Veterans Organizer

Maine People’s Alliance and Common Defense are Hiring a Veterans Organizer!

Maine People's Alliance (MPA) is a community of Maine people, from all different backgrounds, who believe that we can live in a world where everyone has what they need, everyone contributes what they can, and nobody is left behind. While there are more than enough resources to meet everyone’s basic needs, a small number of wealthy interests use tactics like racism to divide us, maintaining a society where they benefit at everyone else’s expense. That is why we must overcome division with community, cynicism with relentless moral courage, changing – not accepting – what is politically possible.  

Common Defense is a veteran-led grassroots movement dedicated to protecting democracy, combating authoritarianism, and building a future where liberty and justice truly are for all. We represent the diversity of the military and are united by the oath that we swore to defend the Constitution—from enemies, foreign and domestic. 

MPA and Common Defense are teaming up to hire a full-time Veterans Organizer in Maine. The ideal candidate should be a veteran who feels called to stand against MAGA extremism, political and state violence, and all threats to democracy and build a state and a country where liberty and justice truly is for all. 

Veterans Organizer 

The responsibilities include: 

• Connecting with veterans across the state and moving them to action
• Identifying leadership potential in veterans and provide opportunities for them to develop new skills 
• Engaging veterans in elections

A qualified applicant should possess: 

• First-hand lived experience of injustice that anchors a desire for progressive social change (an understanding of the challenges Mainers face because they have lived them)
• Military service
• Relational skills, especially active listening, empathy, modeling vulnerability, building trust
• Ability to move someone to action through uncovering their self-interest and connecting it to the work   
• Moral courage - willingness to make asks of strangers and folks they know / risk rejection, willingness to step outside their comfort zone 
• Ability to form a team where power is shared
• Self-motivation and an ability to successfully work independently

Experience that is helpful but not necessary: 

• Door-to-door canvassing 
• Community organizing 
• Fundraising  
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook 

Based in Maine, this is a limited term position through April of 2027 with the possibility of permanent employment. The Veterans Organizer will report to MPA’s Campaigns Director, Rachel Ackoff. This position is full-time with a starting salary range of $45,000 - $55,000.
The role is part of the MPA staff union (Union Contract) and offers mileage reimbursement. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, retirement benefits, and more.

MPA is an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to equity and inclusion. Core to our work is an understanding of the multiple ways in which society is constructed to disadvantage and marginalize people of color, LGBTQ people, immigrants, native peoples, women, low-income people, people with disabilities, and others. We believe that underrepresented and marginalized communities must be centered in the work we do and we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or from these communities. 

WORK PLAN

Purpose:   Grow a base of veterans by identifying and recruiting organic leaders to organize for power  

Outcome(s):  

• Grow MPA Common Defense’s active veterans base to 200 
• 3 1:1s with veterans per week 
• 20 new signatories per week to petitions
• Veterans meet ups for 30 min prior to or after Kennebec, Penobscot, Andoscoggin, and Cumberland county chapter meetings 
• 10 veterans to attend Spring MPA summit May 29 30
• Build universe of 600 relational voter contacts who get 4 passes before the primary
• By end of 2026, complete 12 leadership development plans with veterans
• 2 new veterans becoming monthly bank draft donors / month 

Process:

• Veterans base-building:
  • Digital ads driving veterans to sign petitions for "VA Not For Sale," no war on our streets, vets against Trump etc. 
  • Do digital organizing to connect with veterans in FB groups and other online spaces 
  • Follow up via DaisyChain text messaging to veterans brought in through digital ads
  • Site canvassing of veterans at Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta, seven VA clinics (Bangor, Calais, Lewiston, Lincoln, Portland, Presque Isle, Rumford), and two access clinics (Fort Kent, Houlton) 
  • Fliering on vehicles with vets license plates in parking lots 
• Program:
  • One-on-one relational meetings with veterans
  • Identify organic leaders invest in their leadership development 
  • Organize veterans meet ups prior or after MPA chapter meetings so veterans can attend both 
  • Recruit veterans to attend non-cooperation trainings 
  • Train veterans to use Empower App for relational voter contact and build universe of 600 relational voter contacts who get 4 passes before the primary (this could be 24 veterans who are willing to contact 25 friends/family/neighbors)
  • Turn military families out to vote for Graham Platner 
  • Beyond MPA and Common Defense, work collaboratively with About Face and Veterans for Peace leaders in Maine 
  • Encourage veterans to invest in our collective work by becoming monthly bank draft donors 
  • Convene veterans to discuss a Maine veterans platform (?)

Salary : $45,000 - $55,000