Associate Community Organizer

The Direct Action & Research Training (DART) Center; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 46,800 - 57,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance reimbursement

Generous annual retirement contribution

Flexible scheduling

Parental leave

Generous vacation leave

Mileage reimbursement

Relocation assistance

Job summary

A prominent community organizing organization in Knoxville, TN seeks an Associate Community Organizer to facilitate justice-oriented initiatives. The role involves building relationships with diverse faith communities, organizing direct actions, and conducting research to drive community change. Candidates passionate about justice and willing to work flexible hours are encouraged to apply. The position offers comprehensive training, a starting salary of $52,000, and benefits including health insurance reimbursement and a generous retirement contribution.

Qualifications

• No prior organizing experience is necessary, training provided.
• Ability to work some evenings and weekends.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable car required.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships of trust with community members.
• Conduct research into community problems.
• Organize direct action assemblies for accountability.

Skills

Passion for justice

Relationship building

Respect for all faith traditions

Comfort with diverse opinions

Ability to overcome differences

Fluency in Spanish

Job description

Associate Community Organizer

Join to apply for the Associate Community Organizer role at The Direct Action & Research Training (DART) Center

Who We Are & What We Stand For

Are you angry about the injustices your community faces? Do you want to learn how to build the people power necessary to fight those injustices and make real, local change? As a community organizer with Justice Knox, you’ll learn how to bring together our area's diverse faith community to address the root causes of serious community problems.

Justice Knox is a constituent‑led, grassroots organization that is part of the Direct Action and Research Training Center (DART), one of the largest faith‑based community organizing networks in the country. At DART, we stand against narratives of fear, scarcity, and division, and instead bring people together across lines of difference to take action off our shared values of abundance, love, hope, and promise. We believe that fighting for racial and economic justice is fundamental to our identity as people of faith, and we know that winning justice requires having power in the public arena. We’ve been organizing interfaith coalitions to build that power and win since 1982.

We’ve Won

• Over $1 billion invested in affordable housing
• $950 million invested in public transportation
• More than $22 million secured for communities to address the climate crisis and increase resiliency
• Criminal justice reforms resulting in 50,000 fewer arrests of children

The Work

As an organizer in the DART network, you’ll spend most of your time in the community, building relationships of trust with everyday people of faith. Through one‑on‑one conversations, you’ll invite people to be part of something bigger than themselves, moving them from solitary struggle to the pursuit of collective power. You’ll engage them in claiming their own powerful voice and developing their leadership as you guide them through conducting research into community problems. You’ll organize direct action assemblies involving hundreds or even thousands of people to demand action and hold decision makers accountable, winning changes that will greatly impact your community. You’ll also recruit new congregations, organize local trainings, and coordinate an annual fundraising drive.

Who You Are

• You have a passion for justice, and have acted on it.
• You can build strong relationships with people from all walks of life.
• You may or may not be personally religious. Either way, you have a genuine respect for all faith traditions and are excited about uniting faith communities to live out their call to “do justice.”
• Organizers should be comfortable working with people with whom they may have deep disagreements, be able to hold their own beliefs without being restricted by them, and be willing to invest in overcoming differences and finding common ground.
• DART organizations are diverse coalitions that include communities of color, low‑to‑moderate‑income communities and immigrant communities. We strongly encourage people from these backgrounds, as well as fluent speakers of Spanish, to apply.

Other Requirements

• Ability to work some evenings and weekends to accommodate community members who work during the day.
• A valid driver’s license and access to a reliable car.
• No prior organizing experience is necessary, as we provide the training you’ll need to be successful.
• Ability to travel for several training events throughout the year.

Training and Development

DART invests heavily in training and development of our team members. During your first year, we provide comprehensive professional development through an initial five‑day classroom‑style training; five months of intensive, on‑the‑job training; one‑on‑one mentoring from experienced DART consultants; and three multi‑day trainings with organizers across the country. Ongoing professional development continues through individualized coaching and mentoring, as well as local, regional, and national staff trainings.

Compensation and Benefits

• Starting salary $52,000
• Generous annual employer retirement contribution of 10% beginning after one year of employment – no match required
• Health insurance reimbursement of $500/month
• Flexible scheduling
• Parental leave
• Generous vacation leave
• Mileage reimbursement
• Relocation assistance
• Comprehensive, on‑the‑job training through the DART Organizers Institute

Learn more: Visit www.thedartcenter.org to learn more about the work of DART and Justice Knox.

Seniority Level

• Entry level

Employment Type

• Full‑time

Job Function

• Other

Industries

• Civic and Social Organizations