Metro Community Organizer

About POWER Interfaith:

We are POWER Interfaith. We are a movement of 80+ congregations and hundreds of individual members of faith across southeastern Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, the surrounding Philly counties, the Lehigh Valley, Lancaster, Harrisburg, and beyond. We intentionally bring people together across the lines of race, faith, and economic prosperity - lines which have historically kept Pennsylvanians divided. We are people of faith committed to the work of bringing about racial and economic justice here and now, in our communities and our region. We want to exercise power in the public arena so that the needs and priorities of all of us are reflected in the systems and policies that shape our communities.

POWER is a proud affiliate of Faith in Action National Network the largest and fastest-growing faith-based community organizing effort in the country. At Faith in Action, we are lifting a new vision for America that is rooted in our shared moral values and democratic traditions. POWER is also a member of PowerSwitch Action.

For more information on POWER Interfaith visit our website at www.powerinterfaith.org

Job Overview:

The Community Organizer is responsible for cultivating relationships with members of diverse faith congregations, teaching them community organizing skills, and supporting them to conduct successful issue campaigns on the local, state, and potentially national levels.

Specifically, the Metro Community Organizer will be responsible for maintaining and developing a current base of congregations and building a new base in the four suburban Philadelphia counties. The organizer will have responsibilities in relation to POWER’s school funding campaign, civic engagement work, and exploring a local issue campaign.

POWER has a strong learning culture and places a high priority on personal learning, racial awareness and analysis, and relationship building. The ideal candidate would have a passion for justice, strong relational skills, a strong sense of their own faith values, a capacity to build bridges across multiple cultures, awareness of personal and societal racism, and demonstrable experience in bringing people together to win campaign victories. Strong written and verbal skills are required; fluency in Spanish is a plus

Responsibilities:

• Conduct 15-20 one-on-one meetings each week with new or veteran POWER leaders, clergy, and influential community leaders on a consistent and regular basis
• Develop core teams within congregations
• Provide regular organizing training for POWER leaders and community members in the principles and strategies of community organizing
• Support POWER teams in outreach, research, and strategic planning leading to large community action meetings
• Meet on a regular basis with the Director of Organizing and Regional Director to shadow, plan and evaluate work progress
• Write weekly reports on the progress and outcomes of her/his work
• Use databases to record work with congregations/allies/teams
• Attend professional development sessions

Qualifications and Skills:

• Relevant previous organizing experience (Community, Labor, Voter) is a plus
• Skills and cultural competence to work in a multicultural, multi-faith environment, including a clear race/class analysis and understanding of intersections with other forms of oppression
• Experience working with low-income and/or immigrant communities of color
• Solid understanding of one's own spiritual journey
• Vehicle access
• Strategic thinking, written/oral communication, and interpersonal skills
• Professionalism
• Ability to work well both independently and collaboratively
• Organized: the ability to balance multiple tasks and face-to-face meetings, documenting both progress and outcomes
• Drive to constantly improve and learn, openness to challenge and agitation
• Ability to use online communications and organizing tools

Compensation and Benefits:

• A full-time position with significant evening and weekend work.
• Starting salary is competitive, depending on experience
• Benefits include an excellent health plan and retirement plan.

NOTE: This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific employment terms and conditions are subject to labor-management negotiations for a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

POWER is an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity in its staff, and offers a competitive salary and generous benefits. Join the POWER family to advance social justice and improve the lives of millions. Apply Today!

Application Procedure:

All applicants must apply for this position online, click here to apply and then click on the Apply for this Position" blue button below. Please have the following documents ready to upload to your online application:

If you need assistance or experience any technical difficulties with your online application, please contact careers@faithinaction.org. Resumes will not be accepted via this email address.

FAITH IN ACTION provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, FAITH IN ACTION complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.