Community Organizer - Lane County

Oregon Food Bank Inc•Portland, OR

3d•$62,756 - $70,824

About The Position

Oregon Food Bank is hiring a Community Organizer for Lane County. The role builds and supports a growing base of community leaders, guiding them through increasing levels of commitment—from recruitment and political education to nonpartisan electoral organizing and leadership development. The organizer helps build political power to advance systems and policy change that addresses hunger and its root causes. The Community Organizer works with community leaders to develop and carry out grassroots strategies for priority policy campaigns; engages people in statewide organizing activities, events, trainings, and advocacy; and mobilizes community members through in-person and digital tactics. The position also collaborates across departments and with organizational partners, contributes to organizational planning and equity work, and may support local campaigns and coalitions. The role’s duties may evolve over time. Oregon Food Bank’s mission is to eliminate hunger and its root causes. The organization views food and health as basic human rights and works to build community power, strengthen networks of support, and dismantle systems and policies that drive hunger and poverty.

Requirements

Deep passion for eliminating hunger and its root causes.
2–3 years of experience in community engagement.
Experience living and/or organizing in rural or small-town communities, or in Lane County.
Ability to learn and develop community organizing skills and apply them in varied contexts.
Ability to learn and use technological organizing tactics, including phone banking, mass texting, social media, and virtual community meetings.
Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, with a range of audiences.
Outstanding relationship-building skills and ability to develop and maintain relationships in service of the organization and its mission.
Demonstrated ability to navigate conflict through effective leadership and problem-solving.
Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive information effectively and confidentially.
Ability to travel within or outside Oregon for up to four days at a time, up to eight times per year.
Ability to drive and a valid driver’s license.
Willingness to use a personal vehicle for work-related travel.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team, in an office environment and offsite.
Ability to manage multiple projects, coordinate and organize work, attend to detail, handle interruptions, and produce timely, accurate work.
Ability to think strategically, collaborate, take initiative, maintain confidentiality, and seek creative solutions using multiple perspectives.
Experience modeling intercultural competence and demonstrated commitment to equity and social justice.
Ability to thrive in a diverse, creative, responsive, mission-driven, fast-paced work culture.
Successful multicultural immersion working and/or living within one or more of Oregon Food Bank’s Equity Constituencies: BIPoC, immigrants and refugees, single mothers, or trans and gender-nonconforming people.
Willingness to work outside general working hours of 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., including evenings and weekends, as needed.
Ability to lift, move, and carry objects weighing 20–40 pounds, and to crouch, bend, kneel, and reach when filing.

Nice To Haves

Professional-level or greater proficiency in English and one or more additional languages.
Multicultural adaptation and integration skills, including adapting communication to other perspectives and moving between worldviews to support understanding, diversity, and inclusion.
Commitment to continued professional development to strengthen equity-focused and racial-justice practice.
Strong capacity to consider multiple perspectives, pivot to emerging needs, and lead through organizational changes.
At least 10 years of successful multicultural immersion working with and/or living within one or more of Oregon Food Bank’s Equity Constituencies, beyond the minimum required experience.

Responsibilities

Build and support a community leadership team that co-creates and implements grassroots organizing strategies and tactics for priority policy change campaigns.
Engage community members in statewide field organizing activities, including Ending Hunger Power Nights, one-on-ones, Leader Camps, phone banks, relational organizing, analysis, skills-building, and actions.
Lead or participate in statewide organizing program activities, including Ending Hunger Power Nights, community forums, educational workshops, and other community-building events focused on building political power.
Mobilize people to actions and events through phone banking, texting, canvassing, digital organizing, and other tactics.
Participate in or co-lead organizing trainings within Oregon Food Bank, with organizational partners, or with community members.
Identify community leaders interested in sharing their stories and expertise through media, legislative testimony, and other communications or advocacy strategies.
As capacity allows and as assigned, provide on-the-ground support to local organizing campaigns and coalitions aligned with organizational priorities.
Participate in cross-department teams as assigned or as needed for the position.
Participate in the Organizing & Advocacy Team, collaborating with peers and contributing to shared leadership and team development.
Participate in organizational planning, data and technology systems, lobbying and finance tracking processes, and the organization’s equity journey.
Represent and advance Oregon Food Bank’s vision and mission, collaborate across departments, and contribute to movement-building addressing the root causes of hunger.
In coordination with the supervisor, contribute to cross-departmental efforts, work-culture activities, advisory or consultative groups, and professional development.
Identify and collaboratively revise duties as the role evolves.