Statewide Director of Organizing & Policy

Make the Road States (MRstates) is the national home for the second-generation Make the Road family of organizations in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nevada, this in addition to 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 New Jersey (MRNJ) builds the power of immigrant and working class communities to achieve dignity and respect through community organizing, the provision of high quality legal and support services, transformative education and policy innovation. MRNJ is a project of Make the Road States. Founded in 2014, MRNJ operates centers and organizing hubs in Elizabeth, Passaic, Perth Amboy and Newark, NJ that reach thousands of immigrant and working class people of color each year. Our member-led organizing committees -- which work on the issues named above-- implement strategies to combat shared problems, and develop leadership and the capacity for civic participation.  In the past four years, MRNJ has won more than 10 pro-immigrant and pro-worker policies, including the nation's first guaranteed severance law, landmark anti-wage theft legislation, occupational and drivers’ license for undocumented immigrants and a $15 minimum wage. We also provide an array of high-quality bilingual services including ESOL, legal services in the areas of immigration and workplace rights, workplace safety training and college access.

Current Opening:

The Full Time Statewide Director of Organizing is responsible for supervising MRNJ’s housing, immigration and youth organizing programs. The Director will supervise MRNJ’s community organizers and will oversee all aspects of growing the department, including base building, leadership development, resource development, developing issue campaigns and strategic communications. The Director of Organizing will also work with the Make the Road Action State director on civic engagement and electoral work.

Key Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Organizing & Advocacy (35%)

  • Develop organizing campaigns that build and transform the power of our base – immigrants, tenants, workers and young people

  • Identify policy research and advocacy opportunities in alignment with the vision, mission and core values of MRNJ and grow our pool of coalition allies in those efforts

  • Direct the implementation of outreach and recruitment efforts to grow our organization’s membership base

  • Strengthen our membership recruitment and retention models, including advancing membership blitzes and new member orientations

  • Collaborate closely with key local, statewide and national coalition partners and elected leaders

  • Lead coordination of civic engagement initiatives, including, but not limited to, voter registration efforts and Get Out the Vote efforts

  • Support organizer preparation for actions, events and trainings; Coordinate and support organizing department annual events including membership assembly, May Day

  • Represent the organization at external meetings, coalition tables and conferences. 

• Organizing Team Management (35%)

  • Provide supervision, support and professional development opportunities for MRNJ’s organizing team

  • Develop shared annual goals with the organizing team and create support structures to help the team meet those annual goals

  • Coordinate and execute weekly organizing team calls

  • Be responsible for monitoring, transporting and/ or ensuring return of MRNJ equipment 

  • Maintain work space and shared areas in a clean and tidy manner at all times 

  • Follow and help enforce company safety and COVID-19 protocols as needed

• Data & Tracking (10%)

  • Oversee the tracking and reporting of organizing program goals and outcomes and ensure each organizer is interfacing with EveryAction

  • Ensure the completion of detailed data entry and accurate records on MRNJ database in accordance with MRNJ’s data entry system

• MRNJ Leadership (20%)

  • Collaborate effectively with MRNJ’s legal services, development and admin/operations departments to ensure thoughtful integration with our full array of work 

  • Participate in shared DEI spaces and ground the organizing department in the organization's collective DEI goals

  • Stay updated on program, department or organization related matters, events and practices to provide clients, guests and volunteers with accurate information

  • Attend, participate in, and/or facilitate MRNJ’s events, meetings, and trainings as needed

  • Uphold MRNJ’s values and mission

Requirements:

• 5 years experience in issue advocacy, community organizing, and/or related fields required; experience organizing with immigrant and/or working class communities is strongly preferred

• 4 years experience managing campaign and organizing teams, from recruitment to retainment

• Relentless commitment to collective action and community organizing

• Bilingual English/Spanish is mandatory/required

• Experience working in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic work environment

• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and complete assignments under strict deadlines with minimal supervision in a fast paced environment

• Working knowledge of spreadsheets, Microsoft Office suite, and using a database (ideally Salesforce) to run reports

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Eligible to work in the U.S.

• Required to be fully vaccinated with an FDA approved COVID-19 vaccine prior first day of employment

Salary and Benefits:

MRStates offers an excellent benefit package including health insurance, 401K, and generous paid vacation, sick, personal days. The salary range for this position is from $107,680 to $121,478.

This position is onsite in Elizabeth, NJ. MRNJ is open to considering candidates that would need to relocate, and is prepared to offer a relocation bonus.

How to Apply: 

Please attach cover letter/resume and submit all documents to the Make the Road New States career center.

Make the Road believes that social change is best achieved through grassroots community-based organizing that flows directly from and engages the community demanding the change. As a membership-based organization, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, criminal history, or Veteran status. We strongly encourage those from historically excluded groups to apply.