Johnson County Interfaith Coalition (JCIC) is a multicultural faith-based community organization that advocates justice for the residents of Johnson County, IA. JCIC’s overall mission is to create a long-term, productive collaboration that creates and affirms justice and equality, especially for persons of color. We are seeking a Community Organizer to organize our member organizations and the wider community to engage in priority action areas; raise awareness of JCIC in the community and recruit organizations to join JCIC; and organize community members around issues they are passionate about for community-driven outcomes. The Community Organizer helps support JCIC’s institutional needs.

Work Schedule: 20 hours per week to be scheduled 3 - 5 days per week Sunday - Friday. Time will be split between regular office hours (office available at Unitarian Universalist church in Coralville), meetings in the community, occasionally working from home if desired, and evening or weekend meetings and trainings as necessary.

Our initial review of applications will begin May 28, so applicants are encouraged to submit their materials by May 27; applications submitted later may also be considered. Please send a letter of interest, resume, and any other supporting materials to admin@uusic.org.

Starting salary range $20,000 - $22,000 annually ($19 - $21 hourly). Benefits include paid time off, holidays, and sick leave; professional expenses and mileage; and the ability to enroll in UUA benefits plans including health with subsidy or to apply that subsidy to the incremental cost of enrollment in another qualified group health plan, dental, vision, long-term disability, and retirement. This is a 1/2 time position.

We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including people with disabilities, people of color, indigenous people, Hispanic/Latinx, and LGBTQ candidates. UUS is committed to developing a diverse and talented staff team, and we welcome inquiries and applications from candidates who are excited about this role even if they do not meet all of the requirements listed.

Essential Functions

• Engage and organize JCIC member organizations and engage the wider community in JCIC priority action areas. Attend JCIC steering committee meetings. Attend each JCIC team/working group at least every other month. Assist teams/working groups set actionable, measurable goals and communicate results. Lead/co-lead one or two priority actions, identified in consultation with the steering committee.
• Organize JCIC's connections to allied organizations in priority action areas. Support JCIC teams to identify opportunities to engage in advocacy with government/institutions.
• Help ensure JCIC member congregations and organizations stay informed of JCIC actions and priorities by sharing information with teams/working groups, board, and direct contacts. Create and give monthly reports to board, steering committee, and faith leaders caucus.
• Help recruit new congregations and allied organizations to become members of JCIC.
• Work with JCIC member organizations to create ongoing education opportunities for the community around priority action areas. Teach or coordinate workshops that teach organizing and related skills to members.
• Support JCIC’s institutional needs by providing input to steering committee on budget creation; maintaining calendar; managing website (volunteer or service may administer) and social media; monitoring JCIC email account; providing support for fundraisers and community events; and submitting grant proposals with support from Treasurer and other volunteers.

Required Qualifications

• Experience in community organizing and community leadership development.
• Commitment to social justice issues and JCIC’s vision and priorities.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work both in teams and alone.
• Strong verbal and written English communication skills including the ability to work and communicate effectively with a diverse range of people.
• Proficient in Google Workspace, Office, and some Mac/Apple software, in particular spreadsheets, Word/docs, and Powerpoint, and social media platforms.
• Experience, or ability to develop skills in grant writing and other forms of resource development such as donation acquisition.
• Desire to engage in continued education and trainings.
• Reliable transportation for meetings in the community.

Desired Qualifications

• Be a resident of Johnson County.
• Experience in neighborhood organizing work, through either volunteering or paid positions.
• Experience in facilitating meetings, trainings and focus groups.
• Basic verbal and written Spanish language skills.

Core Competencies

• Mission Ownership: Demonstrates understanding and full support of the mission, vision, values and beliefs of JCIC. Work professionally and in accordance with these.
• Compassion and Care: Maintains high standards of discretion. Serves as a welcoming first point of contact for JCIC; displays patience and calmness under pressure. Responds with empathy to the life circumstances of others; demonstrates appropriate and boundaried expressions of care.
• Technical Skills: Acquires and demonstrates the technical skills required to proficiently do the essential functions of the position. Understands which skills are lacking, seeks to develop those skills, and learns from mistakes. Provides the information people need to know to do their work well; helps people understand the information and its relevance to the task at hand; is timely and transparent in the sharing of information.
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work with others and a participatory style for achieving goals. Engages in thoughtful listening. Demonstrates the ability to take initiative, as well as work with a team and take direction from others. Productively engages and resolves interpersonal conflict; overcomes personal bias to hear the ideas and concerns of another; can describe the perspective of another, even when they disagree. Able to accept constructive criticism. Interacts positively with others.
• Communication Skills: Able to deliver a message clearly in a variety of settings; demonstrates communication styles appropriate to the situation at hand; adjusts the message, without losing the essence of the message, depending upon the circumstances and the listener. Able to write clearly and succinctly, to use computer programs relevant to the position. Able to provide communications in a timely manner.
• Management Skills: Manages work time well without overworking; marshals resources (people, funding, materials) to get projects completed on time and successfully. Can use organizational and communication skills to provide project management support for shared projects; comfortable delegating and coordinating work among volunteers. Keeps accurate records and a functional filing system.
• Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Awareness and Skills: Knowing that this work is always in-progress, develops and maintains awareness of equity and inclusion; can apply a lens of power and privilege to issues that arise in their work with the congregation; demonstrates accountable engagement with diverse spiritual traditions and communities; ensures that processes and practices are adaptable to different needs, abilities, and ways of working, seeking support for this as appropriate.Practices personal stress reduction and spiritual growth work.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $19.00 - $21.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Coralville, IA 52241 (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Coralville, IA 52241