Term Organizer

Indiana State Teachers Association•Indianapolis, IN

3h•$90,295

About The Position

This term position of Field Organizer is a position with primary responsibility to drive union power by mobilizing members, influencing policy and supporting pro-public education candidates. Key duties include recruiting/training union members, conducting voter outreach, lobbying officials, building coalitions and running campaigns to increase school funding and improve working conditions (school board races, referenda). This is a temporary Professional Staff Organization (PSO) position and is subject to the collective bargaining agreement between ISTA and PSO. Compensation for this position includes salary, sick and vacation time after ninety days of employment, pay for certain holidays, basic business expense reimbursements, and eligibility for reimbursement of health insurance premiums up to a maximum limit for an individual. The person in this position will be assigned to a specific geographic area, either in northwest Indiana (Team 1) or south central Indiana (Team 5) and will share responsibilities for statewide activities with five (5) other Field Organizers. The position will be assigned to a home office and will report to Deidre Rasheed, Director of Government Relations. The qualifications listed below are those qualifications required for the position but do not encompass all those activities which may be included in the responsibilities and performance expectations of the job. There are certain daily activities related to the individual’s job that may be performed regularly but are too general in nature to include.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or at least three years of previous union staff experience or ISTA leadership experience.
Minimum of two year’s union/association or community organizing experience with an emphasis on relational organizing strategies and methods.
Demonstrated experience in organizing issue, contract and/or political campaigns.
Documented experience/successes in popular education and/or member/leader development and training.
Experience implementing member recruitment plans (or other similar growth plans) carried out largely by member volunteers.
Experience in developing and implementing plans based on analysis of current events, organization goals and attitudes.
Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a collaborative team member.
Coordination of the day-to-day activities of member organizers and/or volunteers.
Current driver’s license and insured vehicle in good driving condition.
Effective public speaker
Clear and lucid writing
Social awareness
Ability/desire to work with a diverse population
Strong personal planning and time management skills
Ethical, integrity, and inclusiveness
Ability to give and receive construction feedback
Initiative
Problem analysis and resolution
Relationship building
Leadership
Organizational sensitivity
Flexibility
Detail orientation

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree
Working knowledge of Indiana public sector labor laws as well as labor relations law related to the membership recruitment, representational petition campaigns and elections.
Broad understanding of the critical issues and problems facing preK-12 educators and associations in Indiana and nationally.
Demonstrated ability to analyze member data for strategic purposes.

Responsibilities

Conduct regular building visits for association visibility, potential member recruitment and related efforts.
Build organizing member teams such as Local Political Action Committees (LPACs) or Legislative Action Teams (LATs) within the assigned Team.
Build networks of leaders within existing and new member units.
Utilize and carry out the tools of relational organizing: one-on-one meetings, power analysis, charting/mapping internal relationships, teaching and training, action, and evaluation.
Organize and carry out member recruitment, new unit, contract, political, and/or other issue campaigns.
Write and provide training (or train-the-trainer training) to local associations in organizing for power with an emphasis on school board races, referenda and legislative power.
Write and create relevant campaign plans and materials to help members with local issues that connect to state legislative goals.
Work cooperatively with relevant UniServ Directors, local leaders and others involved in local organizing efforts to foster partnerships between unions, parent-teacher associations, and community groups to build a unified voice for public education.
Enter and analyze data related to member programs and organizing, such as the Voter Action Network to track member engagement, voter outreach and identification of potential leaders.
Participate in regular check-in meetings with manager or designee.
This is not a 9 to 5 job. There will be considerable travel within the state of Indiana. Some weekend work will be necessary.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director and/or immediate supervisor.