Co-Organizing Director

About the Black Organizing Project

The Black Organizing Project (BOP) is a Black member-led community organization working for racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing and community-building in Oakland, California, and across the Bay Area. In addition to caring for our community, BOP has adopted a more sustainable philosophy for our staff. BOP takes pride in caring for its staff by providing competitive salaries, 4-day work weeks, three paid company-wide seasonal rest periods each year, as well as other perks that promote a healthy work-life balance. While BOP currently observes a hybrid work model, we require all program staff to live within a one-hour driving distance from Oakland, CA.

Our vision is to build a strong bottom-up organization of Black people that will:

• Craft alternative models and institutions that will advance our vision of racial and economic justice
• Rebuild the spirit and foundation of our community
• Exercise political and economic power
• Act to win real systematic change
• Transform the lives of Black people
• Embody the spirit that has sustained the Black community

Organizational Culture 

BOP is building toward a free and just world for Black people. Some of the expectations for staff conduct include active participation in building and sustaining a culture of radical care, equity for all members of the BOP team, joyful connection to Black Liberation, and thoughtful understanding of our political and historical experiences.

In service of this goal, staff are expected to: 

• Participate in an organizational culture of resolving conflict through transformative justice strategies, as appropriate.
• Engage in generative and compassionate communication.
• Demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a joyful, healthy, and positive work environment.

The Ideal Candidate

Our ideal candidate is passionate about developing a shared political analysis of, by, and with Black people that is grounded in our diverse history, our activism, and our vision of freedom. They believe that transformative organizing is the path toward liberation for Black people and understand that policy wins are only as impactful and long-lasting as the grassroots people power that fuels their success. Our ideal candidate understands campaign development, organizing strategy, and theory. They are excited to do community outreach and can engage in organizational-level planning and implementation. They can connect the dots, coach, and support staff who lead teams and work with our member leaders.  Finally, they have deep knowledge about the public school system and how to run political campaigns. 

Position Description and Functions

The Co-Organizing Director works in a team with a fellow Co-Organizing Director, and they are collectively responsible for providing direction and support for all of BOP’s external work, while developing the leadership and organizing skills of BOP members and our Organizing Team. This Co-Organizing Director will focus on leading our Bettering Our School System (BOSS) work to keep police and policing practices out of public schools and be responsible for supporting our emerging campaigns. This position will coach and support staff, develop campaign plans, and ensure strategic objectives are reached. The Co-Organizing Director is expected to participate in and support internal organizational development activities as well as external programmatic work, including participation in coalitions.  They will advance BOP’s campaigns, support member and organizational development, and manage programmatic budgets. The Co-Organizing Director will assess our organizing work in the field, ensuring that it is being tracked effectively and that we are meeting our objectives. They will also work alongside members and staff to provide strategies for our campaigns while ensuring we reach our goals. By participating in and leading meetings, outreach, and actions, the Co-Organizing Director will engage members in advancing the organization's goals.

Campaign Strategy, Campaign Development and Organizing:

• Support rigorous work planning for the Organizing Team
• Support the development of data collection rooted in best practices to protect the safety of our community amidst state surveillance  
• Participate in weekly, in-person community outreach alongside the organizing team and members 
• Coach/Develop organizers for deepened impact and efficacy 
• Facilitate and manage the development and engagement of members and community members in the organization
• Work with core member leaders, staff, and members on campaign strategy, implementation, negotiations, and actions
• Maintain/report on systems of tracking outreach, target areas, and follow-up
• Develop recruitment of, and opportunities for, community members to be engaged in the organization
• Along with leaders, represent BOP to the media and outside agencies
• Manage the BOSS Campaign budget 
• Act as an ambassador for BOP in strategic spaces
• Participate in panels/webinars/presentations as needed
• Support grant reporting, funder site visits, and fundraising events as needed
• Participate in regional, statewide, national, and international coalition spaces
• Assess and evaluate potential allies and alliances. 
• Work closely with the “Emerging Campaigns" Co-Organizing Director for alignment of campaigns vision and progress

Membership/Leadership Development:

• Identify and ensure leadership development tracks for members
• Support and facilitate training for the development of staff and members

Coaching and Supervision:

• Build positive relationships and team comradery
• Support the political and professional development of Organizers and Program Coordinators
• Cultivate work plans, assessments and evaluations 
• Conduct weekly supervision meetings with Organizers
• Create, implement, develop, and coordinate ongoing training opportunities for organizers
• Attend bi-monthly Management Meetings 

Documentation and Reporting:

• Document qualitative and quantitative data related to programs and reports to other members of the leadership team and the Board
• Facilitate community-participatory research to support BOP campaigns and work
• Other support as needed 
• Semi-monthly Reports to Directors Table 

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

• A minimum of 4-6 years of experience in community, labor, or other relevant grassroots organizing 
• Demonstrated success in growing and developing an organized base of members, constituents, and community members and leading campaigns
• Team player attitude
• Excellent verbal and written skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to multitask and generate solutions
• Proficiency in Google Workspace a must,
• Proficiency in Powerbase or similar CRM a plus, Flexibility to work on weekends and evenings, as necessary
• Willingness to travel, as necessary
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required
• Having deep roots in Oakland, graduating from an Oakland Unified School District or having a child enrolled in Oakland Unified Schools District is a PLUS

Conditions and Compensation 

This is a full-time, exempt, at-will position with a 90-day probationary period. Background check is required for all positions at BOP. For positions working directly with children, fingerprinting will be required as well upon job offer.

Compensation: $105,000 plus a 32-hour FTE work week, incredible co-workers, inspiring work, and more. 

While the salary will be based on competence and experience at the conclusion of the interview process, the compensation is non-negotiable, aligning with our internal equity principles and compensation philosophy. Once onboard, there is potential for salary growth within the established band, as BOP staff will have opportunities for annual merit increases and cost-of-living adjustments.

BOP offers a generous benefits package to all regular full-time employees that includes:

• 100% organization paid medical, dental, vision coverage for the employee and family
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Accrue 14 vacation days in the first year with incremental increases thereafter, 7 sick days annually, 16 paid holidays, 2 unrestricted floating holidays
• 3 paid seasonal closures: 1 week long break in spring, 1 week long break in summer, and 1 in winter between Christmas, and New Year’s Day 
• Eligibility for fully paid 3-week sabbatical program after five years of full time service with the organization
• Professional development funds

Applications will be evaluated as they arrive, and the position will remain open for 30 days.

Due to the high volume of applications, our hiring team is not able to field requests for feedback or informational interviews sent via LinkedIn or email. If you are a good match for the role, our team will reach out to you directly.