External Organizer I

Seiu49; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Seiu49 is seeking dedicated Organizers in Sacramento, California, to lead efforts in forming and growing the union. Responsibilities include membership recruitment, strategic thinking for campaigns, and developing worker leadership.

The ideal candidate will have experience with labor unions or related organizations, possess strong communication skills, and be committed to improving workers' lives. A valid driver's license and willingness to travel within California are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience with labor unions or political campaigns is significant.
• Fluency in a second language is highly desirable.
• Valid driver's license and car usage for work are mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Lead workers in union formation and development.
• Engage in strategic thinking to evaluate campaigns.
• Recruit and develop workers into leaders and activists.

Skills

Strong personal planning and time management skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Self-motivation to achieve campaign goals

Ability to work under pressure

Ability to identify and assess worker issues

Teamwork and independent work capabilities

Education

Completion of SEIU 'Wave' training program or similar

Tools

Basic computer literacy on Windows-based computer programs

Job description

Position Purpose

Organizers lead workers to form, build, and grow our union; guide workers to negotiate and enforce their union contracts; mobilize workers around worksite issues, politics, public policy, and other issues affecting the lives of workers; develop rank‑and‑file leadership among workers; and carry out all other programs of the union in the field. SEIU Local 2015 organizers may be assigned to work as “internal” organizers – working with and on behalf of workers who are already in unions; or as “external” organizers – working with and on behalf of workers who are in the process of building a union for the first time.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Membership recruitment and COPE/PAF (Committee on Political Empowerment/Political Accountability Fund) fundraising. This is seen as a primary duty of an organizer, with COPE contribution/membership indivisible to membership recruitment goals.
• Assess, identify, recruit, and develop workers into activists and leaders via house visits, worksite visits, organizing meetings, phone calls and literature, for example; prepare meeting agendas and other communication tools such as emails, fliers, etc.
• Assist in developing worker leaders through conducting basic trainings providing appropriate tools to lead and holding them accountable to clear goals regarding the execution of the Local’s program in workplaces and communities.
• Plan one’s own work as assigned; make and execute daily, weekly, and monthly work plans based on assigned goals and objectives.
• Engage in strategic thinking to assess issues, evaluate a campaign and its components, achieve goals of the union in the field, anticipate and understand management and industrial activity, and provide reports and analysis to local leadership.
• Work within allotted budget to ensure appropriate and effective financial stewardship of our members’ dues money.
• Understand how to conduct basic research to gather and track information about workers, employers, NLRB or PERB rules and economic/financial conditions and apply information to development of organizing, bargaining, and other issue campaigns.
• Develop plans to mobilize and lead member‑volunteers in key union activities including organizing campaigns, labor‑to‑labor political campaigns, grassroots lobbying, issue campaigns, ballot initiative campaigns, media activity, fundraising, and legislative/issue advocacy in support of the union’s collective bargaining.
• Assist leadership and members in building coalitions with community allies and partners that seek to align our organizational missions and coordinate joint efforts/projects.
• Provide leadership by helping to build the team at Local 2015. Exercise effective team building with members, local staff, international staff and the Change to Win labor coalition, CLC, or staff of other allied organizations when assigned to a collaborative project.
• Other tasks and duties as assigned.

Criteria for Evaluation

• Connect members around vision and goals of the union.
• Identify and develop new member leaders and activists.
• Train and mentor member leaders and activists.
• Execute campaign plans with clear goals, strategies and benchmarks.
• Optimize use of local union resources to achieve successful outcomes.
• Develop and maintain a high level of teamwork, spirit, collaboration and mutual accountability.
• Balance conflicting demands successfully.
• Work independently.
• Deliver on quantitative and qualitative goals outlined for that year.
• Carry out assigned responsibilities in a competent and professional manner in keeping with the Local’s overall goals and expectations.

Qualifications

• Experience with the following types of employers is highly significant: labor unions, progressive issue advocacy organizations, community organizations, political campaigns and staff of elected officials.
• Very strong preference will be given to candidates who have completed the SEIU “Wave” training program or other formal training programs for organizers.
• Personal commitment to the mission and goals of SEIU and to the specific program of SEIU Local 2015.
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment are considered key components to achieving organizer performance standards.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to identify and assess worker issues.
• The ability to work with a team and independently.
• Ability to track campaign data, evaluate and effectively move turf.
• Deep commitment to improving workers’ lives and building a strong labor movement.
• Self‑motivation to achieve campaign goals.
• Strong personal planning and time management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Basic computer literacy on Windows‑based computer programs in order to perform necessary campaign data management and administrative work.
• Willingness and ability to work long, irregular hours, including early morning, evenings and weekends.
• Fluency in a second language is also highly desirable.
• The ability to work with people from other cultures and backgrounds.
• Valid driver’s license, use of a car for work, and automobile insurance are mandatory conditions of employment.
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout state of California and other tasks and duties as assigned.

Scope and Nature of Supervision

Organizers may report to a senior organizer, organizing (external) director, field (internal) director or local union officer, or other assigned supervisor. Supervision and direction of organizers often change on a campaign‑by‑campaign or project‑by‑project basis. Organizers are frequently expected to operate without day‑to‑day supervision, to develop their own work plans and goals, and to act with a degree of discretion and independent judgment. Accordingly, they must be strong self‑starters and have a commitment to fulfill the objectives of the organization.

Job descriptions are not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of every activity or responsibility that is required for each role.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

SEIU Local 2015 is an equal employment opportunity employer committed to recruiting and hiring without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.