Canvassing Fellowship Lead - Lansing

Michigan United • Lansing, MI

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Movement Politics Fellowship is a recruitment and training program for rising organizers who are passionate leaders of all social justice movements, especially economic equity, immigrant rights, and workers rights. Fellowship graduates will be connected with other professional development opportunities, job opportunities, academic support, and join a growing alumni network. MI United / MI United Action is going to conduct outreach to hundreds of thousands of voters in 2026 with strategic resolve and an ambitious voter contact strategy. In 2022 and 2024, they were the source of the largest voter contact program not affiliated with organized labor or a political party. In 2025, MUA scaled its electoral outreach program to effect change in the Detroit municipal elections by electing 2 movement candidates to the Detroit City Council. In 2026, they aim to build power in every corner of Michigan and need help to execute an incredibly large and complex independent voter canvassing campaign. This role seeks high energy individuals to become Movement Politics Lead Fellows. Under the mentorship and supervision of Michigan United staff, lead fellows will be proficient in all the responsibilities of fellows: conducting extensive outreach (primarily through door to door conversations) into the community to register, educate, and mobilize voters for the coming 2026 election cycle. Additionally, lead fellows will be expected to provide daily support to the management team by setting the standard in terms of metrics and door conversation quality, shadowing fellows and giving feedback on door conversations, supporting launches and onboardings, and providing other support in the turf as necessary. Their electoral program includes an ongoing training program for Fellows and Managers to learn how to motivate others toward action, the history of and challenges facing the social justice movement, and to develop a systems-based analysis of power structures at local, state, and federal levels. Michigan United's Theory of Change focuses on building a vibrant, inclusive movement in Michigan where community members organize to build power for change at all levels, dismantling systemic barriers perpetuating inequality. Power is defined as the ability to act, through organized people and organized money, focusing on racial, economic, and gender justice. They are a hub for people-centered leadership development, issue organizing, and civic power building, aiming to create a Michigan where government and economy are inclusive, accountable, and equitable.

Requirements

• A commitment to MI United Action’s theory of change and a strong commitment to racial, gender, and economic justice and their intersections, both inside and outside the organization.
• Impeccable integrity and commitment to setting the highest standard for the rest of the team.
• A desire to learn and grow as a leader or as an organizer.
• Previous experience working with a culturally, religiously, and economically diverse staff.
• A bold desire to talk to people you meet, hear and share stories, and ask people to take action.
• Able to stand and walk for extended periods of time.
• Effective communication skills and comfortability working with the public, talking to strangers, and asking people to take action.
• Reliable transportation/ability to drive to and from canvassing locations.
• A data-capable smartphone.

Nice To Haves

• A high energy, highly organized, self starter capable of executing plans and implementing creative solutions to problems.
• Ability to work with a team to achieve a common goal.
• Multi-lingual (particularly Spanish and Arabic).
• Familiarity with MiniVAN.
• Previous canvassing experience.

Responsibilities

• Executing our electoral canvassing program by using door to door canvassing tactics and supporting Canvassing Fellows in the field.
• Splitting time between shadowing fellows, training and retraining fellows, supporting launches/onboarding and personally door knocking.
• Spending time in turf shadowing and giving feedback to canvassers, providing material support to fellows and frequently communicating with the canvass manager(s) to successfully execute each day’s canvass.
• Participating in a daily briefing with the canvassing team to receive daily instructions and updates.
• Preparing and organizing materials for daily canvassing.
• Completing the canvassing of assigned lists and recording details of conversations in the MiniVAN app.
• Debriefing daily with the canvassing team.
• Practicing and learning organizing skills through a specific training curriculum.
• Setting the standard for door knocks and conversation quality.
• Shadowing fellows on doors and giving feedback after conversations with voters.
• Supporting launches and onboardings.
• Providing leadership on the team, building team culture and morale.
• Troubleshooting on turf as necessary.
• Executing a high energy electoral canvass rooted in MI United / MI United Action’s theory of change.
• Ensuring canvass data integrity.
• Receiving and providing feedback on training materials and curriculum.
• Collecting stories, videos, photos, and other multimedia to use for promotion.
• Attending staff development trainings and fellowship training opportunities.
• Occasional relational outreach via SMS to family and friends to engage them around issues and the election.

Benefits

• Health Insurance and a $1,200/year Health Savings Account or monthly Health insurance stipend are available after 90 days of employment.
• Paid time off policy.
• Paid sick time policy beginning at 16 hours and accruing up to 80 hours.
• 1.5x overtime pay after 40 hours.
• Mileage reimbursement policy.
• An internet stipend of $34.62, and phone stipend of $23.08 per pay period if you use your own device.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed