Job Posting: Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate

This position has been filled. Thank you for your interest!

Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate Job Description

Overview:

The Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate will have lead responsibility for engaging the Coalition’s existing statewide membership network of concerned citizens, providers, and families, individuals, and youth who are experiencing homelessness, housing instability, and poverty, as well as expanding and deepening the Coalition’s membership base.

The Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate also will lead the execution of outreach plans to further the advocacy goals of the Coalition’s public policy initiatives, including, but not limited to, increasing housing stability; expanding access to safe, permanent housing; establishing housing as right in Massachusetts; improving homelessness prevention and safety net programs; and ensuring equitable access to housing and benefits.

Key Responsibilities:

The responsibilities of the Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate include, but are not limited to:

• Developing and implementing the Coalition’s statewide public policy initiatives and campaigns, in partnership with Executive Director and Associate Director

• Developing and executing organizing strategies to further the statewide public policy campaigns of the organization

• Planning and overseeing the Coalition’s annual Legislative Action Day

• Creating strategies for the Coalition’s members to participate in the organization’s public policy activities

• Organizing community groups throughout the state by conducting regular in-person, email, phone, and social media outreach to build awareness and increase member participation in MCH’s public policy campaigns, membership meetings, Legislative Action Day, and new organizing initiatives

• Facilitate monthly membership meetings to provide opportunities for members to discuss, current MCH policy campaigns, learn about the political process, discuss current events impacting the community, and identify upcoming advocacy and organizing opportunities

• Working in partnership with Associate Director on an annual press strategy for the Coalition’s campaigns, legislative outcomes, and other issues affecting our constituents

• Writing press releases and coordinating their release to appropriate venues, including regional and statewide publications, faith-based publications, online publications, and social media

• Representing the Coalition through speaking engagements, various outreach events, housing/homelessness related meetings, and committees/commissions

• Creating and implementing statewide trainings for members and constituents related to the Coalition’s public policy campaigns and initiatives

• Recruiting interns and helping to set the agendas for their internships

• Submitting all required lobbying registration forms and disclosure reports to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office
  

Qualifications:

• Previous experience working as a community organizer preferred

• Commitments to promoting social justice and racial equity

• Ability to collaborate well with people from a wide variety of backgrounds

• Excellent organizational skills with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously

• Strong oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills

• Positive and proactive team player with self-motivation and ability to work well independently

• Ability to travel across Massachusetts; a valid driver’s license and regular access to a vehicle required

• Experience with social media content creation and digital communication preferred

Start Date:

On or after January 2, 2023

Language Requirements:

Proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Kreyol, Khmer, and/or other languages would be helpful for organizing work, but are not required.

Salary Range and Benefits: 

Starting annual salary: $50,000-$60,000

The Coalition pays for 75% of health insurance benefits.

Coalition staff accrue two weeks of vacation in their first year of employment and four weeks thereafter. Staff also are entitled to ten paid sick days, ten hours of flex time, three personal days, and thirteen designated paid holidays each year.   

Application Instructions and Notes:

Interested applicants should send their resume and cover letter to Kelly Turley, Associate Director: kelly@mahomeless.org.

Read more about the Coalition at www.mahomeless.org.

The Coalition is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage people of color, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ people, and individuals with lived experience of housing instability to apply.

To protect the Coalition’s team and community, the Coalition requires all staff members to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Exemption requests due to medical and religious reasons will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.