DC Organizer

NDWA Labs; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

NDWA DC is seeking a dedicated Organizer to grow the base of domestic workers in Washington, DC and to lead leadership development. The role includes coalition work, outreach, and education on workers' rights within the DC area and DMV region.

The Organizer will represent NDWA in local coalitions, engage multilingual communities, and drive campaigns to improve workplace standards for domestic workers in the District.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years experience in grassroots community organizing or labor organizing (paid or volunteer).
• Transformative organizing experience to empower workers and build leadership.
• Commitment to engaging multiracial, low-wage communities and developing leadership of domestic workers.
• Passion for educating workers on their rights and moving them to file complaints.

Responsibilities

• Grow NDWA’s base of domestic workers in Washington, DC.
• Lead field outreach and educate workers about rights in DC and the DMV area.
• Develop leadership, facilitate meetings, and support coalition campaigns.
• Represent NDWA in DC coalitions and campaigns to raise workplace standards.

Skills

Grassroots organizing

Labor organizing

Leadership development

Multiracial engagement

Public speaking

Bilingual Spanish/English

Driver's license

Google Suite

Zoom

Time management

Tools

Zoom

Job description

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.

Work Location: Hybrid - some time working in DC remotely, some time in DC office and some time in the field in the DMV area

Start Date: ASAP

BACKGROUND

The National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading national voice for dignity, respect, and recognition for domestic workers in the United States. NDWA was founded in 2007 by organizers and worker leaders in six cities representing nannies, house cleaners, and care workers, and now represents an alliance of more than 76 organizations across 22 states and 395,000 domestic workers nationally.

We envision a society where domestic work is valued as essential to our collective well-being, domestic workers are leaders in shaping the care sector, and domestic work jobs are good, economically secure jobs.

For over 15 years, we’ve worked to advance our mission by making domestic work visible. We’ve worked to pass policies that enable rights and higher wages for domestic workers across the country, change public awareness and opinion about the dignity and value of care work, and build the capacity and leadership of domestic workers to organize and advocate for their rights.

The National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) launched a local chapter in the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia) area in 2017 to engage the 47,000 estimated domestic workers who live in the area. The DMV Chapter is a multiracial, multilingual group of nannies, house cleaners, and home care workers and is a member-led organization with leadership structures to ensure worker voice and decision making at every level of our work.

From 2018-2022, the chapter campaigned for a DC Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, which passed in December of 2022, winning new rights and protections for all domestic workers employed in DC. In 2021 the chapter campaigned for and won a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in Virginia, in partnership with NDWA’s 501(c)(4) sister organization, Care in Action, and won new laws in 2024 and 2025 to lay the groundwork for improved working conditions for homecare workers in Maryland.

Our primary program areas include member-led organizing to win new legislation to improve the conditions of domestic work jobs; enforcement of existing workplace laws through outreach, education, and filing claims to local enforcement agencies; trainings and other workforce development opportunities; extensive grassroots outreach to new worker contacts and programs to develop the organizing and leadership skills of chapter members.

POSITION SUMMARY

The DC Organizer will grow NDWA’s base of domestic workers in Washington DC, develop the leadership of domestic worker members and represent NDWA in local DC coalitions and campaigns. They will also raise workplace standards for domestic workers through efforts to increase compliance with the rights domestic workers have under the law in DC, including new rights won under the DC Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.

PRIMARY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Base Growth

• Implement an outreach plan that utilizes both online and offline tools to engage and educate domestic workers in DC
• At least 60% of the Organizer’s time will be spent in the field, conducting outreach, meeting and following up with domestic workers and other activities of base growth

Awareness and Enforcement Work

• Educate domestic workers in DC on their labor rights via consistent outreach, 1-on-1 conversations, membership meetings, public workshops, and through the creation of multilingual, engaging, worker-facing materials
• Develop domestic workers’ leadership skills to support workers to facilitate membership meetings, lead know-your-rights trainings, support with outreach activities, engage in legislative campaigns and share their stories

Campaigns and Coalition Work

• Represent NDWA in relevant coalitions in DC and support legislative campaigns in Washington DC to raise standards for domestic workers in the District

Other work as assigned

Support the DMV Chapter staff to grow the chapter's infrastructure, expand worker programming, and engage chapter members in national NDWA campaigns and other national opportunities

QUALIFICATIONS

• 1-3 years experience in grassroots community organizing, with an emphasis on labor organizing, racial justice, immigrant rights, and/or base building (paid or volunteer experience)
• Transformative organizing experience, which means empowering workers to build collective power, grow as leaders, and drive systemic change for themselves, their communities, and the industry.
• Highly motivated individual with a demonstrated commitment to engaging multiracial, low wage communities and developing the leadership of domestic workers
• Passion for educating workers on their rights, moving them through fear to file complaints; and using labor claims to build power for domestic workers
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work with, engage and inspire people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Ability to work well with a team and motivate others to take action
• Strong and effective communicator
• Very comfortable in spoken and written Spanish and English
• Ability to work well with and represent NDWA with community partners such as other organizing groups, city government agencies and officials, and legal service providers
• Proven ability to learn quickly, work independently, and meet multiple deadlines at the same time
• A keen attention to detail, including the ability to carefully track sensitive details of cases of workplace rights violations
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage time efficiently
• Must have a valid driver's license and access to a vehicle (driving to in person outreach and meeting locations is required); will be reimbursed for miles driven for work
• Basic computer skills: (i.e. Google Suite, Zoom)
• Ability to work some evening and/or weekend hours as part of their regular schedule
• Knowledge of issues affecting women of color, Black, and/or immigrant domestic workers nationally and locally

Preferred but not required

• Familiarity with the domestic worker sector and movement
• Familiarity with labor, racial justice, and other progressive movements in DC
• Experience developing and executing leadership development programs
• Experience with meeting facilitation and popular education training
• Experience with database management for organizing

We value a truly diverse workforce and a culture of inclusivity and belonging. People from historically disadvantaged communities, such as Women, People of Color, People with Disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people, are strongly urged to apply. NDWA is a union employer; this position is a bargaining unit position.

NDWA participates in the E-Verify program and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.