Organizing Associate

Center for Tech and Civic Life•Chicago, IL

6d•$62,321 - $77,153•Remote

About The Position

When you think about elections, you might think about popular candidates, “I voted” stickers, and all sorts of paperwork and deadlines. Behind the scenes are thousands of people in state and local government working hard to make sure accurate election information is published, ballots are counted, and voices are heard. We are seeking a motivated and outgoing community organizer and advocate to help foster valuable and lasting relationships with local elections offices across the country. As CTCL’s Organizing Associate, you will support CTCL’s nonpartisan advocacy strategy to empower elections officials in administering inclusive and secure elections. The ideal candidate thrives in social environments and is eager to get out from behind a screen and into the field. You will visit small towns and major cities across the country to connect with local election administrators and their staff at association meetings, support the development of campaign resources and materials, and build relationships with potential partners to better understand how to connect elections offices with helpful information and public resources. You’ll report to one of our Organizing Managers and work in collaboration with other members of the CTCL team. This is a new role in a growing department that is focused on the resiliency of election infrastructure, and educating individuals about the need to secure public funding for local election offices. As an Organizing Associate with CTCL you will contribute to a nonpartisan program that is supporting our country’s local election officials to make meaningful community change.

Requirements

Organizing Skills
You understand and respect diverse communities and work effectively with people from varied backgrounds and perspectives.
You are an effective communicator and active listener, able to deliver our message clearly and persuasively.
You can adapt to changing circumstances and adjust your strategy as needed.
Campaign Skills
You are enthusiastic about making elections more secure and inclusive. You believe in democracy, care about voting, and are comfortable working in nonpartisan spaces.
You are hungry for victory. You don’t just focus on inputs, but instead work relentlessly to deliver results because you want your work to make a difference.
You are willing to learn the skills to build nonpartisan organizing and educational campaigns with a team, including setting campaign goals, communicating messaging, and supporting various activities to achieve our goals.
You are comfortable working in a dynamic environment where campaign conditions and strategy evolve and strategic pivots are necessary.
You can work quickly and like high impact rapid-response work.
Self Management
You are a detail-oriented task-tracker who can manage a personal to-do list and is adamant about accomplishing goals. You are incredibly responsive and enjoy connecting via various digital channels.
You are comfortable in a virtual professional setting and sometimes working outside of your home (in hotels, conference rooms, airports, etc.). You can manage your workload in a fully remote setting and foster a sense of community in the digital space. You are accountable and self-motivated without an office environment.
You know that feedback loops can help you create the best work. You create opportunities to get input from colleagues and partners.

Responsibilities

Conference Engagement & Relationship Building
Regularly travel to election related convenings to build relationships, collect stories, and educate attendees on election infrastructure funding.
Proactively network with attendees, stakeholders, and potential partners.
Follow internal best practices, templates, and resources for attendee engagement and follow-up.
Regularly hold 1:1s with local election officials & partners to develop lasting relationships and foster movement up the ladder of engagement.
Organizational & Partner Support
Participate in roundtable discussions, virtual coalition spaces, and regular check-ins with partners to help them engage meaningfully in advocacy efforts.
Support other CTCL departments and their projects by connecting them with engaged elections officials.
Strengthen connections within the advocacy network to participate in CTCL programming & educational opportunities.
Supporting Program & Event Execution
Serve as a helper on virtual & in-person convenings.
Work with participants to ensure they are prepared for presentations, take notes, and follow up with attendees where appropriate.
Commitment to Career Growth
Demonstrates enthusiasm and desire to grow within the organization, to seize leadership opportunities, and to absorb new learnings and skills.
Commitment to Priority Audiences
Ensure CTCL programs for election departments prioritize voters with limited access to the election system. This includes voters who are newly eligible, have limited English proficiency, live with disabilities, or are from communities that are impacted by the digital divide or historical disenfranchisement due to race.