Organizing Manager

Community Organizing Alliance; Lewiston (ME); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Health/dental/vision insurance

Job summary

Community Organizing Alliance in Lewiston, ME is seeking an Organizing Manager to lead base-building and leadership development across our youth and community programs. The role focuses on recruiting and supporting volunteers, developing leaders, and strengthening training systems for ongoing organizing work.

The Organizing Manager will supervise staff and interns, advance youth leadership initiatives, and ensure effective 1:1s and campaigns through COA’s platforms and partnerships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or related field preferred.
• 3+ years of community organizing experience.
• Experience supervising staff, interns, or volunteers.
• Experience developing and facilitating trainings.
• Strong 1:1s, leadership development, and base-building know-how.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead base-building and leadership development work.
• Supervise organizing staff, interns, and volunteers.
• Develop youth leadership programming and coach emerging leaders.
• Track 1:1 meetings and progress toward base-building goals.
• Coordinate with other COA program staff to support campaigns.

Skills

Relational organizing

Leadership development

Staff supervision

Volunteer engagement

Community outreach

Facilitation

Relationship building

Time management

Multilingual outreach

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Solidarity Tech

Microsoft Excel

VAN

Job description

Organizing Manager

Community Organizing Alliance (COA) is seeking an Organizing Manager with a strong commitment to our values of racial and social justice, as well as advancing systemic change and policy at the community and government levels. The Organizing Manager will lead our base‑building and leadership development work. The Organizing Manager will recruit and develop community members and volunteers, support them in becoming leaders, supervise organizing staff and interns, and strengthen the systems and training that support our organizing work. This is a hands‑on role for someone who enjoys building relationships, developing people, and helping others grow into leadership.

COA educates, empowers, and engages Black and immigrant youth across Maine to become agents of change in their communities. Through civic education, grassroots organizing, and leadership development, we equip young people with the tools to understand systems of power, advocate for themselves, and shape the future of their community and the state. Note: COA considers youth to be anyone under the age of 30.

Position Overview

The Organizing Manager will lead Community Organizing Alliance’s base‑building and leadership development work by building relationships with community members, recruiting and supporting volunteers, and creating pathways for people to grow into leadership. This position will supervise and support organizing staff, interns, volunteers, and emerging leaders while strengthening the systems needed to build and sustain an active community base.

The Organizing Manager will also lead and help support COA’s youth leadership programming, working with staff and leaders to identify members of our youth base who are ready for deeper engagement and leadership development. Through training, coaching, and hands‑on organizing opportunities, the Organizing Manager will help develop youth community members into skilled leaders who can take meaningful roles in COA’s campaigns, Youth Leadership Council (YLC), programs, and broader organizing work. The YLC is a youth leadership body of high school and college students dedicated to ensuring young people have a voice and a meaningful role in shaping COA as an organization.

Base Building & Leadership Development

• Conduct 3–5 relational 1:1 meetings per week with community members and volunteers to build relationships, understand their interests, and identify opportunities for deeper involvement.
• Recruit and retain members and volunteers through 1:1s, community outreach, events, and other organizing activities.
• Identify potential leaders from COA/CAA’s base and support their progression into defined volunteer and leadership roles.
• Ensure organizing staff consistently conduct 1:1s and meet established base‑building and recruitment goals.

Training Leaders Engaged in Organizing (LEO)

• Lead COA’s Leaders Engaged in Organizing (LEO) program, a three‑day organizing and leadership development training for members and volunteers identified through COA’s base‑building work.
• Work to identify and recruit 15–20 participants per LEO cohort from relationships developed through 1:1s and ongoing engagement.
• Develop and facilitate LEO curriculum focused on core organizing and leadership skills, including relational organizing, recruitment, facilitation, and community outreach.
• Support LEO graduates in transitioning into other COA leadership opportunities by helping leaders develop and carry out community‑led campaigns and advocacy efforts, and providing the coaching, tools, resources, and ongoing organizing support needed to lead the work.

Staff Supervision & Leader Support

• Directly supervise an organizing staff member, volunteer leaders and 1‑3 interns, including setting expectations, assigning work, and providing regular feedback and support.
• Co‑support and oversee the Youth Leadership Council (YLC) in tandem with the Youth Coordinator.
• Lead organizing team meetings and debriefs to review priorities, progress, challenges, and performance.
• Address staff performance and accountability concerns in coordination with the Executive Director.

Organizing Operations & Administration

• Develop quarterly organizing work plans with clear priorities, goals, timelines, and staff responsibilities.
• Manage organizing data and online systems, including Solidarity Tech, Microsoft Excel, and other COA/CAA organizing platforms, ensuring staff consistently and accurately track 1:1s, members, volunteers, leaders, and activities.
• Track progress toward organizing goals and provide regular updates to the Executive Director.
• Maintain the organizing calendar, materials, onboarding resources, training materials, and internal organizing procedures.
• Collaborate with and support other COA program staff, contribute to COA organizational strategy, and provide ad hoc support to COA community events and/or rapid response efforts.

Qualifications

We encourage applications even if you don’t feel that you meet 100% of the outlined qualifications. If you are excited about this role, passionate about our mission, and ready to put in the work then we would be happy to hear from you!

• Bachelor’s degree and/or related degree desired, though not required.
• 3+ years of community, grassroots, electoral, or issue‑based organizing experience, including experience with base building, volunteer recruitment, and relational organizing.
• Experience supervising, coaching, or developing staff, interns, volunteers, or community leaders.
• Experience developing and facilitating organizing, leadership development, or community‑based trainings.
• Strong understanding of 1:1s, leadership development, volunteer engagement, and base‑building strategies.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including setting goals, developing work plans, and tracking progress.
• Comfortable using or learning organizing and data platforms such as Solidarity Tech, Microsoft Excel, VAN, and similar tools.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship‑building skills.
• Experience with youth organizing, youth leadership development, or supporting young people in taking on leadership roles.
• Experience working with immigrant, refugee, Black, or other historically underserved communities.
• Knowledge of the issues and barriers affecting immigrant and underserved communities.
• Experience working in multilingual or multicultural organizing environments.
• Diligent, detail‑oriented, self‑motivated and able to adapt to fast‑paced settings.

Compensation & Benefits

COA is an EEO Employer committed to a racially just, equitable, and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender identity, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or marital status.

COA operates in a hybrid work environment with in‑person work in Lewiston required at least 2‑3 days/week, with 1‑2 remote work days available. Preferred candidates will live in the Lewiston/Auburn area, though it is not required. This is a full‑time, salaried position with a salary range of $52,000 - $61,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience. COA also provides 13 paid holidays and paid time off, and offers health/dental/vision insurance (80% employer/20% employee coverage for health benefits).

The deadline to apply is November 25, 2026.