Organizer – Spokane (Internal Candidates Only)

Washington Education Association; Spokane (WA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Life insurance

PTO

401(k) with employer contribution

Long-term disability

Relocation assistance

Job summary

The Washington Education Association in Spokane, WA seeks an experienced advocate and organizer to build strong local unions, support members, and promote equity in public education. Responsibilities include developing organizing strategies, training members, tracking metrics, and coordinating with staff and leaders to grow membership and engage in civil rights advocacy for students and educators.

This role requires BA or comparable experience, extensive bargaining and organizing background, and

Qualifications

• BA degree or comparable experience.
• Experience with communities of color and historically underrepresented groups to advance civil rights.
• Collective bargaining experience and collaborative/interest-based bargaining knowledge.
• Proven success in organizing to build strong local associations.
• Experience organizing in bargaining, campaigns, or similar areas.
• Ability to lead and work in a fast-paced team environment with staff, members, and leaders.
• Ability to plan with intermediate and long-range components.
• Excellent communications skills.
• Experience advocating for individual or collective rights.
• Work in person in the Spokane office, Spokane, WA.

Responsibilities

• Organize to help build strong local unions.
• Support members in efforts to build and exercise power.
• Strengthen membership and WEA-PAC enrollment and promote union membership and engagement.
• Advocate for racial, social, and economic justice for members, students, and communities.
• Provide member support for worker rights, bargaining campaigns, leadership and organizational development, strategic planning, and organizing.
• Support professional development and training for educators and education support professionals.
• Develop and share best practices and scripts for engaging members and potential members.
• Establish and track data-related metrics for organizing goals and membership objectives.
• Help process and maintain membership records.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Excellent communications

Team collaboration

Advocacy

Organizing

Bargaining knowledge

Education

BA degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Benefits and Compensation:

• Salary range (CATEGORY 5) - $150,179 to $206,210
• Employer-paid medical, dental, vision, and life insurance (full family coverage)
• Generous sick and paid time off (PTO)
• Long-term disability plan
• Defined Contribution plan - 401(k) (with employer contribution)
• Defined Benefit plan
• Relocation assistance
• Position covered by the WEA/WEASO Collective Bargaining Agreement

Responsibilities:

• Organize to help build strong local unions.
• Support members in their efforts to build and exercise power.
• Strengthen membership and WEA-PAC (Political Action Committee) enrollment and identify opportunities to promote union membership and member engagement.
• Advocate for racial, social, and economic justice for members, students, and communities.
• Provide member support for worker rights, advocacy, collective bargaining, bargaining campaigns, leadership and organizational development, strategic planning, internal organizing, community organizing, and new member organizing.
• Support professional development and training efforts for certificated educators and classified education support professionals.
• Develop, refine, and share best practices and scripts for engaging members, non-members, and potential members.
• Establish and track metrics (data) related to organizing goals and membership objectives.
• Help process and maintain membership records for members.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BA degree or comparable experience.
• Demonstrated history and/or experience working with communities of color and/or with historically underrepresented groups to enhance civil-rights; experience with union activism and/or political engagement on behalf of civil rights issues.
• Collective bargaining experience with knowledge of the principles of collaborative and interest-based bargaining, problem-solving, and alternative dispute resolution.
• Demonstrated success organizing to build strong local associations.
• Record of organizing in one or more of the following areas: bargaining and crisis support, political campaigns, advocating for an issue, or similar.
• Ability to lead and work effectively in a fast-paced, team environment with other advocacy specialists, association staff, members, and leaders.
• Ability to develop and incorporate intermediate and long-range planning components into work assignments.
• Excellent communications skills.
• Experience advocating for individual or collective rights.
• Work in person in the Spokane office in Spokane, WA.

COVID-19 Vaccination

As part of our commitment to the health and safety of our employees, members, and councils, all candidates must provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination status upon hire. Exceptions may be made for medical or religious reasons in accordance with applicable laws.

Supervision

The successful incumbent will function as a member of the Center for Union Strength and Power and will report to the Co-Directors for the Center for Union Strength and Power.

The Washington Education Association is committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where the contributions of each employee are respected as part of the work performed on behalf of 90,000+ members in public education. WEA embraces employees with varied backgrounds and life experiences, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical ability, and veteran status. Only those candidates who can commit to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusiveness need apply.