Field and Programs Director

San Diego SHRM; Boston, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in Boston-area operations seeks a Director to lead Side With Love's organizing campaigns, strengthen congregations' capacity, and ensure a data-informed theory of change. You will drive strategy, grow a team of organizers and fellows, and collaborate with faith and civic partners to advance equity, justice, and inclusion.

This remote role emphasizes accountability to communities and donors, with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and

Qualifications

• 5+ years in community organizing, campaign leadership, or faith-based movement building, incl. 2+ years supervising staff.
• Experience with CRM systems (EveryAction, VAN, Action Network, etc.).
• Strong background evaluating organizing strategies, theories of change, and program impact.
• Experience managing budgets and financial processes.
• Coalition-building across faith, racial justice, or civic engagement sectors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including public speaking and donor reporting.
• Strategic thinking and systems design in complex organizations.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with digital collaboration tools (Google Workspace, Asana or similar, and databases).
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a remote environment.
• Commitment to equity and justice values.

Responsibilities

• Lead and evaluate organizing programs and campaigns advancing Side With Love’s strategic priorities.
• Pilot innovative organizing methods and practices.
• Lead actions, events, and trainings with congregations, state action networks, and UUA partners.
• Test and refine the UUA’s theory of change using metrics, feedback, and evaluation.
• Design workflows and programs that drive results and grow staff capacity.
• Develop and coordinate work plans for program staff.
• Supervise and develop a team of organizers, program managers, and fellows.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, values-aligned culture rooted in spiritual resilience and continuous learning.
• Coordinate cross-team workflows with other UUA departments.
• Build and strengthen partnerships with faith-based and secular coalitions at local, state, and national levels.
• Represent the UUA and Side With Love in interfaith and movement coalitions.
• Deepen the organizing and coalition capacity of congregations and justice partners.
• Build and maintain the team’s reporting and data systems.
• Produce reports that synthesize outcomes, learning, and stories of impact.
• Facilitate reflection and learning spaces for staff, partners, and congregational leaders.
• Help design narrative- and data-driven fundraising strategies.
• Represent the team at donor events and convenings.
• Performs other duties as requested by supervisor, the Vice Presidents, or the President.

Skills

Community organizing

Campaign leadership

Staff supervision

Budget management

Partnership building

Public speaking

Strategic thinking

Remote collaboration

Equity & justice

Data evaluation

Tools

EveryAction

VAN

Action Network

Google Workspace

Asana

Job description

Lead a team of organizers and program managers to power faith-rooted justice campaigns, strengthen congregational capacity for organizing, and sharpen the UUA’s theory of change. The Director keeps our organizing strategic, values-grounded, data-informed, and accountable to partners and impacted communities — building the strategy, staff capacity, and evaluation that make Side With Love a durable, powerful hub for UU justice organizing.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years in community organizing, campaign leadership, or faith-based movement building, including 2+ years supervising staff and programs.
• Experience with CRM systems (EveryAction, VAN, Action Network, etc.).
• Strong background evaluating organizing strategies, theories of change, and program impact.
• Experience managing budgets and financial processes.
• Coalition-building and partnership experience across faith, racial justice, or civic engagement sectors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including public speaking and reporting to donors and stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking and systems design in complex organizations.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Proficiency with digital collaboration tools (Google Workspace, Asana or similar, and databases).
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a remote environment.
• Commitment to the values and mission of the Unitarian Universalist Association and Side With Love, including equity, inclusion, and justice.

People with disabilities, people of color, indigenous people, Hispanic/Latinx, and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply. The UUA is committed to developing a diverse and talented staff team. If you are excited about this role, but are unsure whether you meet 100% of the requirements, we encourage you to inquire and/or apply.

About the UUA

The Unitarian Universalist Association is a progressive religious denomination headquartered in Boston’s waterfront Fort Point Innovation District. Our faith community of more than 1,000 self-governing congregations brings to the world a vision of religious freedom, tolerance, and social justice. Our normal workweek is 35 hours, we pay 80% contribution towards health insurance premiums, 10% towards retirement (after one year), and have generous paid time-off policies. We are a great place to work, and we value diversity. The UUA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to the full inclusion of all. As part of this commitment, the UUA will ensure that applicants and staff with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Department of Human Resources at [e-mail]. For more information on the UUA, visit us online at UUA.org and uuworld.org.

Support for the Mission and Values of the Association

The Unitarian Universalist Association is a progressive and historic religious denomination. All UUA staff members are expected to perform their job duties in accordance with the UUA’s values, principles, and mission. Unitarian Universalism puts love at the center of our commitments, which embrace the Shared Values of justice, equity, transformation, interdependence, pluralism and generosity. The following points drawn from these Shared Values are of particular importance for the UUA’s work environment and staff culture:

• Pluralism and generosity: We affirm the need for a human-centered workplace that allows our diverse staff to flourish. We also understand that our wider culture and society oppresses and denies human dignity, and we seek to counter the effects of that oppression in our hiring and workplace culture so that each person feels whole and valued.
• Justice and equity: We speak openly and publicly of our support for social and political issues, including LGBTQ equity, racial justice, climate justice, gender equity, and reproductive justice.
• Interdependence and transformation: We recognize that the liberation of all people is interwoven, and we work to counter patriarchy, white supremacy, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, environmental exploitation, and other interrelated systems of marginalization.

Program Leadership & Strategic Direction (30%)

• Lead and evaluate organizing programs and campaigns that advance Side With Love’s strategic priorities.
• Pilot innovative organizing methods and practices.
• Lead actions, events, and trainings with congregations, state action networks, and UUA partners.
• Test and refine the UUA’s theory of change using metrics, feedback, and evaluation.

Team Management & Leadership Development (30%)

• Design workflows and programs that drive results and grow staff capacity.
• Develop and coordinate work plans for program staff.
• Supervise and develop a team of organizers, program managers, and fellows.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, values-aligned culture rooted in spiritual resilience and continuous learning.
• Coordinate cross-team workflows with other UUA departments.

Coalition Support & Partnership Management (15%)

• Build and strengthen partnerships with faith-based and secular coalitions at local, state, and national levels.
• Represent the UUA and Side With Love in interfaith and movement coalitions.
• Deepen the organizing and coalition capacity of congregations and justice partners.

Evaluation, Reporting & Learning (15%)

• Build and maintain the team’s reporting and data systems.
• Produce reports that synthesize outcomes, learning, and stories of impact.
• Facilitate reflection and learning spaces for staff, partners, and congregational leaders.

Resource Development & Fundraising (10%)

• Help design narrative- and data-driven fundraising strategies.
• Represent the team at donor events and convenings.
• Performs other duties as requested by supervisor, the Vice Presidents, or the President.