Civil Rights

About the organization: Make the Road PA was launched in 2014 and, over the last decade, has quickly become one of the largest Latinx organizations in the state of Pennsylvania. MRPA now runs three robust organizing centers in Reading, Allentown, and Philadelphia. We have a strong, engaged membership base of Black and Brown working-class people, primarily in Latinx communities. We have a strong track record of local and state campaigns, large-scale mobilizations on federal issues, large-scale civic engagement work, and active leadership among key progressive organizing groups, coalitions, and tables across the state.

About the position: The Lead Organizer is a leadership position that will help plan, coordinate and support MRPA’s local, state and federal campaigns and membership events. The Lead Organizers are responsible for the supervision of the field organizers to ensure that MRPA organizers are meeting their goals and providing support and training for organizers to win campaigns in their communities locally, statewide and nationally. The Lead Organizers will work through our committee model, which is the engine that drives our work and the space where campaigns, action planning, political education and orientation all take place. Committee meetings are facilitated by members in coordination with organizers. Lead Organizers will acquire stories from community members and prep spokespeople, engage allies across their region to advance local, state and federal efforts that will benefit the communities they work in.

Job responsibilities:

• Coordinate, engage with, and implement campaigns through planning, action research, coordinating campaign events, press work and alliance work;
• Supervise community organizers in their city;
• Lead mobilizations for and organize events;
• Represent the organization at some external meetings, coalition tables, state tables and conferences;
• Engage multiple stakeholders including membership, elected officials, and organizational leaders in the social justice field;
• Build coalition tables and/or campaigns that deal with issues directly impacting MRPA members;
• Develop activities and events to raise financial resources through membership dues;
• Develop and implement leadership development curriculum;
• Coordinate, facilitate and regularly engage the member Leadership Council;
• Attend regular meetings with staff;
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 3-4 years of grassroots base building community organizing experience;
• Fluency or proficiency in Spanish;
• Strong project management skills;
• Experience doing member based advocacy and creating relationships with elected officials;
• Experience mobilizing members or volunteers for medium sized events (200-500 participants);
• Valid U.S. driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle;
• Experience in one or more of the following issue areas highly preferred but not required: housing justice, education, youth organizing, and climate justice;
• Experience leading a campaign highly preferred but not required;
• 1 year of supervision experience highly preferred but not required;
• Experience working in Pennsylvania preferred but not required.

Benefits:

3 weeks paid vacation, 10 sick days, 5 personal days, 7 holidays in the calendar year, paid holiday break in December, life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance, option flexible spending account, transit credit, up to $80/month phone reimbursement, mileage reimbursement, 401k, parental leave, short and long term disability insurance.