leaders who might be interested in organizing with us, i.e. local organizations, churches, schools, service providers, community centers and elected officials.

Issue & Electoral Campaigns

• Organize people and communicate with voters around elections.
• Identify and organize around other racial and economic justice issues based on the self-interests of members and leaders. This will likely include pieces of TPL’s work around health care, environmental justice, and/or criminal justice reform.

Leadership Development

• Learn the models and methodologies that The People’s Lobby uses to train and develop internal and external leaders in community organizing, including one to ones, propositions, mentorship, agitation, conflict resolution, and more.
• Motivate, inspire, challenge, and guide community leaders and prospects in order to test their leadership, grow their vision of their own leadership in our organization/collective, and deepen their investment and participation.

Fundraising

• Engage core team in ongoing membership drives to bring in dues-paying members.
• Participate in all staff fundraisers.

Strategy and Collaboration

• Guide the development of campaigns to build membership and people power that align with the needs of our communities and members while building our base
• Continually identify goals, issues, targets, candidates, and leaders who could help accelerate our efforts
• Report on activities and collaborate on building transparency and accountability
• Participate in and organize leaders to participate in The People’s Lobby organization-wide campaigns, actions, and events

Requirements:

• Demonstrated success in relational organizing and in working with people from diverse race, class and gender identities.
• Demonstrated success in working with volunteers to complete group projects.
• Demonstrated success using a combination of tactics (canvassing, community meetings, social media, or other) to bring new people into an issue or electoral campaign or as organization members.

Qualities Sought:

• Angry about injustice in the world and committed to effectiveness.
• Willingness to work within The People’s Lobby’s organizing methodology, including a focus on self-interest, negotiation and agitation.
• Enjoys working with people and is capable of negotiating clearly with members, coworkers, and supervisor about how we do the work.
• Willingness to take risks and do things outside of personal comfort zone.
• Attentive to details, which is often the difference between an average organizer and a highly effective organizer.
• Kind, but direct. Able to give and receive feedback.

The People’s Lobby is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe a diverse team enriches our work and strengthens our mission. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds who are passionate about social justice.

TPL offers 100% employer-paid health and dental plans, technology and transportation stipends, and a 5% retirement contribution (even if you don’t contribute yourself). TPL offers generous paid time off, including 10 sick days per year and 10 days of paid time off for the first year of employment. In addition to the holidays officially observed by the organization, permanent, regular employees are entitled to 5 paid floating holidays, to be used for the observance of other civic holidays, religious holidays, or other days of personal significance. Additionally, offices will be closed for the last ten business days of each year.