Community Organizer

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW:

Founded in 1989, Merrimack Valley Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on uniting congregations, unions, and community groups in organizing leaders and campaigns for racial, social and economic justice in the Merrimack Valley region and beyond. Our organizing approach includes storytelling, relationship building, and training to develop the power of community leaders. Most recently, these have included preventing the closure of Holy Family Hospitals in Haverhill and Methuen, and playing a critical role in successful statewide campaigns to increase the state minimum wage, protecting rideshare drivers, and winning passage of a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.

Today, MVP has grown to over 35 member groups across the region. MVP places a strong emphasis on developing the capacity of faith communities to act on their commitments to social justice, and is part of a growing faith-and-values-based organizing movement in America. We are proudly an affiliate member of Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN). MCAN is a statewide network of faith-and values-based community organizations working for economic and racial justice.

Merrimack Valley Project is looking to hire a Community Organizer who is ready to build the revolution. Working with new and existing organizing teams, the Community Organizer will develop community members to become extraordinary agents of change in their community, identifying grassroots members with an appetite for leadership from within our congregations and the community. We are looking for someone who is not satisfied with the status quo, who is ready to develop Merrimack Valley leaders to vision and build the world as it should be and will strive continuously to learn more, to be in deeper relationships to move us toward social, racial and economic justice.

• Build 3-4 strong organizing teams, one being an organizational core strategy team, with 8 to 15 leaders on each team
• Build relationships with new and existing community leaders through intentional 1:1’s (12-15 per week) and short check-ins on a weekly basis
• Organize for and prepare agendas, materials and relevant research for organizing committee meetings, actions and 1:1s
• Organize 1-3 actions total a year with their committees
• Have a leadership development plan for your leaders and organizing committees
• Support organizing and the preparation for organization-wide priority actions, fundraisers and events
• Support and build out coalition work that is in alignment with MVP’s vision

Structural Development –

• Lead organization wide trainings and create training materials
• Attend and actively participate in weekly Staff-Meetings/Staff Development, strategic planning meetings, facilitating meeting where needed
• Attend and actively participate in our state, Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN), and national, Faith in Action (FIA), organizations including attending staff meetings, trainings, retreats or events when appropriate

• Support the research and grant writing process (1-2 grants/per month)
• Invite leaders and community members to become donors and/or monthly sustainers
• Build relationships with and set meetings with funders
• Provide written content for quarterly newsletter as needed; coordinating with and collecting written material from leaders organizing committees
• Create, prepare and print materials for training sessions, printing handouts, technology and room set-up, prep flipcharts, etc.
• Help maintain outreach, event and leadership development data lists up to date working with Operations Coordinator using internal systems and database

Other –

• Meet weekly with the Executive Director(s) for one-on-one coaching, development, supervision, and project support
• Prepare a weekly staff report and quarterly work plan
• Respond daily to emails, phone calls or text messages
• Hold and document a knowledge of the issues, challenges, history and political environment of Merrimack Valley communities
• Develop and document a power analysis of the political, economic and religious leaders and structures of Merrimack Valley communities
• Attend city, community and coalition meetings when relevant to the work
• Support recruitment of institutional members to join MVP

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in community organizing or community-building (3–5 years or equivalent lived experience), especially in diverse and/or immigrant communities
• Fluency in Spanish and English (Portuguese, Haitian Creole, or Khmer a plus)
• Strong relational, communication, and leadership development skills
• Ability to work compassionately with people in crisis while building collective power
• Commitment to grassroots, bottom-up organizing; strong racial, political, and cultural justice analysis; and a solid understanding of one’s faith, spiritual, or values journey

• Evening and occasional weekend work required
• A car is highly encouraged

SALARY & BENEFITS: $55,000-$60,000, commensurate with experience. We offer competitive benefits including generous health, dental, and vision insurance, 4 weeks PTO, 12 sick days, paid holidays, and extended office closures (including Christmas–New Year’s). Additional benefits include personal/wellness leave, a work cell phone, professional development assistance, travel reimbursement, and opportunities for advancement.

MVP is also exploring adding a 401(k) and sabbatical policy.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Please email a resume, cover letter, and (optional) writing sample to:

Human Resources - HR@merrimackvalleyproject.org. Applications will be accepted until this position is filled.

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