Lead Community Organizer

The DART Center•Roanoke, VA

7d•$63,000 - $70,000

About The Position

Do you believe in a vision for your community that enacts your values for justice, wholeness, and peace? Do you want to learn how to build the people power necessary to win justice and make real, local change? As a community organizer with the Roanoke Justice Ministry, you’ll learn how to bring together our area's diverse faith community to address the root causes of serious community problems. Roanoke Justice Ministry is a constituent-led, grassroots organization that brings together faith communities to address the root causes of serious community problems across the Roanoke Valley. Roanoke Justice Ministry is part of the Direct Action and Research Training Center (DART), one of the largest faith-based community organizing networks in the country. We believe that advocating for racial and economic justice is fundamental to our identity as people of faith, and we know that successfully enacting justice requires having power in the public arena. We’ve been organizing interfaith coalitions to build power since 1982. A few of our victories include: Hundreds of millions of dollars invested in affordable housing Implementation of fair discipline policies in hundreds of schools, breaking the school-to-prison pipeline $950 million invested in public transportation Criminal justice reforms resulting in 60,000 fewer arrests of children You're excited to direct a nonprofit organization and set the vision for its growth. You have a passion for justice, and are energized by the prospect of uniting people around a common cause. You are naturally curious and value strong relationships. You may or may not be personally religious. Either way, you have a genuine respect for all faith traditions and are excited about uniting faith communities to live out their call to “do justice”. Roanoke Justice Ministry is a diverse coalition that includes communities of color, low-to-moderate-income communities and immigrant communities. We strongly encourage people from these backgrounds, as well as fluent Spanish speakers, to apply. DART invests heavily in training and development of our team members. During your first year, we provide comprehensive professional development through an initial five-day classroom-style training, one-on-one mentoring from experienced DART consultants, and three multi-day trainings with organizers across the country. Ongoing professional development continues through individualized coaching and mentoring, as well as local, regional, and national staff trainings.

Requirements

Core passion to win on local justice campaigns
Excellent relationship-building skills
Enthusiasm for working with diverse faith communities
At least three years of professional experience in community organizing, advocacy, congregational or non-profit leadership
Experience leading teams of people
Possession of a valid driver’s license and access to a car
Ability to travel for training events throughout the year
This role is based in Roanoke. We are currently considering candidates that are based in the Roanoke Valley, or are willing to relocate for this position.

Responsibilities

Building engagement in the community
Train grassroots faith leaders how to engage others in the fight for justice & recruit new leaders and congregations into the organization.
Drive forward campaigns on community problems
Train grassroots leaders to identify community problems, conduct research, and develop action plans for issue campaigns.
Organize public actions of over 1,000 people.
Fundraising from local sources
Coordinate an annual 6-8 week fundraising drive with grassroots leaders who fundraise from individuals, small businesses, and major corporations in the community.
Ensure that dues from member congregations are collected.
Organizational development & management
Work with the organization’s Board of Directors to map out the strategic direction and development of the organization.
Train, supervise, and evaluate future Associate Organizers.
Ensure that the organization’s finances are in order. This includes maintaining accurate financial records, ensuring that all foundation proposals and reports are submitted in a timely fashion.

Benefits

Roanoke Justice Ministry makes generous retirement contributions of 10% after one year of employment - no match required.
Paid vacation leave
Paid holidays
Paid sick leave
Flexible scheduling
Healthcare reimbursement
Parental leave
Mileage reimbursement for work-related travel
Relocation assistance
Comprehensive, on-the-job training through the DART Organizers Institute and individual consulting