Community Organizer

Make the Road States (MRstates) is the national home for the Make the Road family of organizations in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nevada, alongside Make the Road  New York, that serves to uplift the voices of working-class, immigrants, women, LGBTQIA people, and people of color across the Make the Roads umbrella. From an operational spectrum it serves as the Finance and Human Resources Compliance Officers for the umbrella at large. 

Make the Road PA, builds power for justice in Latine and immigrant communities and working-class communities of color. We believe in a transformational theory of change that seeks to empower community members to be the principal agents and leaders in challenging and dismantling systemic oppression through community organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and dismantling systemic oppression through civic engagement and advocacy. Make the Road PA currently operates out of Reading, Allentown, Hazleton, and North and North East Philadelphia.. 

Make the Road Action (MRA), a 501(c)(4) organization, is committed to building power for justice in immigrant and low-income working-class communities of color. MRA operates in five states - New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. We work to create social change, connect voters to the candidates and issues that are most important to them, and work hands-on in a fast-paced environment to create long-term impact in the communities that need it most. 

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The organizer will work closely with the Lead Organizer and MRPA’s leaders to grow our membership base through street outreach, door-knocking, and phone banking, develop new leadership and execute campaigns. The organizer must have a passionate commitment to a transformational theory of change that seeks to empower community members to be the principal agents and leaders in challenging and dismantling systemic oppression through community organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and dismantling systemic oppression.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Participate in base-building, including street outreach, door-knocking, phone-banking, membership recruitment and engagement, member meetings, mobilizing, and leadership development.
• Coordinate local issue-based campaigns on economic justice, immigrant rights, criminal justice reform, and/or LGBTQ justice. 
• Lead events and mobilizations on issues impacting MRPA’s membership. 
• Help develop and implement popular education and leadership development curriculum. 
• Coordinate with the Lead Organizers of the organizing centers on statewide campaigns and organization-wide events. 
• Coordinate with Comms to develop testimonies with members for the press, and work with directly impacted people to give testimonies that advance our campaigns. 
• Engage a variety of stakeholders, including member leaders, allies, community leaders, coalitions, elected officials, and funders. 
• Constantly connect and build our local, state, and national supporter base through organic social media, texting, calling, and other avenues including member referral, blog posts, emails, or peer-to-peer texts to member lists. 
• Weekly data entry on the database. 
• Engage current members, move them and deepen their leadership. 
• Support MRPA’s civic engagement work. 
• Represent the organization at external meetings and coalition tables. 

Job Competencies

• Problem and situation analysis
• Balanced decision-making
• Emotional control
• Empathetic outlook
• Objective and active listening
• Focus on projects, tasks, and goals
• Flexibility
• Positive attitude toward others
• Personal accountability
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Respect for policies and procedures
• Team-oriented collaboration
• Effective multitasking
• Ability to meet standards and deadlines

Behavioral Competencies

• Adaptable
• Maintains an organized workplace

• Eligible to work in the US
• Be fully fluent in Spanish and English.
• A car and driver’s license.
• Be open to working evenings and weekends when necessary.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial, economic, and social justice, and an understanding of the challenges facing immigrant communities, communities of color, and low-income families.
• Demonstrated commitment to community organizing focused on power-building through direct community engagement, leadership development, and the elevation of directly impacted and marginalized people to create change.
• Familiarity with organizing through Facebook or other social media, and experience with data entry. The ideal candidate is familiar with SMS platforms (Hustle, ThruTalk) and movement databases (VAN, EveryAction, Action Network, etc.)
• At least one year of experience in community, labor, or other relevant community organizing.
• Ability to move people to action using online tools.
• Strong commitment to developing other people’s leadership.
• Ability to take initiative and effectively manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment at a growing organization.