Regional Community Organizer - Maryland, Eastern Shore

ABOUT THE POSITION

The ideal candidate will help design and conduct sustained organizing campaigns to build civic engagement with a particular focus in supporting directly impacted communities, community leaders, and their allies in efforts to win policies on the local (city and county) and statewide level that reflect the ACLU of MD’s priorities. The Regional Community Organizer – MD, Eastern Shore will also be involved in supporting our broader civil rights and civil liberties organizing efforts.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop and implement strategies to organize Marylanders in a specific geographic area, the Eastern Shore, to work toward achieving our strategic objectives, including developing campaign plans, and turning goals and strategies into tactics, timelines, and metrics. Forge and maintain key relationships in and with local community, decision-makers, and grassroots partners.

• Provide recommendations and conduct coalition-building and community organizing in target geographic areas around primary policy expertise.
• Offer guidance and assist with implementing strategies to organize Marylanders in specific geographic areas to work toward achieving our strategic objectives, including developing campaign plans and turning goals and strategies into tactics, timelines, and metrics. Forge and maintain key relationships in and with the local community, decision-makers, and grassroots partners.
• Support leadership development amongst members of impacted communities so that they are empowered to lead or co-lead their coalition alongside allies.
• Organize public events (rallies, town hall meetings, panel discussions, etc.) to mobilize impacted communities, ACLU members, and the public at large around local, city, and state-level priorities.
• In collaboration with the Communications, Public Policy, and Legal Departments, help develop persuasive and informative outreach materials, including fact sheets, talking points, and sample letters-to-the-editor. Identify and recruit potential clients for impact litigation and potential speakers and witnesses for public hearings and press conferences.
• Design and conduct sustained organizing campaigns to build civic engagement with a particular focus in supporting directly impacted communities, community leaders, and their allies in efforts to win policies on the local (city and county) and statewide level that reflect the ACLU of MD's priorities. Be involved in supporting our broader civil rights and civil liberties organizing efforts.
• Collaborate with the Public Policy department in designing and implementing strategies to engage regional networks of directly impacted folks, community leaders, and activists in direct constituent advocacy around our legislative priorities. Provide activists and volunteers with information, guidance, and training to effectively lobby policymakers to pass legislation. Work will also include strategic targeting of decision makers, submitting testimonies, setting up meetings with legislators, and using advocacy toolkits to email/call/and create social media posts.
• In collaboration with local coalitions, help design and implement strategic campaigns to engage the community in advocacy for winning policies on local, city, and county level.
• Work with advocacy technology tools, including implementing the best use of volunteer management software, social media, and digital outreach tools including text messaging and phone-banking software to increase engagement.
• Support strategic coalition partners and directly impacted individuals in work tasks and leadership development.

MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position is designated as a non-management position and does not encompass supervisory responsibility. The position may function as a team leader, monitor interns and volunteer work assignments as directed by their immediate supervisor for:

• Community volunteers
• Interns

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum-Entry Requirements

• Demonstrated personal commitment to advancing the ACLU’s values, mission, goals and programs, with an understanding of the range of civil rights and civil liberties issues and their implications through previous experiences.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial equity, dismantling white supremacy, and incorporating a structural power analysis into work. Must have knowledge and understanding of how power is manifested in matters of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstances.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent.
• A minimum 3 to 7 years of experience in a similar position, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• (Relevant experience/education will subst