Employment Specialist and Organizer - TSNE

Worker’s Justice Project (WJP) (workersjustice.org) was founded in 2010 to address the racial and economic injustices that low-wage immigrant workers face in New York City by building collective power to win institutional change. WJP runs two long-standing worker’s centers in Brooklyn. We promote justice and opportunity for low-wage immigrant workers in New York City by pushing for systematic enforcement and expansion of workplace protections, which include labor and occupational health and safety standards while advocating for industry-specific efforts to improve working conditions. WJP also offers skills-building training to workers in health & safety and industry-specific areas, and we educate immigrant communities about their rights in the workplace and how to exercise those rights.

WJP is a fiscally sponsored organization of Third Sector New England, Inc. (TSNE) (tsne.org).

The Employment Specialist and Organizer works primarily from WJP‘s Sunset Park, as part of  the Construction Workers United (CWU) team. The Employment Specialist and Organizer’s primary duties include coordinating a Hiring Hall for immigrant construction workers and conducting organizing and outreach targeting construction workers and potential employers. This role helps strengthen and expand WJP’s membership and goal of creating long-term, well-paying, sustainable employment opportunities for WJP members. The ideal candidate will not only be aligned with WJP’s vision and mission but will have outreach and organizing experience in immigrant communities, especially with immigrant workers.

The Employment Specialist and Organizer is an on-site position with regular evening and weekend work required.

Essential Functions

Construction Worker Hiring Hall management

• Processes hiring hall applications from potential employers for new laborers; maintains job sign-up list for day laborers; matches workers with employer needs.
• Serves as the liaison among employers and laborers/members, providing translation services to enhance communication between employers and workers.
• Assess, screen and match hiring hall members with employment opportunities.
• Guides employers and hiring hall members in understanding and following workplace policies; ensures clear communication of rules and regulations to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
• Builds and cultivates effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including current employers, BIDS, business councils, and community groups; additionally, researches and conducts targeted outreach to prospective employers specifically willing to hire Construction Worker United members.
• Creates and facilitates presentations to inform potential employers of Construction Workers United’s hiring hall services.
• Reviews job requests from employers made through the online portal, emails, calls, and in-person.
• Conducts reviews of existing business partnerships regularly, and determines improvements and ways to leverage relationships with employers.

Member Services and Support

• Conducts one-on-one meetings with members to build relationships, identify and understand individual interests, build trust, collect feedback, encourage participation, track member progress.
• Conduct outreach to day laborers to inform them about their rights and WJP benefits.
• Facilitates orientation meetings to inform members and potential workers about the Hiring Hall’s operation.
• Promotes constant leadership development among members to strengthen worker committees.
• Compassionately addresses member concerns and manages conflicts and disagreements related to the Hiring Hall and other aspects of CWU membership.
• Facilitates and coordinates workshops to train members in current and prospective employers' needs and requirements, to strengthen and improve members' skills.

Community Engagement and Advocacy

• Coordinates participation in community activities with allied organizations to form partnerships and expand resources available to members.
• Facilitates the connection between CWU members and the media to make the work of CWU - WJP visible and raise awareness about workplace challenges.
• Represents WJP in community meetings, actions, and tabling events.
• Supports actions to defend and fight for labor rights.
• In conjunction with CWU Director and Director of Development and Communications, develops a marketing plan that promotes the CWU Hiring Hall across different networks that generates employment for members.

Administrative and Reporting Duties

• Ensures all reports and documentation on CWU’s hiring hall work is prepared and submitted in a timely manner to funders.
• Generates employment leads for the hiring hall by exchanging and collecting information from individuals they come in contact with.
• Prepares and issues employment agreements and employer notifications related to the CWU Hiring Hall.
• Maintains accurate program records in WJP systems.
• Tracks outreach efforts for required program reports.
• Stays abreast of industry trends and new developments, and shares this information with the CWU team.

General Support

• Assists in completing other program goals and requirements, such as answering phone calls and greeting visitors in the office.
• Other duties as assigned.

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

• A commitment to WJP's mission, vision, and values and our workers and worker justice;
• Successfully demonstrated outreach or organizing experience appropriate to the position;
• Strong written and verbal communications skills in English and Spanish;
• Knowledge of the construction industry in NYC, especially related to day laborer construction workers;
• Ability to work independently and accurately in a high-paced, deadline-oriented environment;
• Self-motivated and creative;
• Strong meeting facilitation skills;
• Ability to handle multiple priorities at the same time;
• Ability to work to deadlines and prioritize tasks;
• Comfortable speaking with diverse audiences, including those at religious centers, community centers, senior centers and beyond;
• Comfortable working as part of a busy team;
• Proficiency knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.) and other applications (Google Apps.) and equipment operation such as copiers, scanners, fax machines and telephones;
• Knowledge of and experience using social media platforms;
• Administrative and organizational skills;
• Knowledge of employment practices;
• Knowledge of NYC public transportation system.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those for this position. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Work is performed in an office environment and in close proximity to other workers.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to:

• Able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions.
• Able to commute using the NYC public transportation system.
• Able to work in an open office space.
• Handle, or feel objects, tools or controls.
• Reach; traverse; sit or stand (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend; and position self (to) move.
• Extended periods of time in front of a computer screen is an essential aspect of the position.
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards.
• Likelihood of personal injury would be relatively slight.

Compensation and Benefits

Location:Work will be primarily performed at the Sunset Park Worker Center/Hub and will travel periodically. This position is not eligible for remote work.

Schedule: This role requires the ability to work regular business hours and on early mornings, evenings, and weekends, as needed.

Compensation: The pay range for this position is $62,400 - $66,000/year. 

Benefits: This position is eligible for a full benefits package including:

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): twelve paid holidays, three weeks of vacation, one week of personal holiday, and ability to accrue up to 487.5 hours of health leave time for benefited staff.
• 80% Employer-paid, offering some $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim along with several low-deductible plans;
• Low-cost Guardian Dental and Vision.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care.
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance.
• Employer-paid Pension and Employee-paid 403b plan through TIAA.
• ...and more!

TSNE/WJP strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Middle Eastern and North African, Bilingual and/or Bicultural candidates, and LGBTQ2SIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles, and lived experiences of each individual that enrich and strengthen our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. TSNE/WJP prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed, color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Regardless of any class’ protection under the law or lack thereof, TSNE/WJP celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees. It is represented in our workplace culture, and it is who we are.

TSNE/WJP's EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.